Jeremiah 52

(Psalm 74:1–23; Psalm 79:1–13; 2 Kings 24:18–20; 2 Chronicles 36:11–14)

1ZedekiahH6667 was twenty-oneH6242H259 yearsH8141 oldH1121 when he became kingH4427, and he reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 elevenH259H6240 yearsH8141. His mother’sH517 nameH8034 was HamutalH2537 daughterH1323 of JeremiahH3414; she was from LibnahH3841.

2And Zedekiah didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068, just asH3605 JehoiakimH3079 had doneH6213. 3ForH3588 becauseH5921 of the angerH639 of the LORDH3068, all this happenedH1961 in JerusalemH3389 and JudahH3063, untilH5704 He finally banishedH7993 themH853 fromH5921 His presenceH6440.

And Zedekiah alsoH6667 rebelledH4775 against the kingH4428 of BabylonH894.

4SoH1961 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 builtH1129 a siege wallH1785 allH5439 around itH5921. 5And the cityH5892 was keptH935 under siegeH4692 untilH5704 KingH4428 Zedekiah’sH6667 eleventhH6249H6240 yearH8141.

6By the ninthH8672H2320 day of the fourthH7243 monthH2320, the famineH7458 in the cityH5892 was so severeH2388 that the peopleH5971 of the landH776 hadH1961 noH3808 foodH3899. 7Then the cityH5892 was breachedH1234; and though the ChaldeansH3778H59211 had surroundedH5439 the cityH5892, allH3605 the menH582 of warH4421 fledH1272 the cityH5892 by nightH3915 by wayH1870 of the gateH8179 betweenH996 the two wallsH2346 nearH5921 the king’sH4428 gardenH1588.

They headedH1980 towardH1870 the ArabahH6160,2 8but the armyH2428 of the ChaldeansH3778 pursuedH7291 the kingH4428 and overtookH5381 ZedekiahH6667 in the plainsH6160 of JerichoH3405, and his wholeH3605 armyH2428 desertedH6327 himH5921.

9The Chaldeans seizedH8610 the kingH4428 and brought him upH5927 toH413 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 at RiblahH7247 in the landH776 of HamathH2574, where he pronouncedH1696 judgmentH4941 onH854 Zedekiah.

10There at RiblahH7247 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 slaughteredH7819 the sonsH1121 of ZedekiahH6667 before his eyesH5869, and he alsoH1571 killedH7819 allH3605 the officialsH8269 of JudahH3063. 11Then he put outH5786 Zedekiah’sH6667 eyesH5869, boundH631 himH4428 with bronze shacklesH5178, and took himH935 to BabylonH894, where he kept himH5414 in custodyH1004H6486 untilH5704 his dyingH4194 dayH3117.

The Temple Destroyed

(2 Kings 25:8–17)

12On the tenthH6218H2320 day of the fifthH2549 monthH2320, in the nineteenthH8672H6240H8141 yearH8141 of Nebuchadnezzar’sH5019 reignH4428 over BabylonH894, NebuzaradanH5018 captainH7227 of the guardH2876, a servantH5975H6440 of the kingH4428 of BabylonH894, enteredH935 JerusalemH3389. 13He burned downH8313 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, the royalH4428 palaceH1004, and allH3605 the housesH1004 of JerusalemH3389—everyH3605 significantH1419 buildingH1004. 14AndH853 the wholeH3605 armyH2428 of the ChaldeansH3778 underH854 the captainH7227 of the guardH2876 broke downH5422 allH3605 the wallsH2346 aroundH5439 JerusalemH3389.

15Then NebuzaradanH5018 captainH7227 of the guardH2876 carried into exileH1540 some of the poorestH1803 peopleH5971 andH853 those who remainedH3499H5971H7604 in the cityH5892, along withH853 the desertersH5307 whoH834 had defectedH5307 toH413 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 and the restH3499 of the craftsmenH525. 16But NebuzaradanH5018 captainH7227 of the guardH2876 left behindH7604 some of the poorestH1803 of the landH776 to tend the vineyardsH3755 and fieldsH3009.

17MoreoverH853, the ChaldeansH3778 broke upH7665 the bronzeH5178 pillarsH5982 andH853 standsH4350 and the bronzeH5178 SeaH3220 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, and they carriedH5375 allH3605 the bronzeH5178 to BabylonH894. 18They alsoH853 took awayH3947 the potsH5518, shovelsH3257, wick trimmersH4212, sprinkling bowlsH4219, dishesH3709, and allH3605 the articlesH3627 of bronzeH5178 used in the temple serviceH8334. 19The captainH7227 of the guardH2876 also took awayH3947 the basinsH5592, censersH4289, sprinkling bowlsH4219, potsH5518, lampstandsH4501, pansH3709, and drink offering bowlsH4518—anythingH834 made of pure goldH2091 or fine silverH3701.

20As for the twoH8147 pillarsH5982, theH259 SeaH3220, the twelveH8147H6240 bronzeH5178 bullsH1241 under itH8478, and the movable standsH4350 thatH834 KingH4428 SolomonH8010 had madeH6213 for the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068H3808, the weightH4948 of the bronzeH5178 from allH3605 theseH428 articlesH3627 was beyond measureH1961. 21EachH259 pillarH5982 was eighteenH8083H6240 cubitsH520 tallH6967H5982 and twelveH8147H6240 cubitsH520 in circumferenceH5437;3 each was hollowH5014, fourH702 fingersH676 thickH5672.4 22The bronzeH5178 capitalH3805 atopH5921 oneH259 pillar was fiveH2568 cubitsH520 highH6967,5 with a networkH7639 of bronzeH5178 pomegranatesH7416 all aroundH5439H3605. The secondH8145 pillarH5982, with its pomegranatesH7416, was similarH428. 23Each capital had ninety-sixH8673H8337 pomegranatesH7416 on the sidesH7307, and a total ofH3605 a hundredH3967 pomegranatesH7416 were aboveH5921 the surroundingH5439 networkH7639.

Captives Carried to Babylon

(2 Kings 25:18–21)

24The captainH7227 of the guardH2876 also took awayH3947 SeraiahH8304 the chiefH7218 priestH3548, ZephaniahH6846 the priestH3548 of second rankH4932, and the threeH7969 doorkeepersH8104H5592. 25Of thoseH4480 still in the cityH5892, he tookH3947 aH259 court officialH5631 whoH834 had beenH1961 appointedH6496 overH5921 the menH582 of warH4421, as well as sevenH7651H582 trusted royalH4428 advisersH7200H6440. He alsoH853 took the scribeH5608 of the captainH8269 of the armyH6635, who had enlistedH6633 the peopleH5971 of the landH776, and sixtyH8346 menH376H5971H776 who were foundH4672 inH8432 the cityH5892.

26NebuzaradanH5018 captainH7227 of the guardH2876 tookH3947 themH853 and broughtH1980 themH853 toH413 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 at RiblahH7247. 27There 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.

28TheseH2088 are the peopleH5971 NebuchadnezzarH5019 carried awayH1540:

in the seventhH7651 yearH8141, 3,023H7969H505H6242 JewsH3064; 29in Nebuchadnezzar’sH5019 eighteenthH8083H6240 yearH8141, 832H8083H3967H7970H8147 peopleH5315 from JerusalemH3389; 30in Nebuchadnezzar’sH5019 twenty-thirdH7969H6242 yearH8141, NebuzaradanH5018 captainH7227 of the guardH2876 carried awayH1540 745H7651H3967H705H2568 JewsH3064.

So in allH3605H5315, 4,600H702H505H8337H3967 peopleH5315 were taken away.

31

Jehoiachin Released from Prison

(2 Kings 25:27–30)

On the twenty-fifthH6242H2568H2320 day of the twelfthH8147H6240 monthH2320 of the thirty-seventhH7970H7651 yearH8141 of the exileH1546 of JehoiachinH3078 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, in the first yearH8141 of the reignH4438 of Evil-merodachH192 kingH4428 of BabylonH894, he pardonedH5375H72186 JehoiachinH3078 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 and released himH3318 fromH853 prisonH1004H3628. 32And he spokeH1696 kindlyH2896 to Jehoiachin and setH5414 his throneH3678 aboveH4605 the thronesH3678 of the other kingsH4428 whoH834 were withH854 him in BabylonH894.

33So Jehoiachin changedH8138 out of his prisonH3608 clothesH899, and he dinedH398H3899 regularlyH8548 at the king’s tableH6440 for the restH3605H3117 of his lifeH2416. 34And the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 providedH737H8548H5414 Jehoiachin a dailyH3117 portionH1697 for the restH3605H3117 of his lifeH2416, untilH5704 the dayH3117 of his deathH4194.