^aY aconteció que en el noveno año de su reinado, en el décimo mes, el día diez del mes, vino Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, él y todo su ejército contra Jerusalén^b, acampó contra ella y construyó un muro de asedio alrededor de¹ ella^c. 2 Y la ciudad estuvo sitiada hasta el undécimo año del rey Sedequías. 3 A los nueve días del mes cuarto el hambre era tan grande en la ciudad que no había alimento¹ para el pueblo de la tierra^a. 4 Y al ser abierta una brecha en la ciudad^a, todos los hombres de guerra huyeron de noche por el camino de la puerta entre las dos murallas, junto al jardín del rey^b, estando los caldeos alrededor de la ciudad, y se fueron¹ por el camino del Arabá. 5 Pero el ejército de los caldeos persiguió al rey y lo alcanzó en los llanos de Jericó, y todo su ejército se dispersó¹ de su lado. 6 Entonces capturaron al rey y lo trajeron al rey de Babilonia^a en Ribla, yeste lo sentenció^1b. 7 Y degollaron a los hijos de Sedequías en su presencia, y a Sedequías le sacó los ojos, lo ató con cadenas de bronce y lo llevó a Babilonia^a.

8 En el mes quinto, a los siete días del mes, en el año diecinueve de¹ Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, vino a Jerusalén Nabuzaradán, capitán de la guardia^a, siervo del rey de Babilonia^b. 9 Y quemó la casa del SEÑOR, la casa del rey y todas las casas de Jerusalén; prendió fuego a toda casa grande^a. 10 Todo el ejército de los caldeos que estaba con el capitán de la guardia derribó las murallas alrededor de Jerusalén^a; 11 y al resto del pueblo que había quedado en la ciudad, a los desertores que se habían pasado al rey de Babilonia y al resto de la multitud, los llevó en cautiverio Nabuzaradán, capitán de la guardia^a. 12 Pero el capitán de la guardia dejó a algunos de los más pobres del país para que fueran viñadores y labradores^a.

13 Los caldeos hicieron pedazos las columnas de bronce que estaban en la casa del SEÑOR, y las basas y el mar^a de bronce que estaban en la casa del SEÑOR, y llevaron el bronce¹ a Babilonia^b. 14 También se llevaron las ollas, las palas, las despabiladeras, las cucharas, y todos los utensilios de bronce que se usaban en el servicio del templo^a. 15 El capitán de la guardia se llevó además los incensarios y los tazones, lo que era de oro puro y lo que era de plata pura. 16 En cuanto a las dos columnas, el¹ mar y las basas que Salomón había hecho para la casa del SEÑOR; no era posible calcular el peso del bronce de todos estos objetos^a. 17 ^aLa altura de una columna era de dieciocho codos¹, y tenía sobre ella un capitel de bronce; la altura del capitel era de tres codos², con una obra de malla y granadas alrededor del capitel, todo de bronce. Y la segunda columna era igual³ con obra de malla.

18 Entonces el capitán de la guardia tomó al sumo sacerdote Seraías^a y al segundo sacerdote Sofonías^b y a los tres oficiales del templo¹. 19 Y de la ciudad tomó a un oficial que estaba encargado de los hombres de guerra, y a cinco hombres de los consejeros¹ del rey que se hallaban en la ciudad^a, y al escriba del capitán² del ejército, que alistaba a la gente del país, y a sesenta hombres del pueblo de la tierra que se hallaban en la ciudad. 20 Nabuzaradán, capitán de la guardia, los tomó y los llevó al rey de Babilonia en Ribla^a. 21 Entonces los hirió el rey de Babilonia y les dio muerte en Ribla, en la tierra de Hamat. Así Judá fue llevado al cautiverio, lejos de¹ su tierra^a.

22 Y en cuanto al pueblo que quedó en la tierra de Judá, al que Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, había dejado, puso sobre ellos a Gedalías, hijo de Ahicam, hijo de Safán^a. 23 ^aCuando todos los capitanes de tropas, ellos y sus hombres, oyeron que el rey de Babilonia había nombrado gobernador a Gedalías, vinieron aeste¹ en Mizpa^b: Ismael, hijo de Netanías, Johanán, hijo de Carea, Seraías, hijo de Tanhumet netofatita, y Jaazanías, hijo del maacateo, ellos y sus hombres. 24 Y Gedalías les hizo un juramento, a ellos y a sus hombres, y les dijo: No temáis a los siervos de los caldeos; habitad en la tierra y servid al rey de Babilonia, y os irá bien.

25 Pero sucedió que en el séptimo mes, Ismael, hijo de Netanías, hijo de Elisama, de la familia¹ real, vino con diez hombres² e hirió a Gedalías, yeste murió junto con los judíos y los caldeos que estaban con él en Mizpa^a. 26 Entonces todo el pueblo, desde el menor hasta el mayor, y los capitanes de las tropas se levantaron y se fueron a Egipto^a, porque temían a los caldeos.

27 ^aY aconteció que en el año treinta y siete del cautiverio de Joaquín, rey de Judá, en el mes duodécimo, a los veintisiete días del mes^b, Evil-merodac, rey de Babilonia, en el año en que comenzó a reinar, sacó¹ de la prisión a Joaquín, rey de Judá^c; 28 y le habló con benevolencia y puso su trono por encima de los tronos de los reyes^a que estaban con él en Babilonia. 29 Le cambió sus vestidos de prisión, y comió¹ en la presencia del rey² siempre³, todos los días de su vida^a; 30 y para su sustento, se le dio de continuo una ración de parte del rey, una porción para cada día, todos los días de su vida^a.

^aNow in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, ^bNebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it, and ^cbuilt a siege wall all around ¹it. 2 So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 On the ninth day of the fourth month ^athe famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 4 ^aThen the city was broken into, and all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls that were beside ^bthe king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. And ¹they went by way of the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 6 Then ^athey captured the king and ^bbrought him up to the king of Babylon at ^cRiblah, and he ¹passed sentence on him. 7 And ^athey slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then ^bput out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles, and brought him to Babylon.

8 ^aNow on the seventh day of the ^bfifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguards, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 And ^ahe burned the house of the LORD, ^bthe king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every great house he burned with fire. 10 So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the bodyguards ^atore down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguards, led into exile ^athe 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 ¹people. 12 But the captain of the bodyguards left some of ^athe poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.

13 ^aNow the Chaldeans smashed to pieces the bronze pillars which were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and ^bthe bronze ¹Sea which were in the house of the LORD, and carried the ²bronze to Babylon. 14 ^aAnd they took away the pots, the shovels, the ¹shears, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils ²which were used in temple service. 15 The captain of the bodyguards also took away the firepans and the basins, what was fine gold and what was fine silver. 16 The two pillars, the one Sea, and the stands which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD—^1athe bronze of all these articles was too heavy to weigh. 17 ^aThe height of the one pillar was ¹eighteen cubits, and a bronze capital was on it; the height of the capital was ²three cubits, with latticework and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these, same features with latticework.

18 Then the captain of the bodyguards took ^aSeraiah the chief priest and ^bZephaniah the second priest, with the three ¹doorkeepers. 19 And from the city he took one official who was overseer of the men of war, and ^afive ¹of the king’s advisers who were found in the city; and the ²scribe 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. 20 Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguards took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at ^aRiblah. 21 Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. ^aSo Judah went into exile from its land.

22 Now as for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed ^aGedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan over them. 23 ^aWhen all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah at ^bMizpah, namely, 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 And Gedaliah 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 go well for you.”

25 ^aBut it happened in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal ¹family, came ²with ten men and struck Gedaliah down so that he died along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 ^aThen all the people, from the small to the great, and the captains of the forces set out and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

27 ^aNow it came about in the thirty-seventh year of ^bthe 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, ^1creleased Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; 28 and he ^aspoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 So ¹Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes, and ^2ahad his meals in ³the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life; 30 and as his ^aallowance, a regular allowance was given to him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.

^aNow in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, ^bNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he with all his army, against Jerusalem, and camped against it and ^cbuilt siege works surrounding it. 2 The city came under siege for nearly two years until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 On the ninth day of the fourth month ^athe famine caused by the siege was severe in the city; there was no food for the people of the land. 4 ^aThen the city wall was broken into and conquered; all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls by ^bthe king’s garden, though the ¹Chaldeans (Babylonians) were all around the city. And they went by way of the Arabah (the plain of the Jordan) . 5 The army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. Then his entire army was dispersed from him. 6 So ^athey seized the king (Zedekiah) and ^bbrought him to the king of Babylon at ^cRiblah on the Orontes River, and sentence was passed on him. 7 ^aThey slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then ^bput out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him hand and foot with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon. Jer 34:3; Ezek 12:13

8 ^aOn the seventh day of the ^bfifth month in the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 ^aHe burned the house (temple) of the LORD, ^bthe king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 10 All the army of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) who were with the captain of the bodyguard ^atore down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard deported into exile ^athe rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had joined the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude. 12 But the captain of the bodyguard left some of ^athe unimportant and poorest people of the land to be vineyard workers and farmers.

13 ^aNow the Chaldeans (Babylonians) smashed the bronze pillars which were in the house of the LORD and their bases and ^bthe bronze sea (large basin) which were in the house of the LORD, and carried the bronze to Babylon. 14 ^aThey took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the spoons, and all the bronze articles which were used in the temple service, 15 the captain of the bodyguard also took away the firepans and basins, anything made of fine gold and anything made of fine silver. 16 The two pillars, the one sea (large basin) , and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, ^athe bronze of all these articles was incalculable. 17 ^aThe height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits (27 ft.) , and a capital of bronze was on top of it. The height of the capital was three cubits (4.5 ft.) ; a network (lattice work) and pomegranates around the capital were all of bronze. And the second pillar had the same as these, with a network.

18 The captain of the bodyguard took captive ^aSeraiah the chief priest, ^bZephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers of the temple. 19 And from the city of Jerusalem he took an officer who was in command of the men of war, and ^afive men from the king’s personal advisors who were found in the city, and the scribe of the captain of the army who mustered the people of the land for military service and sixty men from the people of the land who were found in the city. 20 Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at ^aRiblah. 21 Then the king of Babylon struck them down and killed them at Riblah in the land of Hamath north of Damascus. ^aSo Judah was taken into exile from its land.

22 Now over the people whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left in the land of Judah, he appointed as governor ^aGedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan. 23 ^aWhen all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at ^bMizpah, 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. 24 Gedaliah swore an oath to them and their men, and said to them, “Do not be afraid of the servants (officials) of the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.”

25 ^aBut in the seventh month Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family who had a claim to be governor, came with ten men and struck and killed Gedaliah and the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 ^aThen all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces set out and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) .

27 ^aNow it came about in the thirty-seventh year of ^bthe exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he became king, showed favor to Jehoiachin king of Judah and ^creleased him from prison; 28 and he ^aspoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the other kings of captive peoples who were with him in Babylon. 29 Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes for palace garments and he ^adined regularly in the king’s presence for the remainder of his life; 30 and his ^aallowance, a continual one, was given to him by the king (Evil-meridach) , a portion every day, for the rest of his life.

^aNow in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, ^bNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and ^cbuilt a siege wall all around ¹it. 2 So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 On the ninth day of the fourth month ^athe famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 4 ^aThen the city was broken into, and all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls beside ^bthe king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. And ¹they went by way of the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho and all his army was scattered from him. 6 Then ^athey captured the king and ^bbrought him to the king of Babylon at ^cRiblah, and ¹he passed sentence on him. 7 ^aThey slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then ^bput out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.

8 ^aNow on the seventh day of the ^bfifth 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 ^aHe burned the house of the LORD, ^bthe king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every great house he burned with fire. 10 So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard ^abroke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 Then ^athe 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. 12 But the captain of the guard left some of ^athe poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.

13 ^aNow the bronze pillars which were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and ^bthe bronze sea which were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the ¹bronze to Babylon. 14 ^aThey took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the spoons, and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service. 15 The captain of the guard also took away the firepans and the basins, what was fine gold and what was fine silver. 16 The two pillars, the one sea, and the stands which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD—^athe bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight. 17 ^aThe height of the one pillar was eighteen ¹cubits, and a bronze capital was on it; the height of the capital was three ²cubits, with a network and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these with network.

18 Then the captain of the guard took ^aSeraiah the chief priest and ^bZephaniah the second priest, with the three ¹officers of the temple. 19 From the city he took one official who was overseer of the men of war, and ^afive ¹of the king’s advisers who were found in the city; and the ²scribe 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. 20 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at ^aRiblah. 21 Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. ^aSo Judah was led away into exile from its land.

22 Now as for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed ^aGedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan over them. 23 ^aWhen 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 ^bMizpah, 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. 24 Gedaliah 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.”

25 ^aBut it came about in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal ¹family, came ²with ten men and struck Gedaliah down so that he died along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 ^aThen 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.

27 ^aNow it came about in the thirty-seventh year of ^bthe 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, ^1creleased Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; 28 and he ^aspoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 ¹Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and ^2ahad his meals in ³the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life; 30 and for his ^aallowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.