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Jeremiah 39
New Living Translation

The Fall of Jerusalem

39 In January[a] of the ninth year of King Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar[b] of Babylon came with his entire army to besiege Jerusalem. 2 Two and a half years later, on July 18[c] in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, a section of the city wall was broken down. 3 All the officers of the Babylonian army came in and sat in triumph at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, and Nebo-sarsekim,[d] a chief officer, and Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon.

4 When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw that the Babylonians had broken into the city, they fled. They waited for nightfall and then slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley.[e]

5 But the Babylonian[f] troops chased them and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah. 6 The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons at Riblah. The king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7 Then he gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bronze chains to lead him away to Babylon.

8 Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned Jerusalem, including the royal palace and the houses of the people, and they tore down the walls of the city. 9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took as exiles to Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, those who had defected to him, and everyone else who remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan allowed some of the poorest people to stay behind in the land of Judah, and he assigned them to care for the vineyards and fields.

Jeremiah Remains in Judah

11 King Nebuchadnezzar had told Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, to find Jeremiah. 12 “See that he isn’t hurt,” he said. “Look after him well, and give him anything he wants.” 13 So Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard; Nebushazban, a chief officer; Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser; and the other officers of Babylon’s king 14 sent messengers to bring Jeremiah out of the prison. They put him under the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, who took him back to his home. So Jeremiah stayed in Judah among his own people.

15 The Lord had given the following message to Jeremiah while he was still in prison: 16 “Say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,[g] ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I have threatened. I will send disaster, not prosperity. You will see its destruction, 17 but I will rescue you from those you fear so much. 18 Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”

Footnotes

  1. 39:1a Hebrew In the tenth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. A number of events in Jeremiah can be cross-checked with dates in surviving Babylonian records and related accurately to our modern calendar. This event occurred on January 15, 588 B.c.; see 52:4a and the note there.
  2. 39:1b Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar; also in 39:5, 11.
  3. 39:2 Hebrew On the ninth day of the fourth month. This day was July 18, 586 B.c.; also see note on 39:1a.
  4. 39:3 Or Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsekim.
  5. 39:4 Hebrew the Arabah.
  6. 39:5 Or Chaldean; similarly in 39:8.
  7. 39:16 Hebrew the Cushite.
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Jeremiah 39
Legacy Standard Bible

The Walls of Jerusalem Torn Down

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 military force 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 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 Now it happened that when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they (E)fled and went out of 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 military force of the (G)Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the [f](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 spoke judgment 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)fetters of bronze to bring him to (O)Babylon. 8 The Chaldeans also (P)burned with fire the house of the king and the houses of the people, and they (Q)tore down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 And as for the rest of the people who remained in the city, the [g](R)defectors who had gone over to him and (S)the rest of the people who remained, (T)Nebuzaradan the (U)captain of the bodyguard took them away into exile in Babylon. 10 But some of the (V)poorest people who had nothing, (W)Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had them remain in the land of Judah and gave them vineyards and fields [h]at that time.

Jeremiah Delivered

11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave a command about (X)Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, 12 “Take him and set your eyes to look after him and (Y)do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he speaks to you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent word, along with Nebushazban the [i]Rab-saris and Nergal-sar-ezer the [j]Rab-mag and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon; 14 they even sent and (Z)took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard and gave him over 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 Yahweh had come to Jeremiah while he was (AC)confined in the court of the guard, saying, 16 “Go and speak to (AD)Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city (AE)for [k]calamity and not for [l]prosperity; and they will (AF)take place before you on that day. 17 But I will (AG)deliver you on that day,” declares Yahweh, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are terrified. 18 For I will certainly provide you escape, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own (AH)life as spoil because you have (AI)trusted in Me,” declares Yahweh.’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 39:1 Ch 38:28b in Heb
  2. Jeremiah 39:1 Ch 39:1 in Heb
  3. Jeremiah 39:3 Lit chief official
  4. Jeremiah 39:3 Title of a high official
  5. Jeremiah 39:4 Jordan valley
  6. Jeremiah 39:5 Same Heb root as Arabah in 39:4
  7. Jeremiah 39:9 Lit fallers who had fallen
  8. Jeremiah 39:10 Lit on that day
  9. Jeremiah 39:13 Lit chief official
  10. Jeremiah 39:13 Title of a high official
  11. Jeremiah 39:16 Lit evil
  12. Jeremiah 39:16 Lit good
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Jeremiah 38
Jeremiah 40
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New Living Translation (NLT)

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Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

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