The Fall of Jerusalem

1Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

2And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

3For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

4And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it, and built a siege wall against it round about.

5So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

6And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was severe in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

7Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain.

8But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.

9Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he pronounced judgment upon him.

10And the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he killed also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.

11Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.

The Temple and the City Burned and Plundered

12Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem,

13And burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire:

14And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.

15Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the poor of the people, and the rest of the people that remained in the city, and those that had deserted, that deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude.

16But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for farmers.

17Also the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands, and the bronze sea that was in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke, and carried all their bronze to Babylon.

18The pots also, and the shovels, and the wick trimmers, and the basins, and the spoons, and all the vessels of bronze with which they ministered, they took away.

19And the basins, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the pots, and the lamps, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.

20The two pillars, one sea, and twelve bronze bulls that were under the stands, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight.

21And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and bands of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.

22And a capital of bronze was upon it; and the height of one capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capitals round about, all of bronze. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.

23And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were a hundred round about.

Captives Taken to Babylon

24And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

25He took also out of the city a eunuch, who had charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were the king's counsel, who were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.

26So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.

27And the king of Babylon struck them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of its own land.

28These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:

29In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:

30In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuzar-adan 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.

Jehoiachin Given Freedom and Provisions

31And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,

32And spoke kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,

33And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.

34And for his provision, there was a regular ration given him from the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.