2 Kings 25:4-30

41Then the city was broken into, and all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls beside 2the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. And 3they 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 4they captured the king and 5brought him to the king of Babylon at 6Riblah, and 7he passed sentence on him. 78They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then 9put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.

810Now on the seventh day of the 11fifth 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. 912He burned the house of the Lord, 13the 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 14broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11Then 15the 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 16the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.

1317Now the bronze pillars which were in the house of the Lord, and the stands and 18the bronze sea which were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the 19bronze to Babylon. 1420They 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--21the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight. 1722The height of the one pillar was eighteen 23cubits, and a bronze capital was on it; the height of the capital was three 24cubits, 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 25Seraiah the chief priest and 26Zephaniah the second priest, with the three 27officers of the temple. 19From the city he took one official who was overseer of the men of war, and 28five 29of the king’s advisers who were found in the city; and the 30scribe 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 31Riblah. 21Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. 32So Judah was led away into exile from its land.

22Now as for the people who were left in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed 33Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan over them. 2334When 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 35Mizpah, 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.”

2536But it came about in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal 37family, came 38with ten men and struck Gedaliah down so that he died along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 2639Then 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.

2740Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of 41the 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, 4243released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; 28and he 44spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 2945Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and 4647had his meals in 48the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life; 30and for his 49allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.