2 Kings 25

Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Jerusalem

(2 Chronicles 36:15–21; Jeremiah 39:1–10)

1SoH1961 in the ninthH8671 yearH8141 of Zedekiah’s reignH4427, on the tenthH6218H2320 day of the tenthH6224 monthH2320, NebuchadnezzarH5019 kingH4428 of BabylonH894H1931 marchedH935 againstH5921 JerusalemH3389 with his entireH3605 armyH2428. They encampedH2583 outsideH5921 the city and builtH11291 a siege wallH1785H5921 all around itH5439. 2And the cityH5892 was keptH935 under siegeH4692 untilH5704 KingH4428 Zedekiah’sH6667 eleventhH6249H6240 yearH8141.

3By the ninthH8672 day of the fourth monthH2320,2 the famineH7458 in the cityH5892 was so severeH2388 that the peopleH5971 of the landH776 hadH1961 noH3808 foodH3899. 4Then the cityH5892 was breachedH1234; and though the ChaldeansH3778H59213 had surroundedH5439 the cityH5892, allH3605 the menH582 of warH4421 fled by nightH3915 by wayH1870 of the gateH8179 betweenH996 the two wallsH2346 nearH5921 the king’sH4428 gardenH1588.

They headedH1980 towardH1870 the ArabahH6160,4 5but the armyH2428 of the ChaldeansH3778 pursuedH7291 the king and overtookH5381 himH853 in the plainsH6160 of JerichoH3405, and his wholeH3605 armyH2428 desertedH6327 himH5921. 6The Chaldeans seizedH8610 the kingH4428 and brought him upH5927 toH413 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 at RiblahH7247, where they pronouncedH1696 judgmentH4941 on himH854. 7AndH853 they slaughteredH7819 the sonsH1121 of ZedekiahH6667 before his eyesH5869. ThenH853 they put outH5786 his eyesH5869, bound himH631 with bronze shacklesH5178, and took himH935 to BabylonH894.

The Temple Destroyed

(Jeremiah 52:12–23)

8On the seventhH7651H2320 day of the fifthH2549 monthH2320, in the nineteenthH8672H6240H8141 yearH8141 of Nebuchadnezzar’sH5019 reignH4428 over BabylonH894, NebuzaradanH5018 captainH7227 of the guardH2876, a servantH5650 of the kingH4428 of BabylonH894, enteredH935 JerusalemH3389. 9He burned downH8313 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, the royalH4428 palaceH1004, and allH3605 the housesH1004 of JerusalemH3389—everyH3605 significantH1419 buildingH1004. 10And the wholeH3605 armyH2428 of the ChaldeansH3778 underH834 the captainH7227 of the guardH2876 broke downH5422 the wallsH2346 aroundH5439 JerusalemH3389.

11

Then NebuzaradanH5018 captainH7227 of the guardH2876 carried into exileH1540 the peopleH3499H5971 who remainedH7604 in the cityH5892, along withH853 the desertersH5307 whoH834 had defectedH5307 toH5921 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 and the restH3499 of the populationH1995. 12But the captainH7227 of the guardH2876 left behindH7604 some of the poorestH1803 of the landH776 to tend the vineyardsH3755 and fieldsH3009.

13MoreoverH853, the ChaldeansH3778 broke upH7665 the bronzeH5178 pillarsH5982 andH853 standsH4350 and the bronzeH5178 SeaH3220 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, and they carriedH5375 the bronzeH5178 to BabylonH894. 14They alsoH853 took awayH3947 the potsH5518, shovelsH3257, wick trimmersH4212, dishesH3709, and allH3605 the articlesH3627 of bronzeH5178 used in the temple serviceH8334. 15The captainH7227 of the guardH2876 also took awayH3947 the censersH4289 and sprinkling bowlsH4219—anythingH834 made of pure goldH2091 or fine silverH3701.

16As for the twoH8147 pillarsH5982, theH259 SeaH3220, and the movable standsH4350 thatH834 SolomonH8010 had madeH6213 for the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068H3808H1961, the weight of the bronzeH5178 from allH3605 theseH428 articlesH3627 was beyond measureH4948. 17EachH259 pillarH5982 was eighteenH8083H6240 cubitsH520 tallH6967.5 The bronzeH5178 capitalH3805 atopH5921 one pillar was threeH7969 cubitsH520 highH6967,6 with a networkH7639H3805 of bronzeH5178 pomegranatesH7416 allH3605 aroundH5439. The secondH8145H5921 pillarH5982, with its networkH7639, was similarH428.

Captives Carried to Babylon

(Jeremiah 52:24–30)

18The captainH7227 of the guardH2876 also took awayH3947 SeraiahH8304 the chiefH7218 priestH3548, ZephaniahH6846 the priestH3548 of second rankH4932, and the threeH7969 doorkeepersH8104H5592. 19Of thoseH4480 still in the cityH5892, he tookH3947 aH259 court officialH5631 whoH834H1931 had been appointedH6496 overH5921 the menH582 of warH4421, as well as fiveH2568H582 royalH4428 advisorsH7200. He alsoH853 took the scribeH5608 of the captainH8269 of the armyH6635, who had enlistedH6633 the peopleH5971 of the landH776, and sixtyH8346 menH376 who were foundH4672 in the cityH5892.

20NebuzaradanH5018 captainH7227 of the guardH2876 tookH3947 themH853 and broughtH1980 themH853 toH5921 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 at RiblahH7247. 21There at RiblahH7247 in the landH776 of HamathH2574, the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 struck themH5221 downH853 and put them to deathH4191. So JudahH3063 was taken into exileH1540, away fromH5921 its own landH127.

Gedaliah Governs in Judah

(Jeremiah 40:1–16)

22NebuchadnezzarH5019 kingH4428 of BabylonH894 appointedH6485 GedaliahH1436 sonH1121 of AhikamH296, the sonH1121 of ShaphanH8227, overH5921 the peopleH5971 he had left behindH7604 in the landH776 of JudahH3063.

23When allH3605 the commandersH8269 of the armiesH2428 and their menH582 heardH8085 thatH3588 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 had appointedH6485 Gedaliah as governorH1436, they cameH935 toH413 GedaliahH1436 at MizpahH4709—IshmaelH3458 sonH1121 of NethaniahH5418, JohananH3110 sonH1121 of KareahH7143, SeraiahH8304 sonH1121 of TanhumethH8576 the NetophathiteH5200, and JaazaniahH29707 sonH1121 of the MaacathiteH4602, as well as their menH582. 24And GedaliahH1436 took an oathH7650 before them and their menH582, assuringH559 them, “Do notH408 be afraidH3372 of the servantsH5650 of the ChaldeansH3778. LiveH3427 in the landH776 and serveH5647 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894, and it will be wellH3190 with you.”

25

The Murder of Gedaliah

(Jeremiah 41:1–10)

In the seventhH7637 month, howeverH2320, IshmaelH3458 sonH1121 of NethaniahH5418, the sonH1121 of ElishamaH476, who was a member of the royalH4410 familyH2233, cameH935 withH854 tenH6235 menH582 and struck downH5221 and killedH4191 GedaliahH1436, along with the JudeansH853H3064 and ChaldeansH3778 whoH834 wereH1961 with himH854 at MizpahH4709. 26Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 smallH6996 andH5704 greatH1419, together with the commandersH8269 of the armyH2428, aroseH6965 and fledH935 to EgyptH4714 forH3588 fearH3372 ofH6440 the ChaldeansH3778.

27

Jehoiachin Released from Prison

(Jeremiah 52:31–34)

On the twenty-seventhH6242H7651H2320 day of the twelfthH8147H6240 monthH2320 of the thirty-seventhH7970H7651 yearH8141 of the exileH1546 of Judah’sH3063 KingH4428 JehoiachinH3078, in the yearH8141 Evil-merodachH192 became kingH4428H4427 of BabylonH894, he releasedH5375H72188 KingH4428 JehoiachinH3078 of JudahH3063 fromH1004 prisonH3608. 28And he spokeH1696 kindlyH2896 to JehoiachinH854 and setH5414 his throneH3678 aboveH5921 the thronesH3678 of the other kingsH4428 whoH834 were with himH854 in BabylonH894.

29So Jehoiachin changedH8132 out of his prisonH3608 clothesH899, and he dinedH398H3899 regularlyH8548 at the king’s tableH6440 for the restH3605H3117 of his lifeH2416. 30And the kingH4428 providedH737H5414 Jehoiachin a dailyH3117 portionH8548 for the restH3605H3117 of his lifeH2416.