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the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Jerusalem, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and they laid siege to it. 2 Then in the fourth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the month, they broke through into the city. 3 Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.
4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, exiting through the gate between the two walls, and they headed toward the Arabah. 5 But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. After they captured him, they brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him.
6 There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon.
8 The Chaldeans burned the king’s palace and the houses of the people with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away to Babylon as captives the remaider of the people found in the city, and those who had defected to him, along with the rest of the people. 10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poorest people who owned nothing, and he gave them vineyards and fields at that time.
11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had issued orders to Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, about Jeremiah: 12 “Take him and look after him; do not do him any harm, but do for him whatever he asks of you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer the Rab-mag, and all of the chief officers of the king of Babylon 14 had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guard. They turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him back to his home. So he lived among his own people.
15 Now the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was confined in the courtyard of the guard: 16 “Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite: ‘This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to fulfil My words against this city for disaster and not for good, and they will be fulfilled on that day before your eyes. 17 But I will rescue you on that day,” declares the Lord, “and you will not be handed over to the men whom you fear. 18 For I will certainly deliver you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in Me”, declares the Lord’.”