2 Kings 25:1-12

Contemporary English Version

Jerusalem Is Captured and Destroyed

(2 Chronicles 36.17-21; Jeremiah 52.3-30)

25 ^(A) In Zedekiah's ninth year as king, on the tenth day of the tenth month,^[a] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia led his entire army to attack Jerusalem. The troops set up camp outside the city and built ramps up to the city walls.

^2-3 After a year and a half, all the food in Jerusalem was gone. Then on the ninth day of the fourth^[b] month, ^4 (B) the Babylonian troops broke through the city wall.^[c] That same night, Zedekiah and his soldiers tried to escape through the gate near the royal garden, even though they knew the enemy had the city surrounded. They headed toward the desert, ⁵ but the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah, but his soldiers scattered in every direction.

⁶ Zedekiah was taken to Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial and found him guilty. ^7 (C) Zedekiah's sons were killed right in front of him. His eyes were then poked out, and he was put in chains and dragged off to Babylon.

⁸ About a month later,^[d] in Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king, Nebuzaradan, who was his official in charge of the guards, arrived in Jerusalem. ^9 (D) Nebuzaradan burned down the Lord's temple, the king's palace, and every important building in the city, as well as all the houses. ¹⁰ Then he ordered the Babylonian soldiers to break down the walls around Jerusalem. ¹¹ He led away as prisoners the people left in the city, including those who had become loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. ¹² Only some of the poorest people were left behind to work the vineyards and the fields.