Jeremiah 39:1-8

International Standard Version

The Fall of Jerusalem and the Capture of Zedekiah

39 This is how Jerusalem was captured:^[a] In the tenth month of the ninth year of the reign of^[b] Zedekiah king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. ² On the ninth day of the fourth month, in the eleventh year of the reign of^[c] Zedekiah, the wall of^[d] the city was breached. ³ All the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the Middle Gate, including^[e] Nergal-sarri-usur, governor^[f] of Sinmagir,^[g] Nabu-sarrussu-ukin the high official,^[h] Nergal-sarri-user, the chief official,^[i] and^[j] all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

⁴ When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled and went out of the city at night through the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls. Then he went out on the road toward the Arabah. ⁵ The Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. When they seized him they brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed judgment on him. ⁶ At Riblah, the king of Babylon executed Zedekiah’s sons right^[k] before his eyes. He^[l] also executed all the nobles of Judah. ⁷ Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze fetters to take him to Babylon.

⁸ The Chaldeans burned the palace and the houses of the people with fire, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.