Jeremiah 39 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 39

The Capture of Jerusalem. When Jerusalem was taken, 1 in the ninth year of Zedekiah,(A) king of Judah, in the tenth month,[a] Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and all his army marched against Jerusalem and placed it under siege. 2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the fourth month,[b] the city wall was breached. 3 All the princes of the king of Babylon came and took their seats at the middle gate: Nergal-sharezer of Simmagir, a chief officer; Nebushazban, a high dignitary; and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.[c] 4 When Zedekiah, king of Judah, and all his warriors saw this, they fled, leaving the city at night by way of the king’s garden,[d] through a gate between the two walls. He went in the direction of the Arabah,(B) 5 but the Chaldean army pursued them; they caught up with Zedekiah in the wilderness near Jericho and took him prisoner. They brought him to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in Riblah,[e] in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced sentence upon him.(C) 6 The king of Babylon executed the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his very eyes; the king of Babylon also executed all the nobles of Judah.(D) 7 He then blinded Zedekiah and bound him in chains to bring him to Babylon.(E)

8 The Chaldeans set fire to the king’s house and the houses of the people and tore down the walls of Jerusalem.(F) 9 Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, deported to Babylon the rest of the people left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the rest of the workers.(G) 10 But Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, left in the land of Judah some of the poor who had nothing and at the same time gave them vineyards and farms.(H)

Jeremiah Released to Gedaliah’s Custody. 11 Concerning Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, gave these orders through Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard: 12 “Take him and look after him; do not let anything happen to him. Whatever he may ask, you must do for him.”(I) 13 Thereupon Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, and Nebushazban, a high dignitary, and Nergal-sharezer, a chief officer, and all the nobles of the king of Babylon, 14 had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard and entrusted to Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to bring him home. And so he remained among the people.(J)

A Word of Comfort for Ebed-melech. 15 While Jeremiah was still imprisoned in the court of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: 16 Go, tell this to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian: Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: See, I am now carrying out my words against this city, for evil and not for good; this will happen in your presence on that day.(K) 17 But on that day I will deliver you—oracle of the Lord; you shall not be handed over to the men you dread. 18 I will make certain that you escape and do not fall by the sword. Your life will be your spoils of war because you trusted in me—oracle of the Lord.(L)

Footnotes

  1. 39:1 In the ninth year…in the tenth month: the month Tebet (mid-December to mid-January) of the year 589/588 B.C., according to the Babylonian calendar, whose New Year began in March/April.
  2. 39:2 In the eleventh year…the ninth day of the fourth month: in July, 587 B.C.
  3. 39:3 The Babylonian officers act as a military tribunal or government, headed by Nergal-sharezer, Nebuchadnezzar’s son and successor.
  4. 39:4 By way of the king’s garden: along the southeast side of the city; the royal garden was in the Kidron Valley. A gate between the two walls: the southernmost city gate, at the end of the Tyropoeon Valley. The Arabah: the southern Jordan Valley. Zedekiah was perhaps trying to escape across the Jordan when he was captured near Jericho.
  5. 39:5 Riblah: Nebuchadnezzar’s headquarters north of Damascus; Pharaoh Neco had once used the town as a military post (2 Kgs 23:33).

Cross references

  1. 39:1–2 : Jer 52:4–16; 2 Kgs 25:1–12; Ez 24:1.
  2. 39:4 : Jer 52:7.
  3. 39:5 : Jer 32:4–5; 38:18.
  4. 39:6 : Jer 34:21.
  5. 39:7 : Jer 32:4–5; Ez 12:13.
  6. 39:8 : Jer 21:10; 34:2; 52:13.
  7. 39:9 : 2 Kgs 25:11.
  8. 39:10 : 2 Kgs 25:12, 22.
  9. 39:12 : Jer 40:4.
  10. 39:14 : Jer 26:24; 38:28.
  11. 39:16 : Jer 21:10; Dn 9:12.
  12. 39:18 : Jer 45:5; Ps 25:3; 37:40.

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39 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, come hath Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his force unto Jerusalem, and they lay siege against it; 2 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth of the month, hath the city been broken up; 3 and come i...
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39 In the ninth year of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and all his host (and all his army), came to Jerusalem, and they besieged it. 2 Forsooth in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month (on the fifth day of the...
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Jeremiah 39 - World English Bible (WEB)

39 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 day of the month, a breach was made in the city. 3 All the princes of the ...
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Jeremiah 39 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Judgment on Zedekiah and Jerusalem39 Now when Jerusalem was captured, in the ninth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the tenth month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and all his army advanced against Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 On the ninth day of the fourth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah...
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Jeremiah 39 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Fall of Jerusalem39 In the ninth year of Zedeki′ah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadrez′zar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it; 2 in the eleventh year of Zedeki′ah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. ...
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Jeremiah 39 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Fall of Jerusalem39 In the ninth year of Zedeki′ah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadrez′zar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it; 2 in the eleventh year of Zedeki′ah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. ...
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Jeremiah 39 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Fall of Jerusalem39 In the ninth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the tenth month, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it; 2 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. 3 ...
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Jeremiah 39 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Fall of Jerusalem39 This is how Jerusalem was captured:[a] in the ninth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the tenth month, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it;(A)2 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the m...
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Jeremiah 39 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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Jeremiah 39 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jerusalem Taken by the Babylonians39 In the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came and gathered around Jerusalem. 2 And on the ninth day of the fourth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the city wall was broken open. 3 The...
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Jeremiah 39 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Fall of Jerusalem(A)39 In the (B)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 (C)eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the [a]city was penetrat...
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Jeremiah 39 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

39 1 in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. 2 And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. 3 Then all the officia...
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Jeremiah 39 - New International Version (NIV)

39 1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah(A) king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege(C) to it. 2 And on the ninth day of the fourth(D) month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall(E) was broken through.(F) 3 Then...
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Jeremiah 39 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

39 1 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, marched out against Jerusalem. He came with all his armies and attacked it. It was in the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah. It was in the tenth month. 2 The city wall was broken through. It happened on the ninth day of the fourth month. It was in...
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Jeremiah 39 - New English Translation (NET)

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