Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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.

1Now in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and built a siege wall all around it.

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

2So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

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

3On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.

4Then the city was broken into, and all the warriors fled by night by way of the 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,

4Then the city was broken into, and all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls beside the king's garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. And they went by way of the Arabah.

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

5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho and all his army was scattered from him.

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

6Then they captured the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and he passed sentence on him.

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.

7They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.

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

8Now on the seventh day of the fifth 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.

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

9He burned the house of the LORD, the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every great house he burned with fire.

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

10So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

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

11Then the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon and the rest of the people, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away into exile.

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

12But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.

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

13Now the bronze pillars which were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea which were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the bronze to Babylon.

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

14They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the spoons, and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service.

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

15The captain of the guard also took away the firepans and the basins, what was fine gold and what was fine silver.

16As for the two pillars, the one reservoir, 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.

16The two pillars, the one sea, and the stands which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD-- the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight.

17One pillar was 27 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.

17The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a bronze capital was on it; the height of the capital was three cubits, with a network and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these with network.

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

18Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three officers of the temple.

19He took a court official who had been appointed over the warriors from the city; 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 60 men from the common people who were found within the city.

19From the city he took one official who was overseer of the men of war, and five of the king's advisers who were found in the city; and the scribe of 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.

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

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

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

21Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was led away into exile from its land.

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

22Now as for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan over them.

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.

23When all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.

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."

24Gedaliah swore to them and their men and said to them, "Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans; live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you."

25In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with 10 men and struck down Gedaliah, and he died. Also, they killed the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.

25But it came about in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck Gedaliah down so that he died along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.

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.

26Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

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.

27Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he became king, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison;

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

28and he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon.

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

29Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and had his meals in the king's presence regularly all the days of his life;

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.

30and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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