Jeremiah 39:8-18

Common English Bible

⁸ The Babylonians burned down the royal palace and the houses of the people, and they destroyed the Jerusalem walls. ⁹ Nebuzaradan the captain of the special guard rounded up the rest of the people who were left in the city, including those who had defected to the Babylonians, and deported them to Babylon. ¹⁰ But Nebuzaradan the captain of the special guard left some of the poorest people in the land of Judah. He gave them vineyards and fields at that time.

¹¹ Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar gave orders concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the special guard: ¹² “Find Jeremiah and look after him; don’t harm him but do whatever he asks from you.” ¹³ So Nebuzaradan the captain of the special guard, Nebushazban the chief officer, Nergal-sharezer the field commander, and all the commanders of the king of Babylon ¹⁴ sent orders^[a] to release Jeremiah from the prison quarters. They entrusted him to Gedaliah, Ahikam’s son and Shaphan’s grandson, so that Jeremiah could move about freely^[b] among the people.

¹⁵ The Lord’s word came to Jeremiah when he was still confined to the prison quarters: ¹⁶ Go and say to Ebed-melech the Cushite that the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims: I’m about to fulfill my words concerning this city, for harm and not for good. You will witness it for yourself on that day. ¹⁷ But on that day, declares the Lord: