2 Kings 25

Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Jerusalem

11Now in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, 2Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and 3built a siege wall all around 4it. 2So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3On the ninth day of the fourth month 5the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 46Then the city was broken into, and all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls beside 7the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. And 8they went by way of the Arabah. 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. 6Then 9they captured the king and 10brought him to the king of Babylon at 11Riblah, and 12he passed sentence on him. 713They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then 14put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.

Jerusalem Burned and Plundered

815Now on the seventh day of the 16fifth 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. 917He burned the house of the Lord, 18the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every great house he burned with fire. 10So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard 19broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11Then 20the 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 captain of the guard left some of 21the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.

1322Now the bronze pillars which were in the house of the Lord, and the stands and 23the bronze sea which were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the 24bronze to Babylon. 1425They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the spoons, and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service. 15The captain of the guard also took away the firepans and the basins, what was fine gold and what was fine silver. 16The two pillars, the one sea, and the stands which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord--26the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight. 1727The height of the one pillar was eighteen 28cubits, and a bronze capital was on it; the height of the capital was three 29cubits, with a network and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these with network.

18Then the captain of the guard took 30Seraiah the chief priest and 31Zephaniah the second priest, with the three 32officers of the temple. 19From the city he took one official who was overseer of the men of war, and 33five 34of the king’s advisers who were found in the city; and the 35scribe 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 captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at 36Riblah. 21Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. 37So Judah was led away into exile from its land.

Gedaliah Made Governor

22Now as for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed 38Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan over them. 2339When 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 40Mizpah, 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 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.”

2541But it came about in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal 42family, came 43with ten men and struck Gedaliah down so that he died along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 2644Then 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.

2745Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of 46the 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, 4748released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; 28and he 49spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 2950Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and 5152had his meals in 53the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life; 30and for his 54allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.