Jeremiah

39 And when Jerusalem was taken (in the year nine of King Sidkijah of Judah, in the tenth month, King Nebucadressar of Babylon and all his forces came to Jerusalem and besieged it; 2 in the year eleven of Sidkijah, in the fourth month, on the ninth of the month, the city was breached) 3* all the generals of the king of Babylon came and seated themselves in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sareser, Samgar-nebo, Chief Eunuch Sarsekim, Chief Magus Nergal-sareser, and all the rest of the generals of the king of Babylon. 4 And when King Sidkijah of Judah and all the fighting men saw them, they took flight and went out of the city by night by the road to the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls, and went out toward the Rift Valley. 5 But the Chaldean forces pursued them and overtook Sidkijah on the flats at Jericho, and took him and brought him up to King Nebucadnessar of Babylon at Riblah in the Hamath country, and he held a court and tried him. 6 And the king of Babylon cut the throats of Sidkijah’s sons before his eyes; and the king of Babylon cut the throats of all the nobles of Judah. 7 And he put out Sidkijah’s eyes and put him in fetters to bring him to Babylon.

8 And the Chaldeans burned down the royal palace and the houses of the people, and pulled down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 And the rest of the people, those who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to him and the rest of the people that were left, Chief Guardsman Nebuzaradan deported to Babylon; 10* but the poorest of the people, those who had nothing, Chief Guardsman Nebuzaradan left in the city of Jerusalem and gave them vineyards and farms on that day.

11 And King Nebucadressar of Babylon gave orders regarding Jeremiah through Chief Guardsman Nebuzaradan, 12 “Take him and have an eye to him and do not do anything bad to him, but do with him just as he tells you.” 13* And Chief Guardsman Nebuzaradan and Chief Eunuch Nebushazban and Chief Magus Nergal-sareser and all the king of Babylon’s chiefs sent 14* and fetched Jeremiah from the court of the guard and gave him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan to take him out home. And he lived among the people.

15 And Jehovah’s word came to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guard 16* “Go and say to ʽEbed-Melec the Negro ‘Says Israel’s God Jehovah of Armies, Here I am bringing upon this city the things I have said, for bad and not for good; 17 but I will deliver you on that day, quoth Jehovah, and you shall not be given into the hands of the men before whom you quail; 18 for I will positively bring you off safe and you shall not fall by the sword but shall have your life for booty, because you put your trust in me, quoth Jehovah.’”