The Captivity of Jerusalem

(Lamentations 1:1–22)

10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it. 12 Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials [all] surrendered to the king of Babylon.

So in the eighth year of his reign, the king of Babylon took him captive. 13 As the LORD had declared, [Nebuchadnezzar] also carried off all the treasures from the house of the LORD [and] the royal palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD. 14 He carried into exile all Jerusalem—all the commanders and mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen and metalsmiths—ten thousand captives [in all]. Only the poorest people of the land remained.

15 Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, as well as the king’s mother, [his] wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths—all strong and fit for battle.

17 Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, [Jehoiachin’s] uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.