The Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon

39 In the ninth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the tenth month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to it.(A) In the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken into.(B) All the officials of the king of Babylon entered and sat at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar, Nebusarsechim[a] the chief of staff, Nergal-sharezer the chief soothsayer, and all the rest of the officials of Babylon’s king.(C)

When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the fighting men saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden(D) through the city gate between the two walls. They left along the route to the Arabah.(E) However, the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They arrested him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon’s king, at Riblah in the land of Hamath. The king passed sentence on him there.(F)

At Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, and he also slaughtered all Judah’s nobles. Then he blinded Zedekiah and put him in bronze chains to take him to Babylon.(G) The Chaldeans next burned down the king’s palace and the people’s houses and tore down the walls of Jerusalem.(H)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 39:3 LXX; MT reads Samgar-nebu, Sarsechim

The Fall of Jerusalem

39 (A)In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. Then all (B)the officials of the king of Babylon came (C)and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer of Samgar, Nebu-sar-sekim (D)the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward (E)the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in (F)the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at (G)Riblah, in the land of Hamath; (H)and he passed sentence on him. The king of Babylon (I)slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at (J)Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon (K)slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. (L)He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. (M)The Chaldeans burned the king's house and the house of the people, (N)and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

Read full chapter