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¹ In the ninth year of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.² In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth of the month, the city was breached.³ And all the rulers of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, chief of the eunuchs, Nergal-sharezer, chief magician, and all the rest of the rulers of the king of Babylon.⁴ And it happened when Zedekiah, king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out from the city by night, the way of the king's garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went the way of the Arabah.⁵ But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the Arabah of Jericho. And they took him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he spoke judgment on him.⁶ And the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes at Riblah. Also the king of Babylon slaughtered all the rulers of Judah.⁷ And he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in bronze fetters, to make him go to Babylon.⁸ And the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the houses of the people with fire. And they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.⁹ Then the rest of the people who remained in the city, and those who fell away, who fell to him, even the rest of the people who remained, Nebuzaradan, the chief of the executioners, exiled to Babylon.¹⁰ But Nebuzaradan, the chief of the executioners, left some of the poor people, who had not a thing to themselves, in the land of Judah. And he gave to them vineyards and fields on that day.

¹¹ And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded concerning Jeremiah by the hand of Nebuzaradan the chief of the executioners, saying:¹² Take him and set your eyes on him. But do not do anything evil to him. But do with him even as he shall say to you.¹³ And Nebuzaradan, the chief of the executioners, and Nebushasban the chief of the eunuchs, and Nergal-sharezer, chief soothsayer, and all the rulers of the king of Babylon, sent,¹⁴ even they sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guardhouse. And they gave him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to cause him to go out to the house. And he lived among the people.¹⁵ And the Word of Jehovah was to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guardhouse, saying,¹⁶ Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, So says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing My Words on this city for evil, and not for good. And they shall be before you in that day.¹⁷ But I will deliver you in that day, states Jehovah, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men, of those whom you fear.¹⁸ For delivering I will deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be a prize to you, because you have trusted in Me, states Jehovah.