Jeremiah 39

Jerusalem Captured

11Now when Jerusalem was captured 23in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it; 2in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city wall was 4breached. 3Then all the 5officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the 6Middle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the 7Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the 8Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon. 4When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they 9fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate 10between the two walls; and he went out toward the 11Arabah. 5But the army of the 12Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the 13plains of Jericho; and they seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at 14Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. 6Then the 15king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah 16before his eyes at Riblah; the king of Babylon also slew all the 17nobles of Judah. 7He then 18blinded Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in 19fetters of bronze to bring him to 20Babylon. 8The Chaldeans also 21burned with fire the king’s palace and the houses of the people, and they 22broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9As for the rest of the people who were left in the city, the 2324deserters who had gone over to him and 25the rest of the people who remained, 26Nebuzaradan the 27captain of the bodyguard carried them into exile in Babylon. 10But some of the 28poorest people who had nothing, 29Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields 30at that time.

Jeremiah Spared

11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about 31Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, 12“Take him and 32look after him, and 33do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.” 13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent word, along with Nebushazban the 34Rab-saris, and Nergal-sar-ezer the 35Rab-mag, and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon; 14they even sent and 36took Jeremiah out of the court of the guardhouse and entrusted him to 37Gedaliah, the son of 38Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he stayed among the people.

15Now the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was 39confined in the court of the guardhouse, saying, 16“Go and speak to 40Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city 41for disaster and not for 42prosperity; and they will 43take place before you on that day. 17But I will 44deliver you on that day,” declares the Lord, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread. 18For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own 45life as booty, because you have 46trusted in Me,” declares the Lord.’”