The Fall of Jerusalem
(2 Kings 25:1–12; 2 Chronicles 36:15–21)

1  בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה (Year) הַ֠תְּשִׁעִית (In the ninth) לְצִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ (of Zedekiah) מֶלֶךְ־ (king) יְהוּדָ֜ה (of Judah), בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ (month), הָעֲשִׂרִ֗י (in the tenth) בָּ֠א (came) נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֨ר (Nebuchadnezzar) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) בָּבֶ֤ל (of Babylon) וְכָל־ (and all) חֵילוֹ֙ (his army) אֶל־ (against) יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם (Jerusalem), וַיָּצֻ֖רוּ (and laid siege) עָלֶֽיהָ׃ס (against it). 2  בְּעַשְׁתֵּֽי־ (And in the one) עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה (and tenth) שָׁנָה֙ (year) לְצִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ (of Zedekiah), בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ (month), הָרְבִיעִ֖י (in the fourth) בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה (on the ninth day) לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ (of the month), הָבְקְעָ֖ה (was broken through) הָעִֽיר׃ (the city).

3  וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ (Came in), כֹּ֚ל (and all) שָׂרֵ֣י (the officials) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (of the king) בָּבֶ֔ל (of Babylon) וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ (and sat) בְּשַׁ֣עַר (Gate), הַתָּ֑וֶךְ (in the Middle) נֵרְגַ֣ל (of Nergal-) שַׂר־ (shar-) אֶ֠צֶר (ezer), סַֽמְגַּר־ (of Samgar) נְב֞וּ (Nebo-), שַׂר־ (Sar-) סְכִ֣ים (sechim), רַב־ (Rab-) סָרִ֗יס (saris), נֵרְגַ֤ל (Nergal-) שַׂר־ (shar-) אֶ֙צֶר֙ (ezer), רַב־ (the Rab-) מָ֔ג (mag), וְכָל־ (and all) שְׁאֵרִ֔ית (the rest) שָׂרֵ֖י (of the officials) מֶ֥לֶךְ (of the king) בָּבֶֽל׃ (of Babylon).

4  וַיְהִ֡י (And it came to pass), כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (when) רָ֠אָם (saw them) צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ (Zedekiah) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (the king) יְהוּדָ֜ה (of Judah) וְכֹ֣ל׀ (and all) אַנְשֵׁ֣י (the men) הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה (of war), וַֽ֠יִּבְרְחוּ (that they fled), וַיֵּצְא֨וּ (and went out) לַ֤יְלָה (by night), מִן־ (from) הָעִיר֙ (the city) דֶּ֚רֶךְ (by the way) גַּ֣ן (garden), הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (of the king’s) בְּשַׁ֖עַר (by the gate) בֵּ֣ין (between) הַחֹמֹתָ֑יִם (the two walls); וַיֵּצֵ֖א (and he went out) דֶּ֥רֶךְ (by way) הָעֲרָבָֽה׃ (of the Arabah). 5  וַיִּרְדְּפ֨וּ (Pursued) חֵיל־ (and the army) כַּשְׂדִּ֜ים (of the Chaldeans) אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם (after them) וַיַּשִּׂ֣גוּ (and they overtook) אֶת־ (-) צִדְקִיָּהוּ֮ (Zedekiah) בְּעַֽרְב֣וֹת (in the plains) יְרֵחוֹ֒ (of Jericho); וַיִּקְח֣וּ (and they seized) אֹת֗וֹ (him) וַֽ֠יַּעֲלֻהוּ (and they brought him up) אֶל־ (to) נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֧ר (Nebuchadnezzar) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) בָּבֶ֛ל (of Babylon) רִבְלָ֖תָה (to Riblah) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) חֲמָ֑ת (of Hamath), וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר (and he spoke) אִתּ֖וֹ (against him) מִשְׁפָּטִֽים׃ (judgment).

6  וַיִּשְׁחַט֩ (Killed) מֶ֨לֶךְ (and the king) בָּבֶ֜ל (of Babylon) אֶת־ (-) בְּנֵ֧י (the sons) צִדְקִיָּ֛הוּ (of Zedekiah) בְּרִבְלָ֖ה (in Riblah) לְעֵינָ֑יו (before his eyes); וְאֵת֙ (and also) כָּל־ (all) חֹרֵ֣י (the nobles) יְהוּדָ֔ה (of Judah). שָׁחַ֖ט (Killed) מֶ֥לֶךְ (the king) בָּבֶֽל׃ (of Babylon). 7  וְאֶת־ (And) עֵינֵ֥י (the eyes), צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ (of Zedekiah) עִוֵּ֑ר (he put out) וַיַּאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙ (and he bound him) בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם (with bronze fetters), לָבִ֥יא (to bring) אֹת֖וֹ (him) בָּבֶֽלָה׃ (to Babylon).

8  וְאֶת־ (And) בֵּ֤ית (the house), הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (of the king) וְאֶת־ (and) בֵּ֣ית (the houses) הָעָ֔ם (of the people), שָׂרְפ֥וּ (burned) הַכַּשְׂדִּ֖ים (the Chaldeans) בָּאֵ֑שׁ (with fire), וְאֶת־ (and) חֹמ֥וֹת (the walls) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (of Jerusalem) נָתָֽצוּ׃ (they tore down).

9  וְאֵת֩ (And) יֶ֨תֶר (the remnant) הָעָ֜ם (of the people) הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים (those remaining) בָּעִ֗יר (in the city), וְאֶת־ (and) הַנֹּֽפְלִים֙ (those falling away), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who) נָפְל֣וּ (fell) עָלָ֔יו (to him) וְאֵ֛ת (and) יֶ֥תֶר (the remainder) הָעָ֖ם (of the people) הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֑ים (that remained). הֶגְלָ֛ה (Exiled) נְבֽוּזַר־ (Nebuzar-) אֲדָ֥ן (adan) רַב־ (the captain) טַבָּחִ֖ים (of the guards) בָּבֶֽל׃ (to Babylon). 10  וּמִן־ (And of) הָעָ֣ם (of the people), הַדַּלִּ֗ים (the poor) אֲשֶׁ֤ר (who) אֵין־ (not), לָהֶם֙ (was unto them) מְא֔וּמָה (a thing), הִשְׁאִ֛יר (left) נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֥ן (Nebuzaradan) רַב־ (the captain) טַבָּחִ֖ים (of the guards) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah), וַיִּתֵּ֥ן (and he gave) לָהֶ֛ם (to them) כְּרָמִ֥ים (vineyards) וִֽיגֵבִ֖ים (and fields) בַּיּ֥וֹם (time) הַהֽוּא׃ (at that).

Jeremiah Delivered

11  וַיְצַ֛ו (Gave a charge) נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר (and Nebuchadnezzar) מֶֽלֶךְ־ (king) בָּבֶ֖ל (of Babylon) עַֽל־ (concerning) יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ (Jeremiah) בְּיַ֛ד (to) נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֥ן (Nebuzaradan) רַב־ (the captain) טַבָּחִ֖ים (of the guards), לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying), 12  קָחֶ֗נּוּ (Take him) וְעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ (and) שִׂ֣ים (look) עָלָ֔יו (after him) וְאַל־ (and you will not) תַּ֥עַשׂ (do) ל֖וֹ (to him) מְא֣וּמָה (anything) רָּ֑ע (evil); כִּ֗י (but) אם (instead) כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ (as) יְדַבֵּ֣ר (he speaks) אֵלֶ֔יךָ (to you) כֵּ֖ן (so) עֲשֵׂ֥ה (you must deal) עִמּֽוֹ׃ (with him).

13  וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח (Sent), נְבֽוּזַרְאֲדָ֣ן (and Nebuzaradan) רַב־ (the captain) טַבָּחִ֗ים (of the guards) וּנְבֽוּשַׁזְבָּן֙ (Nebushasban), רַב־ (Rab-) סָרִ֔יס (saris), וְנֵרְגַ֥ל (and Nergal-) שַׂר־ (shar-) אֶ֖צֶר (ezer), רַב־ (Rab-) מָ֑ג (mag), וְכֹ֖ל (and all) רַבֵּ֥י (chief officers); מֶֽלֶךְ־ (of the king) בָּבֶֽל׃ (of Babylon). 14  וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ֩ (And they sent), וַיִּקְח֨וּ (and took) אֶֽת־ (-) יִרְמְיָ֜הוּ (Jeremiah) מֵחֲצַ֣ר (from the court) הַמַּטָּרָ֗ה (of the guard), וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ (and they gave) אֹתוֹ֙ (him) אֶל־ (over to) גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ (Gedaliah) בֶּן־ (son) אֲחִיקָ֣ם (of Ahikam) בֶּן־ (son) שָׁפָ֔ן (of Shaphan), לְהוֹצִאֵ֖הוּ (to bring him forth) אֶל־ (to) הַבָּ֑יִת (the house). וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב (And he dwelt) בְּת֥וֹךְ (in the midst) הָעָֽם׃ס (of the people).

15  וְאֶֽל־ (To) יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ (Jeremiah), הָיָ֣ה (came) דְבַר־ (and the word) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH) בִּֽהְיֹת֣וֹ (in his being) עָצ֔וּר (shut up) בַּחֲצַ֥ר (in the court) הַמַּטָּרָ֖ה (of the guard), לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying), 16  הָל֣וֹךְ (Go) וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ (and speak) לְעֶבֶד־ (to Ebed-) מֶ֨לֶךְ (melech) הַכּוּשִׁ֜י (the Ethiopian), לֵאמֹ֗ר (saying), כֹּֽה־ (thus) אָמַ֞ר (says) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH of) צְבָאוֹת֙ (Hosts), אֱלֹהֵ֣י (the God) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel); הִנְנִי֩ (Behold I) מֵבִי (will bring) אֶת־ (-) דְּבָרַ֜י (My words) אֶל־ (against) הָעִ֥יר (city) הַזֹּ֛את (this) לְרָעָ֖ה (for evil), וְלֹ֣א (and not) לְטוֹבָ֑ה (for good); וְהָי֥וּ (and they will come to pass) לְפָנֶ֖יךָ (before you) בַּיּ֥וֹם (day) הַהֽוּא׃ (in that). 17  וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥יךָ (And I will deliver you) בַיּוֹם־ (day), הַה֖וּא (in that) נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH), וְלֹ֤א (and not) תִנָּתֵן֙ (you will be given) בְּיַ֣ד (into the hand) הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים (of the men) אֲשֶׁר־ (whom) אַתָּ֥ה (you) יָג֖וֹר (are afraid) מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃ (of). 18  כִּ֤י (For) מַלֵּט֙ (rescuing) אֲמַלֶּטְךָ֔ (I will rescue you) וּבַחֶ֖רֶב (by the sword), לֹ֣א (and you will not) תִפֹּ֑ל (fall) וְהָיְתָ֨ה (will be) לְךָ֤ (unto you) נַפְשְׁךָ֙ (and your life) לְשָׁלָ֔ל (as a prize) כִּֽי־ (because) בָטַ֥חְתָּ (you have put your trust) בִּ֖י (in Me) נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָֽה׃ס (of YHWH).