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 Evilmerodach 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.
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