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
- Jeremiah 39:1 Ch 38:28b in Heb
- Jeremiah 39:1 Ch 39:1 in Heb
- Jeremiah 39:3 Lit chief official
- Jeremiah 39:3 Title of a high official
- Jeremiah 39:4 Jordan valley
- Jeremiah 39:5 Same Heb root as Arabah in 39:4
- Jeremiah 39:9 Lit fallers who had fallen
- Jeremiah 39:10 Lit on that day
- Jeremiah 39:13 Lit chief official
- Jeremiah 39:13 Title of a high official
- Jeremiah 39:16 Lit evil
- Jeremiah 39:16 Lit good
Jeremiah 39
Complete Jewish Bible
39 In the ninth year of Tzidkiyahu king of Y’hudah, in the tenth month, N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel marched against Yerushalayim with his entire army and began to lay siege against it. 2 On the ninth day of the fourth month of the eleventh year of Tzidkiyahu, they broke through into the city. 3 All the officers of the king of Bavel entered and sat at the Middle Gate — Nergal-Sar’etzer, Samgar-N’vo, Sars’khim the Rav-Saris, Nergal-Sar’etzer the Rav-Mag and all the other officers of the king of Bavel. 4 When Tzidkiyahu the king of Y’hudah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, leaving the city by night through the king’s garden, exiting from the gate between the two walls, and continuing out by the route through the ‘Aravah. 5 But the army of the Kasdim went in pursuit of them and overtook Tzidkiyahu on the plains near Yericho. Upon capturing him, they brought him up to N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel at Rivlah, in the land of Hamat, where he passed judgment on him. 6 The king of Bavel slaughtered the sons of Tzidkiyahu before his eyes in Rivlah; the king of Bavel also slaughtered all the leading men of Y’hudah. 7 Then he put out Tzidkiyahu’s eyes and bound him in chains to be carried off to Bavel. 8 The Kasdim burned down the royal palace and the people’s houses, and they broke down the walls of Yerushalayim. 9 N’vuzar’adan commander of the guard then deported to Bavel the remaining population of the city, the deserters who had defected to him, and the rest of the people remaining. 10 But N’vuzar’adan the commander of the guard left behind in the territory of Y’hudah some of the poor people, those who had nothing, and at the same time gave them vineyards and fields.
11 Concerning Yirmeyahu, N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel gave N’vuzar’adan the commander of the guard this order: 12 “Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but treat him as he tells you.” 13 So N’vuzar’adan the commander of the guard, N’vushazban the Rav-Saris, Nergal-Sar’etzer the Rav-Mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Bavel 14 sent to have Yirmeyahu taken out of the guards’ quarters; they committed him to the care of G’dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, to be brought home. There he lived among the people.
15 This word of Adonai came to Yirmeyahu while he was imprisoned in the guards’ quarters: 16 “Go and tell ‘Eved-Melekh the Ethiopian that Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘“I am about to fulfill my words about this city for disaster, not for good; when the day arrives, they will come true before your eyes. 17 But at that time I will rescue you,” says Adonai, “and I will not hand you over to the men you fear. 18 Yes, I will keep you safe; you will not fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me,” says Adonai.’”
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