Jeremiah 39

1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and besieged it.

2In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city wall was broken through.

3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took their seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer the Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

4When 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, and he headed toward the Arabah.

5But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced sentence on him.

6At Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes; the king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah.

7Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.

8The Chaldeans burned the king’s palace and the houses of the people, and they tore down the walls of Jerusalem.

9Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried off into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, the deserters who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people who remained.

10But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

11Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard:

12“Take him and look after him. Do him no harm, but do for him whatever he tells you.”

13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer the Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon sent

14and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he stayed among the people.

15While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of Yahweh had come to him:

16“Go and tell Ebed-melech the Cushite, ‘This is what Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I am about to bring my words against this city for disaster and not for good, and on that day they will come true before your eyes.

17But I will rescue you on that day, declares Yahweh, and you will not be handed over to the men you fear.

18For I will surely save you; you will not fall by the sword, but you will have your life as your spoil of war, because you have trusted in me, declares Yahweh.’”