Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:15–21; Jeremiah 39:1–10)
1 AKJV And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. BSB BSB: So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it.
2 AKJV And the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. BSB BSB: And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.
3 AKJV And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. BSB BSB: By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food.
4 AKJV And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. BSB BSB: Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah,
5 AKJV And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. BSB BSB: but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army deserted him.
6 AKJV So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment on him. BSB BSB: The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they pronounced judgment on him.
7 AKJV And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. BSB BSB: And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
The Temple Destroyed (Jeremiah 52:12–23)
8 AKJV And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, to Jerusalem: BSB BSB: On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 9 AKJV And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire. BSB BSB: He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building.
10 AKJV And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls of Jerusalem round about. BSB BSB: And the whole army of the Chaldeans under the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.
11 AKJV Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away. BSB BSB: Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the population.
12 AKJV But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and farmers. BSB BSB: But the captain of the guard left behind some of the poorest of the land to tend the vineyards and fields.
13 AKJV And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brazen sea that was in the house of the LORD, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. BSB BSB: Moreover, the Chaldeans broke up the bronze pillars and stands and the bronze Sea in the house of the LORD, and they carried the bronze to Babylon.
14 AKJV And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered, took they away. BSB BSB: They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes, and all the articles of bronze used in the temple service.
15 AKJV And the fire pans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. BSB BSB: The captain of the guard also took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—anything made of pure gold or fine silver.
16 AKJV The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD; the brass of all these vessels was without weight. BSB BSB: As for the two pillars, the Sea, and the movable stands that Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the weight of the bronze from all these articles was beyond measure.
17 AKJV The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the capital on it was brass: and the height of the capital three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates on the capital round about, all of brass: and like to these had the second pillar with wreathen work. BSB BSB: Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall. The bronze capital atop one pillar was three cubits high, with a network of bronze pomegranates all around. The second pillar, with its network, was similar.
Captives Carried to Babylon (Jeremiah 52:24–30)
18 AKJV And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: BSB BSB: The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.
19 AKJV And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king’s presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and three score men of the people of the land that were found in the city: BSB BSB: Of those still in the city, he took a court official who had been appointed over the men of war, as well as five royal advisors. He also took the scribe of the captain of the army, who had enlisted the people of the land, and sixty men who were found in the city.
20 AKJV And Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah: BSB BSB: Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
21 AKJV And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land. BSB BSB: There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land.
Gedaliah Governs in Judah (Jeremiah 40:1–16)
22 AKJV And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler. BSB BSB: Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, over the people he had left behind in the land of Judah.
23 AKJV And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. BSB BSB: When all the commanders of the armies and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite, as well as their men.
24 AKJV And Gedaliah swore to them, and to their men, and said to them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you. BSB BSB: And Gedaliah took an oath before them and their men, assuring them, “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.”
The Murder of Gedaliah (Jeremiah 41:1–10)
25 AKJV But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah. BSB BSB: In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down and killed Gedaliah, along with the Judeans and Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah.
26 AKJV And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees. BSB BSB: Then all the people small and great, together with the commanders of the army, arose and fled to Egypt for fear of the Chaldeans.
Jehoiachin Released from Prison (Jeremiah 52:31–34)
28 AKJV And he spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon; BSB BSB: And he spoke kindly to Jehoiachin and set his throne above the thrones of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.
29 AKJV And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life. BSB BSB: So Jehoiachin changed out of his prison clothes, and he dined regularly at the king’s table for the rest of his life.
30 AKJV And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life. BSB BSB: And the king provided Jehoiachin a daily portion for the rest of his life.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.