Jeremiah 52:4-16

Contemporary English Version

^4 (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.

^5-6 After a year and a half,^[b] all the food in Jerusalem was gone. Then on the ninth day of the fourth month,^{[c] 7 (B)} the Babylonian troops broke through the city wall. 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 Jordan River valley, ⁸ but the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. The Babylonians arrested Zedekiah, but his soldiers scattered in every direction. ⁹ Zedekiah was taken to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial and found him guilty. ¹⁰ Zedekiah's sons and the officials of Judah were killed while he watched, ^11 (C) then his eyes were poked out. He was put in chains, then dragged off to Babylon and kept in prison until he died.

¹² Jerusalem was captured during Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king of Babylonia.

About a month later,^[d] Nebuchadnezzar's officer in charge of the guards arrived in Jerusalem. His name was Nebuzaradan, ^13 (D) and he burned down the Lord's temple, the king's palace, and every important building in the city, as well as all the houses. ¹⁴ Then he ordered the Babylonian soldiers to break down the walls around Jerusalem. ¹⁵ He led away the people left in the city, including everyone who had become loyal to Nebuchadnezzar, the rest of the skilled workers,^[e] and even some of the poor people of Judah. ¹⁶ Only the very poorest were left behind to work the vineyards and the fields.