The Fall of Jerusalem
1 In the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia came with his whole army and attacked Jerusalem. 2 On the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year as king, the city walls were broken through.
( 3 When Jerusalem was captured, all the high officials of the king of Babylonia came and took their places at the Middle Gate, including Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Sarsechim, and another Nergal Sharezer. )
4 When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers saw what was happening, they tried to escape from the city during the night. They left by way of the royal garden, went through the gateway connecting the two walls, and escaped in the direction of the Jordan Valley. 5 But the Babylonian army pursued them and captured Zedekiah in the plains near Jericho. Then they took him to King Nebuchadnezzar, who was in the city of Riblah in the territory of Hamath, and there Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him. 6 At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed. 7 After that, he had Zedekiah's eyes put out and had him placed in chains to be taken to Babylonia. 8 Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned down the royal palace and the houses of the people and tore down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Finally Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners to Babylonia the people who were left in the city, together with those who had deserted to him. 10 He left in the land of Judah some of the poorest people, who owned no property, and he gave them vineyards and fields.
Jeremiah's Release
11 But King Nebuchadnezzar commanded Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, to give the following order: 12 “Go and find Jeremiah and take good care of him. Do not harm him, but do for him whatever he wants.” 13 So Nebuzaradan, together with the high officials Nebushazban and Nergal Sharezer and all the other officers of the king of Babylonia, 14 had me brought from the palace courtyard. They put me under the care of Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, who was to see that I got home safely. And so I stayed there among the people.
Hope for Ebedmelech
15 While I was still imprisoned in the palace courtyard, the Lord told me 16 to tell Ebedmelech the Ethiopian that the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, had said, “Just as I said I would, I am going to bring upon this city destruction and not prosperity. And when this happens, you will be there to see it. 17 But I, the Lord, will protect you, and you will not be handed over to the people you are afraid of. 18 I will keep you safe, and you will not be put to death. You will escape with your life because you have put your trust in me. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
1 Kad Jeruzāleme bija ieņemta, Jūdas ķēniņa Cedekijas devītā valdīšanas gada desmitajā mēnesī uzbruka Bābeles ķēniņš Nebukadnēcars ar visu savu karaspēku Jeruzālemei un to aplenca. 2 Cedekijas vienpadsmitā valdīšanas gada ceturtā mēneša devītajā dienā tie ielauzās pilsētā. 3 Tad visi Bābeles kara virsnieki iegāja pilsētā un apmetās pie vidējiem vārtiem: Nergals-Sarecers, galminieku virsnieks Samgars-Nebo Sarsekims, gudro virsnieks Nergals-Sarecers un visi pārējie Bābeles ķēniņa virsnieki. 4 Kad Jūdas ķēniņš Cedekija un visi viņa kareivji to redzēja, tie metās bēgt, atstāja pilsētu naktī pa ķēniņa dārza ceļu cauri vārtiem divu mūru starpā un izgāja klajumā. 5 Bet kaldeju karaspēks tiem dzinās pakaļ un panāca Cedekiju Jērikas klajumos. Tie viņu saņēma un veda pie Bābeles ķēniņa Nebukadnēcara uz Riblu Hamatas novadā. Un tas sprieda tiesu pār viņu. 6 Bābeles ķēniņš lika Cedekijas dēlus nokaut Riblā viņa acu priekšā, tāpat arī visus Jūdas dižciltīgos. 7 Cedekijam viņš lika izdurt acis, to saistīt ar vara saitēm un vest uz Bābeli. 8 Kaldeji nodedzināja ķēniņa pili un iedzīvotāju namus un noārdīja Jeruzālemes mūrus. 9 Bet vēl pilsētā palikušos un tos, kas bija pārbēguši pie viņiem, un visus, cik vēl bija pāri palikuši tautā, miesassardzes virsnieks Nebusaradans aizveda uz Bābeli. 10 Bet no vienkāršiem ļaudīm, kam nebija īpašuma, miesassardzes pavēlnieks Nebusaradans atstāja vienu daļu Jūdas zemē un ierādīja tiem tanī dienā vīnadārzus un tīrumus. 11 Par Jeremiju turpretī Bābeles ķēniņš Nebukadnēcars miesassardzes priekšniekam Nebusaradanam deva šādu pavēli: 12 "Ņem tu viņu un gādā par viņu! Nedari viņam nekā ļauna! Ievēro viņa vēlēšanās un, kā viņš tev sacīs, tā dari ar viņu!" 13 Tad augstākais miesassardzes priekšnieks Nebusaradans, galminieku priekšnieks Nebusasbans un zīmju tulku priekšnieks Nergals-Sarecers un visi pārējie Bābeles ķēniņa virsnieki sūtīja ļaudis pēc Jeremijas. 14 Tie izņēma Jeremiju no pils sardzes cietuma un nodeva to Gedaljam, Ahikāma dēlam, kas savukārt bija Šafana dēls. Tā Jeremija palika pie tautas. 15 Bet pār Jeremiju, kad tas vēl sēdēja pils sardzes cietumā, nāca Tā Kunga vārds: 16 "Ej un saki ķēniņa kalpam etiopietim Ebedmeleham: tā saka Tas Kungs, Israēla Dievs: Es izpildīšu Savus draudus pār šo pilsētu tai par ļaunu un ne par labu, nedz arī par svētību: tu pats to redzēsi tanī dienā. 17 Bet tevi Es izglābšu tanī dienā, tā saka Tas Kungs, un tu nekritīsi to vīru rokā, no kuriem tu bīsties. 18 Tiešām, Es ļaušu tev izbēgt, tu nekritīsi no zobena, bet iemantosi dzīvību, jo tu paļāvies uz Mani!" - tā saka Tas Kungs.
