Jeremiah 39
New American Standard Bible
Jerusalem Captured
39 [a]Now when Jerusalem was captured [b](A)in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it; 2 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city wall was (B)breached. 3 Then all the (C)officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the (D)Middle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the [c]Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the [d]Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon. 4 And when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they (E)fled and left the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate (F)between the two walls; and he went out toward the [e]Arabah. 5 But the army of the (G)Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the (H)plains of Jericho; and they took him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at (I)Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he [f]passed sentence on him. 6 Then the (J)king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah (K)before his eyes at Riblah; the king of Babylon also slaughtered all the (L)nobles of Judah. 7 He then (M)blinded Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in (N)shackles of bronze to bring him to (O)Babylon. 8 The Chaldeans also (P)burned the king’s palace and the houses of the people with fire, and they (Q)tore down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 And as for the rest of the people who were left in the city, the (R)deserters who had deserted to him and (S)the rest of the people who remained, (T)Nebuzaradan the (U)captain of the bodyguard took them into exile in Babylon. 10 But some of the (V)poorest people, who had nothing, (W)Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields [g]at that time.
Jeremiah Spared
11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders regarding (X)Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, 12 “Take him and [h]look after him, and (Y)do not do anything harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent word, along with Nebushazban the [i]Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the [j]Rab-mag, and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon; 14 they even sent word and (Z)took Jeremiah out of the courtyard of the guardhouse and entrusted him to (AA)Gedaliah, the son of (AB)Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he stayed among the people.
15 Now the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was (AC)confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse, saying, 16 “Go and speak to (AD)Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Behold, I am going to bring My words on this city (AE)for disaster and not for [k]prosperity; and they will (AF)take place before you on that day. 17 But I will (AG)save you on that day,” declares the Lord, “and you will not be handed over to the men of whom you are afraid. 18 For I will assuredly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own (AH)life as plunder, because you have (AI)trusted in Me,” declares the Lord.’”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 39:1 Ch 38:28b in Heb
- Jeremiah 39:1 Ch 39:1 in Heb
- Jeremiah 39:3 I.e., chief official
- Jeremiah 39:3 I.e., title of a high official
- Jeremiah 39:4 I.e., Jordan valley
- Jeremiah 39:5 Lit spoke judgments with
- Jeremiah 39:10 Lit on that day
- Jeremiah 39:12 Lit set your eyes on
- Jeremiah 39:13 I.e., chief official
- Jeremiah 39:13 I.e., title of a high official
- Jeremiah 39:16 Lit good
Jeremiah 39
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. 9 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the Babylonian guard, took into exile in Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, those who had deserted to Nebuchadnezzar, and the rest of the people who remained. 10 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who did not have anything, and he gave them vineyards and fields on that day.
Jeremiah’s Release from Prison
11 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard: 12 “Take him, look after him, and don’t do anything to harm him. Rather, do for him whatever he tells you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, Nebushazban, the high official, Nergal-sar-ezer, the chief official, and all the officials of the king of Babylon sent for Jeremiah.[m] 14 They sent for Jeremiah[n] and took[o] him from the courtyard of the guard. They handed him over to Ahikam’s son Gedaliah, the grandson of Shaphan, to take him home. So he remained among the people.
Ebed-melech Rewarded
15 This message from the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was confined in the courtyard of the guard: 16 “Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian: ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Look, I’m going to fulfill my promise against this city for disaster rather than for good, and on that day it will happen before your eyes. 17 But I’ll deliver you on that day,” declares the Lord. “You won’t be given into the hands of the men you fear. 18 For I’ll surely deliver you, and you won’t fall by the sword. Your life will be spared[p] because you trusted me,” declares the Lord.’”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 39:1 a in English is 38:28b in Hebrew
- Jeremiah 39:1 The Heb. lacks of the reign of
- Jeremiah 39:2 The Heb. lacks of the reign of
- Jeremiah 39:2 The Heb. lacks the wall of
- Jeremiah 39:3 The Heb. lacks including
- Jeremiah 39:3 Or high official
- Jeremiah 39:3 I.e. a province of Babylon
- Jeremiah 39:3 Lit. the Rab-sa-resi; a Babylonian title for a royal official
- Jeremiah 39:3 Lit. the Rab-mugi, a Babylonian title for a royal official
- Jeremiah 39:3 Or Gate: Nergal-sarezer, Samgar-nebu, Sarsekim, the high official, Nergal-sarezer, the chief official, and
- Jeremiah 39:6 The Heb. lacks right
- Jeremiah 39:6 Lit. The king of Babylon
- Jeremiah 39:13 The Heb. lacks for Jeremiah
- Jeremiah 39:14 The Heb. lacks for Jeremiah
- Jeremiah 39:14 The Heb. lacks took
- Jeremiah 39:18 Lit. You will have your life as a spoil of war
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