Jeremiah 39

Chapter 39

The Fall of Jerusalem

1 In Januaryt of the ninth year of King Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzart came with his army to besiege Jerusalem.2 Two and a half years later, on July 18t in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, the Babylonians broke through the wall, and the city fell.

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,t a chief officer, and Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser, and all the other officers.

4 When King Zedekiah 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.t
5 But the Babyloniant troops chased the king and caught him on the plains of Jericho. They 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 He made Zedekiah watch as they slaughtered his sons and all the nobles of Judah.

7 Then they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon.
8 Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned Jerusalem, including the palace, and tore down the walls of the city.9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, sent to Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city as well as those who had defected to him.

10 But Nebuzaradan left a few of the poorest people in Judah, and he assigned them vineyards and fields to care for.

Jeremiah Remains in Judah

11 King Nebuchadnezzar had told Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, to find Jeremiah.12 “See that he isn’t hurt,” he said. “Look after him well, and give him anything he wants.”13 So Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard; Nebushazban, a chief officer; Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser; and the other officers of Babylon’s king

14 sent messengers to bring Jeremiah out of the prison. They put him under the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, who took him back to his home. So Jeremiah stayed in Judah among his own people.
15 The LORD had given the following message to Jeremiah while he was still in prison:16 “Say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,t ‘This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I have threatened. I will send disaster, not prosperity. You will see its destruction,17 but I will rescue you from those you fear so much.

18 Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the LORD, have spoken!’”

JEREMIAH 39

Jerusalem Is Captured //by the Babylonians

(Jeremiah 52.4-16; 2 Kings 25.1-12)

1-3 In the tenth montht of the ninth year that Zedekiaht was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzart and the Babylonian army began their attack on Jerusalem. They kept the city surrounded for a year and a half. Then, on the ninth day of the fourth montht of the eleventh year that Zedekiah was king, they broke through the city walls.
After Jerusalem was captured, t Nebuchadnezzar's highest officials, t including Nebo Sarsechimt and Nergal Sharezer from Simmagir, t took their places at Middle Gate to show they were in control of the city.t
4 When King Zedekiah and his troops saw that Jerusalem had been captured, they tried to escape from the city that same night. They went to the king's garden, where they slipped through the gate between the two city wallst and headed toward the Jordan River valley. 5 But the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah and took him to the town of Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial, then found him guilty, 6 and gave orders for him to be punished. Zedekiah's sons were killed there in front of him, and so were the leaders of Judah's ruling families.

7 Then his eyes were poked out, and he was put in chains, so he could be dragged off to Babylonia.
8 Meanwhile, the Babylonian army had burned the houses in Jerusalem, includingt the royal palace, and they had broken down the city walls. 9 Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian officer in charge of the guards, led away everyone from the city as prisoners, even those who had deserted to Nebuchadnezzar.

10 Only the poorest people who owned no land were left behind in Judah, and Nebuzaradan gave them fields and vineyards.
11 Nebuchadnezzar had given the following orders to Nebuzaradan:

12 “Find Jeremiah and keep him safe. Take good care of him and do whatever he asks.”
13 Nebuzaradan, Nebushazban, Nergal Sharezer, and the other officers of King Nebuchadnezzar

14 sent some of their troops to bring me from the courtyard of the royal palace guards. They put me in the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikamt and told him to take me to my home. And so I was allowed to stay with the people who remained in Judah.

The [Lord] Promises //To Protect Ebedmelech

16 to Ebedmelech from Ethiopia:t
I am the [Lord] All-Powerful, the God of Israel. I warned everyone that I would bring disaster, not prosperity, to this city. Now very soon I will do what I said, and you will see it happen. 17-18 But because you trusted me, t I will protect you from the officials of Judah, and when Judah is struck by disaster, I will rescue you and keep you alive. I, the [Lord], have spoken.