Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:15–21; Jeremiah 39:1–10)
1 DRA And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, the tenth day of the month, that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon came, he and all his army against Jerusalem: and they surrounded it: and raised works round about it. 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 DRA And the city was shut up and besieged till the eleventh year of king Sedecias, BSB BSB: And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.
3 DRA The ninth day of the month: and a 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 DRA And a breach was made into the city: and all the men of war fled in the night between the two walls by the king’s garden, (now the Chaldees besieged the city round about,) and Sedecias fled by the way that leadeth to the plains of the wilderness. 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 DRA And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all the warriors that were with him were scattered, and left 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 DRA So they took the king, and brought him to the king of Babylon to Reblatha, and he gave judgment upon 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 DRA And he slew the sons of Sedecias before his face, and he put out his eyes, and bound him with chains, and brought 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 DRA In the fifth month, the seventh day of the month, that is, the nineteenth year of the king of Babylon, came Nabuzardan commander of the army, a servant of the king of Babylon, into 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 DRA And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and the houses of Jerusalem, and every house he burnt 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 DRA And all the army of the Chaldees, which was with the commander of the troops, 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 DRA And Nabuzardan the commander of the army, carried away the rest of the people that remained in the city, and the fugitives that had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the remnant of the common people. 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 DRA But of the poor of the land he left some dressers of vines and husbandmen. BSB BSB: But the captain of the guard left behind some of the poorest of the land to tend the vineyards and fields.
13 DRA And the pillars of brass that were in the temple of the Lord, and the bases, and the sea of brass which was in the house of the Lord, the Chaldees broke in pieces, and carried all 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 DRA They took away also the pots of brass, and the mazers, and the forks, and the cups, and the mortars, and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered. BSB BSB: They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes, and all the articles of bronze used in the temple service.
15 DRA Moreover also the censers, and the bowls, such as were of gold in gold, and such as were of silver in silver, the general of the army 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 DRA That is, two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made in the temple 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 DRA One pillar was eighteen cubits high, and the chapiter of brass which was upon it was three cubits high: and the network, and the pomegranates that were upon the chapiter of the pillar, were all of brass: and the second pillar had the like adorning. 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 DRA And the general of the army took Seraias the chief priest, and Sophonias the second priest, and three doorkeepers. 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 DRA And out of the city one eunuch, who was captain over the men of war: and five men of them that had stood before the king, whom he found in the city, and Sopher the captain of the army who exercised the young soldiers of the people of the land: and threescore men of the common people, who 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 DRA These Nabuzardan the general of the army took away, and carried them to the king of Babylon to Reblatha. BSB BSB: Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
21 DRA And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Reblatha in the land of Emath: so Juda 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 DRA But over the people that remained in the land of Juda, which Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had left, he gave the government to Godolias the son of Ahicam the son of Saphan. 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 DRA And when all the captains of the soldiers had heard this, they and the men that were with them, to wit, that the king of Babylon had made Godolias governor, they came to Godolias to Maspha, Ismael the son of Nathanias, and Johanan the son of Caree, and Saraia the son of Thanehumeth the Netophathite, and Jezonias the son of Maachathi, 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 DRA And Godolias swore to them and to their men, saying: Be not afraid to serve the Chaldees: stay 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 DRA But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ismael the son of Nathanias, the son of Elisama of the seed royal came, and ten men with him: and smote Godolias so that he died: and also the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him in Maspha. 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 DRA And all the people both little and great, and the captains of the soldiers, rising up went to Egypt, fearing 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 DRA And he spoke kindly to him: and he 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 DRA And he changed his garments which he had in prison, and he ate bread always 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 DRA And he appointed him a continual allowance, which was also given him by the king day by 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.