Jeremiah 39

1. And it came to pass when Jerusalem was taken, (in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and besieged it; in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city:) that all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. And it came to pass that when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he gave judgement upon him. Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

Called also Jeconiah and Coniah. The Principal Deportation to Babylonia.

8. And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the residue of the people that remained in the city, the deserters also, that fell away to him, and the residue of the people that remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. 11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan 12 the captain of the guard, saying, Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto 13 thee. So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushazban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the 14 chief officers of the king of Babylon; they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people. 15 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court 16 of the guard, saying, Go, and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus and the bowls; that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, 20 the captain of the guard took away. The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve brazen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made for the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was 21 without weight. And as for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a line of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: 22 it was hollow. And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and the second pillar also had like 23 unto these, and pomegranates. And there were ninety and six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were an hundred 24 upon the network round about. And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: 25 and out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war; and seven men of them that saw the king’s face, which were found in the city; and the scribe of the captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in 26 the midst of the city. And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to 27 Riblah. And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried 28 away captive out of his land. This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand 29 Jews and three and twenty: in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred 30 thirty and two persons: in the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.