25
1 In
the ninth year
of his reign,
in the tenth
month, in the
tenth day of
the month,
Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon came,
he and all
his army, against
Jerusalem, and
encamped against
it; and they
built forts
against it around
it.
2 So
the city was
besieged until the
eleventh year of
King Zedekiah.
3 On
the ninth day
of the fourth
month, the famine
was severe in
the city, so
that there was
no bread for
the people of
the land.
4 Then
a breach was
made in the
city, and all
the men of
war fled by night
by the way
of the gate
between the two
walls, which was
by the king’s
garden (now the
Chaldeans were
against the city
around it); and
the king went
by the way
of the Arabah.
5 But
the Chaldean army
pursued the king,
and overtook him
in the plains
of Jericho; and
all his army
was scattered from
him.
6 Then
they captured the
king and carried
him up to
the king of Babylon
to Riblah; and
they passed
judgment on him.
7 They
killed Zedekiah’s
sons before his
eyes, then put
out Zedekiah’s
eyes, bound him in
fetters, and carried
him to Babylon.
8 Now
in the fifth
month, on the
seventh day of
the month, which
was the nineteenth
year of King
Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon, Nebuzaradan
the captain of
the guard, a
servant of the
king of Babylon,
came to Jerusalem.
9 He
burned the LORD’s
house, the king’s
house, and all
the houses of
Jerusalem. He
burned every great
house with fire.
10 All
the army of
the Chaldeans, who
were with the
captain of the
guard, broke down
the walls around
Jerusalem.
11 Nebuzaradan
the captain of
the guard carried
away captive the
rest of the
people who were
left in the
city and those
who had deserted
to the king
of Babylon—all the
rest of the
multitude.
12 But
the captain of
the guard left
some of the
poorest of the land
to work the vineyards
and fields.
13 The
Chaldeans broke up
the pillars of
bronze that were
in the LORD’s
house and the
bases and the
bronze sea that
were in the
LORD’s house, and
carried the bronze
pieces to Babylon.
14 They
took away the
pots, the shovels,
the snuffers, the
spoons, and all
the vessels of
bronze with which
they ministered.
15 The
captain of the
guard took away
the fire pans, the
basins, that which
was of gold,
for gold, and
that which was
of silver, for
silver.
16 The
two pillars, the
one sea, and
the bases, which
Solomon had made
for the LORD’s
house, the bronze
of all these
vessels was not
weighed.
17 The
height of the
one pillar was
eighteen cubits,
and a capital
of bronze was
on it. The
height of the
capital was
three cubits, with
network and
pomegranates on
the capital around
it, all of
bronze; and the
second pillar with
its network was
like these.
18 The
captain of the
guard took Seraiah
the chief priest,
Zephaniah the
second priest, and
the three keepers
of the threshold;
19 and
out of the
city he took
an officer who
was set over
the men of
war; and five
men of those
who saw the
king’s face, who
were found in
the city; and
the scribe, the
captain of the
army, who mustered
the people of
the land, and
sixty men of
the people of
the land who
were found in
the city.
20 Nebuzaradan
the captain of
the guard took
them, and brought
them to the
king of Babylon to
Riblah.
21 The
king of Babylon
attacked them and
put them to
death at Riblah
in the land of
Hamath. So Judah
was carried away
captive out of
his land.
22 As
for the people
who were left
in the land of
Judah whom
Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon had
left, even over
them he made
Gedaliah the son
of Ahikam, the son
of Shaphan,
governor.
23 Now
when all the
captains of the
forces, they and
their men, heard
that the king
of Babylon had
made Gedaliah
governor, they
came to Gedaliah
to Mizpah, even
Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah,
Johanan the son
of Kareah, Seraiah
the son of
Tanhumeth the
Netophathite, and
Jaazaniah the son
of the Maacathite,
they and their
men.
24 Gedaliah
swore to them
and to their
men, and said to
them, “Don’t be
afraid because of
the servants of
the Chaldeans.
Dwell in the land
and serve the
king of Babylon,
and it will
be well with
you.”
25 But
in the seventh
month, Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah,
the son
of Elishama, of
the royal
offspring came,
and ten men
with him, and
struck Gedaliah so
that he died,
with the Jews
and the Chaldeans
that were with
him at Mizpah.
26 All
the people, both
small and great,
and the captains
of the forces
arose and came
to Egypt; for
they were afraid
of the Chaldeans.
27 In
the thirty-seventh
year of the
captivity of
Jehoiachin king of
Judah, in the
twelfth month, on
the twenty-seventh
day of the
month, Evilmerodach king
of Babylon, in the
year that he
began to reign,
released Jehoiachin
king of Judah
out of prison,
28 and
he spoke kindly
to him and
set his throne
above the throne
of the kings
who were with
him in Babylon,
29 and
changed his
prison garments. Jehoiachin ate
bread before him
continually all
the days of
his life;
30 and
for his allowance,
there was a
continual allowance given
him from the
king, every day
a portion, all
the days of
his life.