2 Kings 25

Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Jerusalem

11Now in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, 2Nebuchadnezzar the 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 that were 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 up to the king of Babylon at 11Riblah, and he 12passed sentence on him. 7And 13they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then 14put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles, 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 bodyguards, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9And 17he 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 bodyguards 19tore down the walls around Jerusalem. 11Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguards, led into exile 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 21people. 12But the captain of the bodyguards left some of 22the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.

1323Now the Chaldeans smashed to pieces the bronze pillars which were in the house of the Lord, and the stands and 24the bronze 25Sea which were in the house of the Lord, and carried the 26bronze to Babylon. 1427And they took away the pots, the shovels, the 28shears, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils 29which were used in temple service. 15The captain of the bodyguards 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--3031the bronze of all these articles was too heavy to weigh. 1732The height of the one pillar was 33eighteen cubits, and a bronze capital was on it; the height of the capital was 34three cubits, with latticework and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these, same features with latticework.

18Then the captain of the bodyguards took 35Seraiah the chief priest and 36Zephaniah the second priest, with the three 37doorkeepers. 19And from the city he took one official who was overseer of the men of war, and 38five 39of the king’s advisers who were found in the city; and the 40scribe 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 bodyguards took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at 41Riblah. 21Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. 42So Judah went 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 43Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan over them. 2344When all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah at 45Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men. 24And Gedaliah 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 go well for you.”

2546But it happened in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal 47family, came 48with ten men and struck Gedaliah down so that he died along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 2649Then all the people, from the small to the great, and the captains of the forces set out and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

2750Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of 51the 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, 5253released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; 28and he 54spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 29So 55Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes, and 5657had his meals in 58the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life; 30and as his 59allowance, a regular allowance was given to him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.