1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came against Jerusalem with all his army, and they laid siege to it.
2In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken open.
3All the princes of the king of Babylon came in and sat down in the middle gate: Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.
4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled. They went out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls. And the king went out toward the plain.
5But the army of the Chaldeans chased after them and caught up with Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. They took him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and there Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him.
6Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes. The king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah.
7Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with chains, to carry him away to Babylon.
8The Chaldeans burned the king's house and the houses of the people with fire, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
9Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, carried away to Babylon as prisoners the rest of the people who were left in the city, and those who had deserted and gone over to him, and the rest of the people who remained.
10But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left some of the poor people, who had nothing, in the land of Judah. At that time he gave them vineyards and fields.
11Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave an order about Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard. He said,
12"Take him, and take good care of him, and do him no harm. Do for him whatever he asks you."
13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent word, and so did Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the princes of the king of Babylon.
14They sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and handed him over to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, so that he might take him home. So he lived among the people.
15Now the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison. It said,
16"Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian. Say, This is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: Look, I will bring my words on this city for harm, and not for good. They will come true on that day before your eyes."
17But I will rescue you on that day, says the LORD. You will not be handed over to the men you are afraid of.
18"For I will surely rescue you. You will not fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me, says the LORD."