Jeremiah 39:1-8
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.
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- 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.
- 39:1b Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar; also in 39:5, 11.
- 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.
- 39:3 Or Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsekim.
- 39:4 Hebrew the Arabah.
- 39:5 Or Chaldean; similarly in 39:8.
Jeremiah 39:1-8
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.
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- 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
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