32 “Now therefore, our God,
The great, the (A)mighty, and awesome God,
Who keeps covenant and mercy:
Do not let all the [a]trouble seem small before You
That has come upon us,
Our kings and our princes,
Our priests and our prophets,
Our fathers and on all Your people,
(B)From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 9:32 hardship

32 “Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty(A) and awesome,(B) who keeps his covenant of love,(C) do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship(D) that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

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And I said: “I pray, (A)Lord God of heaven, O great and (B)awesome God, (C)You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love [a]You and observe [b]Your commandments,

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 1:5 Lit. Him
  2. Nehemiah 1:5 Lit. His

Then I said:

Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God,(A) who keeps his covenant of love(B) with those who love him and keep his commandments,

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“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, (A)the faithful God (B)who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

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Know therefore that the Lord your God is God;(A) he is the faithful God,(B) keeping his covenant of love(C) to a thousand generations(D) of those who love him and keep his commandments.(E)

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18 (A)Who is a God like You,
(B)Pardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of (C)the remnant of His heritage?

(D)He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in (E)mercy.[a]
19 He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all [b]our sins
Into the depths of the sea.
20 (F)You will give truth to Jacob
And [c]mercy to Abraham,
(G)Which You have sworn to our fathers
From days of old.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 7:18 Or lovingkindness
  2. Micah 7:19 Lit. their
  3. Micah 7:20 Or lovingkindness

18 Who is a God(A) like you,
    who pardons sin(B) and forgives(C) the transgression
    of the remnant(D) of his inheritance?(E)
You do not stay angry(F) forever
    but delight to show mercy.(G)
19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities(H) into the depths of the sea.(I)
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,(J)
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors(K)
    in days long ago.(L)

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“O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You.

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We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you.(A)

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And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O (A)Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,

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I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:(A)

“Lord, the great and awesome God,(B) who keeps his covenant of love(C) with those who love him and keep his commandments,

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(A)Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land.

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We have not listened(A) to your servants the prophets,(B) who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors,(C) and to all the people of the land.

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The Fall of Jerusalem Reviewed(A)

52 Zedekiah was (B)twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of (C)Libnah. He also did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. For because of the anger of the Lord this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, till He finally cast them out from His presence. Then Zedekiah (D)rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Now it came to pass in the (E)ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. By the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled and went out of the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were near the city all around. And they went by way of the [a]plain.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. (F)So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment on him. 10 (G)Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And he killed all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 11 He also (H)put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in [b]bronze fetters, took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.

The Temple and City Plundered and Burned

12 (I)Now in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month ((J)which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), (K)Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 He burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down all the walls of Jerusalem all around. 15 (L)Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive some of the poor people, the rest of the people who remained in the city, the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers.

17 (M)The (N)bronze pillars that were in the house of the Lord, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all their bronze to Babylon. 18 They also took away (O)the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the [c]bowls, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered. 19 The basins, the firepans, the bowls, the pots, the lampstands, the spoons, and the cups, whatever was solid gold and whatever was solid silver, the captain of the guard took away. 20 The two pillars, one Sea, the twelve bronze bulls which were under it, and the carts, which King Solomon had made for the house of the Lord(P)the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. 21 Now concerning the (Q)pillars: the height of one pillar was eighteen [d]cubits, a measuring line of twelve cubits could measure its circumference, and its thickness was [e]four fingers; it was hollow. 22 A capital of bronze was on it; and the height of one capital was five cubits, with a network and pomegranates all around the capital, all of bronze. The second pillar, with pomegranates was the same. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; (R)all the pomegranates, all around on the network, were one hundred.

The People Taken Captive to Babylonia

24 (S)The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, (T)Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. 25 He also took out of the city an [f]officer who had charge of the men of war, seven men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the principal scribe of the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the midst of the city. 26 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.

28 (U)These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: (V)in the seventh year, (W)three thousand and twenty-three Jews; 29 (X)in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred and thirty-two persons; 30 in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred and forty-five persons. All the persons were four thousand six hundred.

Jehoiachin Released from Prison(Y)

31 (Z)Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, that [g]Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, (AA)lifted[h] up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. 32 And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prominent seat than those of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So [i]Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, (AB)and he ate bread regularly before the king all the days of his life. 34 And as for his provisions, there was a regular ration given him by the king of Babylon, a portion for each day until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 52:7 Or Arabah; the Jordan Valley
  2. Jeremiah 52:11 shackles
  3. Jeremiah 52:18 basins
  4. Jeremiah 52:21 18 inches each
  5. Jeremiah 52:21 3 inches
  6. Jeremiah 52:25 Lit. eunuch
  7. Jeremiah 52:31 Or Awil-Marduk; lit. The Man of Marduk
  8. Jeremiah 52:31 Showed favor to
  9. Jeremiah 52:33 Lit. he

The Fall of Jerusalem(A)(B)(C)

52 Zedekiah(D) was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.(E) He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim(F) had done. It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah,(G) and in the end he thrust them from his presence.(H)

Now Zedekiah rebelled(I) against the king of Babylon.

So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth(J) day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem(K) with his whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works(L) all around it.(M) The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat.(N) Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled.(O) They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians[a] were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah,[b] but the Babylonian[c] army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, and he was captured.(P)

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah(Q) in the land of Hamath,(R) where he pronounced sentence on him. 10 There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons(S) of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. 11 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.(T)

12 On the tenth day of the fifth(U) month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan(V) commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 He set fire(W) to the temple(X) of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses(Y) of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. 14 The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls(Z) around Jerusalem. 15 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile(AA) some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen[d] and those who had deserted(AB) to the king of Babylon. 16 But Nebuzaradan left behind(AC) the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

17 The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars,(AD) the movable stands(AE) and the bronze Sea(AF) that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried all the bronze to Babylon.(AG) 18 They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls,(AH) dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service.(AI) 19 The commander of the imperial guard took away the basins, censers,(AJ) sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands,(AK) dishes(AL) and bowls used for drink offerings(AM)—all that were made of pure gold or silver.(AN)

20 The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls(AO) under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed.(AP) 21 Each pillar was eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference[e]; each was four fingers thick, and hollow.(AQ) 22 The bronze capital(AR) on top of one pillar was five cubits[f] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates(AS) of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; the total number of pomegranates(AT) above the surrounding network was a hundred.(AU)

24 The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah(AV) the chief priest, Zephaniah(AW) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.(AX) 25 Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal advisers. He also took the secretary(AY) who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land, sixty of whom were found in the city. 26 Nebuzaradan(AZ) the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 There at Riblah,(BA) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.

So Judah went into captivity, away(BB) from her land. 28 This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile:(BC)

in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;

29 in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year,

832 people from Jerusalem;

30 in his twenty-third year,

745 Jews taken into exile(BD) by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard.

There were 4,600 people in all.(BE)

Jehoiachin Released(BF)

31 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin(BG) king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah and freed him from prison. 32 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.(BH) 34 Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance(BI) as long as he lived, till the day of his death.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 52:7 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 17
  2. Jeremiah 52:7 Or the Jordan Valley
  3. Jeremiah 52:8 Or Chaldean; also in verse 14
  4. Jeremiah 52:15 Or the populace
  5. Jeremiah 52:21 That is, about 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference or about 8.1 meters high and 5.4 meters in circumference
  6. Jeremiah 52:22 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters

The Fall of Jerusalem(A)

39 In the (B)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 (C)eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the [a]city was penetrated.

(D)Then all the princes of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, [b]Rabsaris, Nergal-Sarezer, [c]Rabmag, with the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.

(E)So it was, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city by night, by way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went out by way of the [d]plain. But the Chaldean army pursued them and (F)overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to (G)Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him. Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his (H)eyes in Riblah; the king of Babylon also killed all the (I)nobles of Judah. Moreover (J)he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze [e]fetters to carry him off to Babylon. (K)And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people with (L)fire, and broke down the (M)walls of Jerusalem. (N)Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people who remained in the city and those who (O)defected to him, with the rest of the people who remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah the (P)poor people, who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields [f]at the same time.

Jeremiah Goes Free

11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, 12 “Take him and look after him, and do him no (Q)harm; but do to him just as he says to you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon’s chief officers; 14 then they sent someone (R)to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him (S)to Gedaliah the son of (T)Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people.

15 Meanwhile the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 16 “Go and speak to (U)Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, (V)I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. 17 But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18 For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but (W)your life shall be as a prize to you, (X)because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 39:2 city wall was breached
  2. Jeremiah 39:3 A title, probably Chief Officer; also v. 13
  3. Jeremiah 39:3 A title, probably Troop Commander; also v. 13
  4. Jeremiah 39:4 Or Arabah; the Jordan Valley
  5. Jeremiah 39:7 chains
  6. Jeremiah 39:10 Lit. on that day

39 In the ninth year of Zedekiah(A) king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege(C) to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth(D) month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall(E) was broken through.(F) Then all the officials(G) of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls,(H) and headed toward the Arabah.[a](I)

But the Babylonian[b] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah(J) in the plains of Jericho. They captured(K) him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah(L) in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles(M) of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes(N) and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.(O)

The Babylonians[c] set fire(P) to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls(Q) of Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him,(R) and the rest of the people.(S) 10 But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: 12 “Take him and look after him; don’t harm(T) him but do for him whatever he asks.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers(U) of the king of Babylon 14 sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard.(V) They turned him over to Gedaliah(W) son of Ahikam,(X) the son of Shaphan,(Y) to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.(Z)

15 While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: 16 “Go and tell Ebed-Melek(AA) the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words(AB) against this city—words concerning disaster,(AC) not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. 17 But I will rescue(AD) you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. 18 I will save(AE) you; you will not fall by the sword(AF) but will escape with your life,(AG) because you trust(AH) in me, declares the Lord.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 39:4 Or the Jordan Valley
  2. Jeremiah 39:5 Or Chaldean
  3. Jeremiah 39:8 Or Chaldeans

19 the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the [a]eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf— 20 I will (A)give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their (B)dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth. 21 And I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army (C)which has gone back from you. 22 (D)Behold, I will command,’ says the Lord, ‘and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it (E)and take it and burn it with fire; and (F)I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.’ ”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 34:19 Or officers

19 The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials,(A) the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, 20 I will deliver(B) into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them.(C) Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.(D)

21 “I will deliver Zedekiah(E) king of Judah and his officials(F) into the hands of their enemies(G) who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon,(H) which has withdrawn(I) from you. 22 I am going to give the order, declares the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, take(J) it and burn(K) it down. And I will lay waste(L) the towns of Judah so no one can live there.”

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18 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

(A)“They shall not lament for him,
Saying, (B)‘Alas, my brother!’ or ‘Alas, my sister!’
They shall not lament for him,
Saying, ‘Alas, master!’ or ‘Alas, his glory!’
19 (C)He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey,
Dragged and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

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18 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

“They will not mourn(A) for him:
    ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’
They will not mourn for him:
    ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
19 He will have the burial(B) of a donkey—
    dragged away and thrown(C)
    outside the gates of Jerusalem.”

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Jeremiah Mourns for His People

“At that time,” says the Lord, “they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of its princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves. They shall spread them before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served and after which they have walked, which they have sought and (A)which they have worshiped. They shall not be gathered (B)nor buried; they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. Then (C)death shall be chosen rather than life by all the [a]residue of those who remain of this evil family, who remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says the Lord of hosts.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 8:3 remnant

“‘At that time, declares the Lord, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones(A) of the people of Jerusalem will be removed(B) from their graves. They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served(C) and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped.(D) They will not be gathered up or buried,(E) but will be like dung lying on the ground.(F) Wherever I banish them,(G) all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life,(H) declares the Lord Almighty.’

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Sennacherib Boasts Against the Lord(A)

36 Now (B)it came to pass in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. Then the king of Assyria sent the [a]Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And he stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller’s Field. And (C)Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, (D)Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to him.

(E)Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust? I say you speak of having plans and power for war; but they are [b]mere words. Now in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? Look! You are trusting in the (F)staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who (G)trust in him.

“But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’?” ’ Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses—if you are able on your part to put riders on them! How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 10 Have I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it.’ ”

11 Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in [c]Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”

12 But the Rabshakeh said, “Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat and drink their own waste with you?”

13 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and said, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you; 15 nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ’ 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; (H)and every one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one of you drink the waters of his own cistern; 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any one of the (I)gods of the nations delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Indeed, have they delivered (J)Samaria from my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’ ”

21 But they [d]held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.” 22 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 36:2 A title, probably Chief of Staff or Governor
  2. Isaiah 36:5 Lit. a word of the lips
  3. Isaiah 36:11 Lit. Judean
  4. Isaiah 36:21 were silent

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem(A)

36 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s(B) reign, Sennacherib(C) king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.(D) Then the king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish(E) to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. When the commander stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,(F) Eliakim(G) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator,(H) Shebna(I) the secretary,(J) and Joah(K) son of Asaph the recorder(L) went out to him.

The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah:

“‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel(M) against me? Look, I know you are depending(N) on Egypt,(O) that splintered reed(P) of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. But if you say to me, “We are depending(Q) on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed,(R) saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar”?(S)

“‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses(T)—if you can put riders on them! How then can you repulse one officer of the least of my master’s officials, even though you are depending on Egypt(U) for chariots(V) and horsemen[a]?(W) 10 Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told(X) me to march against this country and destroy it.’”

11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah(Y) said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic,(Z) since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”

12 But the commander replied, “Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?(AA)

13 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew,(AB) “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!(AC) 14 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive(AD) you. He cannot deliver you! 15 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver(AE) us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’(AF)

16 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree(AG) and drink water from your own cistern,(AH) 17 until I come and take you to a land like your own(AI)—a land of grain and new wine,(AJ) a land of bread and vineyards.

18 “Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ Have the gods of any nations ever delivered their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?(AK) Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?(AL) Have they rescued Samaria(AM) from my hand? 20 Who of all the gods(AN) of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”(AO)

21 But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”(AP)

22 Then Eliakim(AQ) son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph the recorder(AR) went to Hezekiah, with their clothes torn,(AS) and told him what the field commander had said.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 36:9 Or charioteers