[1] Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother`s name was Hamutal the
daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. [2] He did that which was evil in the sight
of Yahweh, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. [3] For through the
anger of Yahweh did it happen in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast
them out from his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
[4] It happened in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the
tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and
all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built
forts against it round about. [5] So the city was besieged to the eleventh
year of king Zedekiah. [6] In the fourth month, in the ninth day of the
month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the
people of the land. [7] Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men
of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate
between the two walls, which was by the king`s garden; (now the Chaldeans
were against the city round about;) and they went toward the Arabah. [8]
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah
in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. [9] Then
they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah in
the land of Hamath; and he gave judgment on him. [10] The king of Babylon
killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he killed also all the princes
of Judah in Riblah. [11] He put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of
Babylon bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in
prison until the day of his death. [12] Now in the fifth month, in the
tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king
Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard,
who stood before the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem: [13] and he burned
the house of Yahweh, and the king`s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem,
even every great house, burned he with fire. [14] All the army of the
Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls
of Jerusalem round about. [15] Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard
carried away captive of the poorest of the people, and the residue of the
people who were left in the city, and those who fell away, who fell to the
king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude. [16] But Nebuzaradan the
captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to be vineyard keepers
and farmers. [17] The pillars of brass that were in the house of Yahweh,
and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Yahweh, did the
Chaldeans break in pieces, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.
[18] The pots also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the basins, and
the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered, took
they away. [19] The cups, and the fire pans, and the basins, and the pots,
and the lampstands, and the spoons, and the bowls-that which was of gold,
in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver,-the captain of the guard
took away. [20] The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve brazen bulls
that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made for the house of
Yahweh-the brass of all these vessels was without weight. [21] As for the
pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a line of
twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness of it was four fingers: it
was hollow. [22] A capital of brass was on it; and the height of the one
capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates on the capital round
about, all of brass: and the second pillar also had like these, and
pomegranates. [23] There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the
pomegranates were one hundred on the network round about. [24] The captain
of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second
priest, and the three keepers of the threshold: [25] and out of the city he
took an officer who was set over the men of war; and seven men of those who
saw the king`s face, who were found in the city; and the scribe of the
captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of
the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city. [26]
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the
king of Babylon to Riblah. [27] The king of Babylon struck them, and put
them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away
captive out of his land. [28] This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar
carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand twenty-three Jews;
[29] in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from
Jerusalem eight hundred thirty-two persons; [30] in the three and twentieth
year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away
captive of the Jews seven hundred forty-five persons: all the persons were
four thousand and six hundred. [31] It happened in the seven and thirtieth
year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in
the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of
Babylon, in the [first] year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin
king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison; [32] and he spoke
kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were
with him in Babylon, [33] and changed his prison garments. [Jehoiachin] ate
bread before him continually all the days of his life: [34] and for his
allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of
Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of
his life.
