Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1In the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem with his entire army. They laid siege to the city and built a siege wall against it all around.

1וַיְהִי֩ בִשְׁנַ֨ת הַתְּשִׁיעִ֜ית לְמָלְכ֗וֹ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי֮ בֶּעָשׂ֣וֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ֒ בָּ֠א נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֨ר מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶ֜ל ה֧וּא וְכָל־ חֵיל֛וֹ עַל־ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וַיִּ֣חַן עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּבְנ֥וּ עָלֶ֖יהָ דָּיֵ֥ק סָבִֽיב׃

2The city was under siege until King Zedekiah's eleventh year.

2וַתָּבֹ֥א הָעִ֖יר בַּמָּצ֑וֹר עַ֚ד עַשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃

3By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that the common people had no food.

3בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָרָעָ֖ב בָּעִ֑יר וְלֹא־ הָ֥יָה לֶ֖חֶם לְעַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃

4Then the city was broken into, and all the warriors fled at night by way of the city gate between the two walls near the king's garden, even though the Chaldeans surrounded the city. As the king made his way along the route to the Arabah,

4וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע הָעִ֗יר וְכָל־ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֤ה ׀ הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ דֶּ֜רֶךְ שַׁ֣עַר ׀ בֵּ֣ין הַחֹמֹתַ֗יִם אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־ גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּ֥ים עַל־ הָעִ֖יר סָבִ֑יב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃

5the Chaldean army pursued him and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. Zedekiah's entire army left him and scattered.

5וַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ חֵיל־ כַּשְׂדִּים֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּשִּׂ֥גוּ אֹת֖וֹ בְּעַרְב֣וֹת יְרֵח֑וֹ וְכָל־ חֵיל֔וֹ נָפֹ֖צוּ מֵעָלָֽיו׃

6The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they passed sentence on him.

6וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙ אֶת־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ אֶל־ מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל רִבְלָ֑תָה וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אִתּ֖וֹ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

7They slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his eyes. Finally, the king of Babylon blinded Zedekiah, bound him in bronze chains, and took him to Babylon.

7וְאֶת־ בְּנֵי֙ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ שָׁחֲט֖וּ לְעֵינָ֑יו וְאֶת־ עֵינֵ֤י צִדְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ עִוֵּ֔ר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙ בַֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיְבִאֵ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽל׃ ס

8On the seventh day of the fifth month--which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon--Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.

8וּבַחֹ֤דֶשׁ הַֽחֲמִישִׁי֙ בְּשִׁבְעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ הִ֗יא שְׁנַת֙ תְּשַֽׁע־ עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֣ר מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶ֑ל בָּ֞א נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֧ן רַב־ טַבָּחִ֛ים עֶ֥בֶד מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶ֖ל יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

9He burned the LORD's temple, the king's palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down all the great houses.

9וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף אֶת־ בֵּית־ יְהוָ֖ה וְאֶת־ בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־ בָּתֵּ֧י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם וְאֶת־ כָּל־ בֵּ֥ית גָּד֖וֹל שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃

10The whole Chaldean army with the captain of the guards tore down the walls surrounding Jerusalem.

10וְאֶת־ חוֹמֹ֥ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם סָבִ֑יב נָֽתְצוּ֙ כָּל־ חֵ֣יל כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר רַב־ טַבָּחִֽים׃

11Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, deported the rest of the people who remained in the city, the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population.

11וְאֵת֩ יֶ֨תֶר הָעָ֜ם הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים בָּעִ֗יר וְאֶת־ הַנֹּֽפְלִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָפְלוּ֙ עַל־ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֵ֖ת יֶ֣תֶר הֶהָמ֑וֹן הֶגְלָ֕ה נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־ טַבָּחִֽים׃

12But the captain of the guards left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.

12וּמִדַּלַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ הִשְׁאִ֖יר רַב־ טַבָּחִ֑ים לְכֹֽרְמִ֖ים וּלְיֹגְבִֽים׃

13Now the Chaldeans broke into pieces the bronze pillars of the LORD's temple, the water carts, and the bronze basin, which were in the LORD's temple, and carried the bronze to Babylon.

13וְאֶת־ עַמּוּדֵ֨י הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֣ר בֵּית־ יְהוָ֗ה וְֽאֶת־ הַמְּכֹנ֞וֹת וְאֶת־ יָ֧ם הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּבֵית־ יְהוָ֖ה שִׁבְּר֣וּ כַשְׂדִּ֑ים וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ אֶת־ נְחֻשְׁתָּ֖ם בָּבֶֽלָה׃

14They also took the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes, and all the bronze articles used in the priests' service.

14וְאֶת־ הַסִּירֹ֨ת וְאֶת־ הַיָּעִ֜ים וְאֶת־ הַֽמְזַמְּר֣וֹת וְאֶת־ הַכַּפּ֗וֹת וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־ כְּלֵ֧י הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־ בָ֖ם לָקָֽחוּ׃

15The captain of the guards took away the firepans and sprinkling basins--whatever was gold or silver.

15וְאֶת־ הַמַּחְתּוֹת֙ וְאֶת־ הַמִּזְרָק֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר זָהָב֙ זָהָ֔ב וַאֲשֶׁר־ כֶּ֖סֶף כָּ֑סֶף לָקַ֖ח רַב־ טַבָּחִֽים׃

16As for the two pillars, the one basin, and the water carts that Solomon had made for the LORD's temple, the weight of the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure.

16הָעַמּוּדִ֣ים ׀ שְׁנַ֗יִם הַיָּ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ וְהַמְּכֹנ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר־ עָשָׂ֥ה שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה לֹא־ הָיָ֣ה מִשְׁקָ֔ל לִנְחֹ֖שֶׁת כָּל־ הַכֵּלִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

17One pillar was twenty-seven feet tall and had a bronze capital on top of it. The capital, encircled by a grating and pomegranates of bronze, stood five feet high. The second pillar was the same, with its own grating.

17שְׁמֹנֶה֩ עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה אַמָּ֜ה קוֹמַ֣ת ׀ הָעַמּ֣וּד הָאֶחָ֗ד וְכֹתֶ֨רֶת עָלָ֥יו ׀ נְחֹשֶׁת֮ וְקוֹמַ֣ת הַכֹּתֶרֶת֮ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ [אמה] (אַמּוֹת֒) וּשְׂבָכָ֨ה וְרִמֹּנִ֧ים עַֽל־ הַכֹּתֶ֛רֶת סָבִ֖יב הַכֹּ֣ל נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְכָאֵ֛לֶּה לַֽעַמּ֥וּד הַשֵּׁנִ֖י עַל־ הַשְּׂבָכָֽה׃

18The captain of the guards also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers.

18וַיִּקַּ֣ח רַב־ טַבָּחִ֗ים אֶת־ שְׂרָיָה֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְאֶת־ צְפַנְיָ֖הוּ כֹּהֵ֣ן מִשְׁנֶ֑ה וְאֶת־ שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת שֹׁמְרֵ֥י הַסַּֽף׃

19From the city he took a court official who had been appointed over the warriors; five trusted royal aides found in the city; the secretary of the commander of the army, who enlisted the people of the land for military duty; and sixty men from the common people who were found within the city.

19וּמִן־ הָעִ֡יר לָקַח֩ סָרִ֨יס אֶחָ֜ד אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־ ה֥וּא פָקִ֣יד ׀ עַל־ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וַחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה אֲנָשִׁ֜ים מֵרֹאֵ֤י פְנֵֽי־ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצְא֣וּ בָעִ֔יר וְאֵ֗ת הַסֹּפֵר֙ שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֔א הַמַּצְבִּ֖א אֶת־ עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים אִישׁ֙ מֵעַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֖ים בָּעִֽיר׃

20Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guards, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.

20וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֹתָ֔ם נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־ טַבָּחִ֑ים וַיֹּ֧לֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם עַל־ מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל רִבְלָֽתָה׃

21The king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah went into exile from its land.

21וַיַּ֣ךְ אֹתָם֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֧ל וַיְמִיתֵ֛ם בְּרִבְלָ֖ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיִּ֥גֶל יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃

22King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, over the rest of the people he left in the land of Judah.

22וְהָעָ֗ם הַנִּשְׁאָר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִשְׁאִ֔יר נְבֽוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֖ר מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל וַיַּפְקֵ֣ד עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֶת־ גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־ אֲחִיקָ֥ם בֶּן־ שָׁפָֽן׃ פ

23When all the commanders of the armies--they and their men--heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The commanders included Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite--they and their men.

23וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ כָל־ שָׂרֵ֨י הַחֲיָלִ֜ים הֵ֣מָּה וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים כִּֽי־ הִפְקִ֤יד מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶל֙ אֶת־ גְּדַלְיָ֔הוּ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־ גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ הַמִּצְפָּ֑ה וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־ נְתַנְיָ֡ה וְיוֹחָנָ֣ן בֶּן־ קָ֠רֵחַ וּשְׂרָיָ֨ה בֶן־ תַּנְחֻ֜מֶת הַנְּטֹפָתִ֗י וְיַֽאֲזַנְיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־ הַמַּ֣עֲכָתִ֔י הֵ֖מָּה וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶֽם׃

24Gedaliah swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, "Don't be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you."

24וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע לָהֶ֤ם גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם אַל־ תִּֽירְא֖וּ מֵעַבְדֵ֣י הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑ים שְׁב֣וּ בָאָ֗רֶץ וְעִבְד֛וּ אֶת־ מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל וְיִטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם׃ ס

25In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down Gedaliah, and he died. Also, they killed the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.

25וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בָּ֣א יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־ נְ֠תַנְיָה בֶּן־ אֱלִ֨ישָׁמָ֜ע מִזֶּ֣רַע הַמְּלוּכָ֗ה וַעֲשָׂרָ֤ה אֲנָשִׁים֙ אִתּ֔וֹ וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֶת־ גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ וַיָּמֹ֑ת וְאֶת־ הַיְּהוּדִים֙ וְאֶת־ הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־ הָי֥וּ אִתּ֖וֹ בַּמִּצְפָּֽה׃

26Then all the people, from the youngest to the oldest, and the commanders of the army, left and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

26וַיָּקֻ֨מוּ כָל־ הָעָ֜ם מִקָּטֹ֤ן וְעַד־ גָּדוֹל֙ וְשָׂרֵ֣י הַחֲיָלִ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֥י יָרְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵ֥י כַשְׂדִּֽים׃ פ

27On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Judah's King Jehoiachin, in the year Evil-merodach became king of Babylon, he pardoned King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him from prison.

27וַיְהִי֩ בִשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וָשֶׁ֜בַע שָׁנָ֗ה לְגָלוּת֙ יְהוֹיָכִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־ יְהוּדָ֔ה בִּשְׁנֵ֤ים עָשָׂר֙ חֹ֔דֶשׁ בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ נָשָׂ֡א אֱוִ֣יל מְרֹדַךְ֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֜ל בִּשְׁנַ֣ת מָלְכ֗וֹ אֶת־ רֹ֛אשׁ יְהוֹיָכִ֥ין מֶֽלֶךְ־ יְהוּדָ֖ה מִבֵּ֥ית כֶּֽלֶא׃

28He spoke kindly to him and set his throne over the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon.

28וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ טֹב֑וֹת וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־ כִּסְא֔וֹ מֵעַ֗ל כִּסֵּ֧א הַמְּלָכִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בְּבָבֶֽל׃

29So Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes, and he dined regularly in the presence of the king of Babylon for the rest of his life.

29וְשִׁנָּ֕א אֵ֖ת בִּגְדֵ֣י כִלְא֑וֹ וְאָכַ֨ל לֶ֧חֶם תָּמִ֛יד לְפָנָ֖יו כָּל־ יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו׃

30As for his allowance, a regular allowance was given to him by the king, a portion for each day, for the rest of his life.

30וַאֲרֻחָת֗וֹ אֲרֻחַ֨ת תָּמִ֧יד נִתְּנָה־ לּ֛וֹ מֵאֵ֥ת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דְּבַר־ י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֑וֹ כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽו׃

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.