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 besieged it.
2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth of the month, the city was broken into.
3 And all the rulers of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer, Rabmag, and all the rest of the rulers of the king of Babylon.
4 And it came to pass that when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went out from the city by night, by the way of the kings garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went out the way of the plain.
5 But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And they took him, and brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment upon him.
6 Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah. The king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah.
7 Moreover he put out Zedekiahs eyes and bound him with chains, to bring him to Babylon.
8 And the Chaldeans burned the kings house and the houses of the people, with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, and those who fell out and defected to him, with the rest of the people that remained.
10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poor people, who had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,
12 Take him and look after him, and do him no evil; but do with him even as he says to you.
13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, sent, and Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rabmag, and all the princes of the king of Babylon,
14 even they sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard, and assigned him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he lived among the people.
15 Now the Word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying,
16 Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring My Words upon this city for evil and not for good. And they shall be done in that day before you.
17 But I will deliver you in that day, says Jehovah. And you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.
18 For I will give you an escape, to deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me, says Jehovah.