OET-RV YIR Chapter 39

39 In the tenth month of the ninth year of the reign of Yehudah’s (Judah’s) King Tsidkiyah (Zedekiah), the Babylonian King Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) came against Yerushalem (Jerusalem) with his large army and besieged it. 2 On the ninth day of the fourth month of Tsidkiyah’s eleventh year,[fn] the city was broken into. 3 Then all of the Babylonian king’s officials came and sat at the middle gate, including the top official Nevu-Sar-Sekim, and Samgar-Nevu and Sarsekim.

4 When Yehudah’s King Tsidkiyah and all his warriors saw what was happening, they left at nighttime through the gate between the two walls beside the king’s garden and fled towards the Yarden (Jordan) river plains. 5 However the Babylonian army chased after them and overtook the king down in the plains near Yeriho (Jericho). They took him back up to the Babylonian King Nevukadnetsar at Rivlah in the Hamat region, and he pronounced his judgement on him. 6 The king had Tsidkiyah’s sons slaughtered at Rivlah as their father was forced to watch, and Yehudah’s officials were also executed. 7 Then they gouged out Tsidkiyah’s eyes and put him in chains to be taken to Bavel (Babylon). 8 Then the Babylonians burnt down the palace and the other houses, and tore down Yerushalem’s walls. 9 The rest of the people who’d stayed in the city, including those who’d previously deserted, were exiled to Bavel under the supervision of the chief bodyguard Nevuzar-Adan. 10 However, he allowed the poorest people who didn’t own anything to remain in Yehudah—allocating vineyards and fields for them to work.

11 Now the Babylonian King Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) had given an order to his chief bodyguard Nevuzar-Adan about finding Yirmiyah (Jeremiah) 12 and keeping him safe and unharmed—even to care for him and do anything that he requested. 13 So Nevuzar-Adan, the top servant Nevu-Shazban, the high official Nergal-Shar-Etser, and all the Babylonian king’s most important officials 14 sent out men to fetch Yirmiyah from the guards’ courtyard. They handed him over to Gedalyah (son of Ahikam, son of Shafan) to take him home, so Yirmiyah stayed there among the people.

15 While Yirmiyah (Jeremiah) had still been held in the guards’ courtyard, Yahweh had given him this message: 16 Go and tell Eved-Melek the Kushi (Ethiopian) that Yisrael’s (Israel’s) god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says this: Listen, I’m about to fulfill my messages against this city for disaster and not for good, and they’ll all come true right in front of your eyes on that day. 17 But Yahweh declares that I’ll rescue you from those people that you’re afraid of 18 because I’ll definitely save your life. You won’t be killed by the soldiers, but Yahweh declares that because you put your trust in me, your life will be saved.