25 So in the ninth^(A) year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works^(C) all around it. ² The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

³ By the ninth day of the fourth^[a] month the famine^(D) in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. ⁴ Then the city wall was broken through,^(E) and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians^[b] were surrounding^(F) the city. They fled toward the Arabah,^[c]

²⁰ “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies,^(A) you will know that its desolation is near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.^{(B) 22} For this is the time of punishment^(C) in fulfillment^(D) of all that has been written. ²³ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled^(E) on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.^{(A) 44} They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls.^(B) They will not leave one stone on another,^(C) because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming^(D) to you.”

³ He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.^{(A) 4} The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.^(B) Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’^{(C) 5} And whether they listen or fail to listen^(D)—for they are a rebellious people^(E)—they will know that a prophet has been among them.^{(F) 6} And you, son of man, do not be afraid^(G) of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns^(H) are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.^{(I) 7} You must speak^(J) my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.^(K)