¶ In the ninth¹ year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth² month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.

And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth³ month, the ninth day of the month, the city was⁴ broken up.

And all the⁵ princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer⁶, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim⁷, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.

And it came to pass, that when⁸ Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt⁹ the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

But the Chaldeans¹⁰' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains¹¹ of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah¹² in the land of Hamath¹³, where he gave judgment upon him¹⁴.

Then the king of Babylon slew the¹⁵ sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before¹⁶ his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all¹⁷ the nobles of Judah.

Moreover he put¹⁸ out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains¹⁹, to carry him to Babylon.

And the Chaldeans burned²⁰ the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake²¹ down the walls of Jerusalem.

Then Nebuzaradan²² the captain of the guard²³ carried²⁴ away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.

¶ But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of²⁵ the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time²⁶.

¶ Now²⁷ Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave²⁸ charge concerning Jeremiah to²⁹ Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,

Take him, and look well to him,³⁰ and do him³¹ no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.

So Nebuzaradan³² the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's princes;

Even they sent, and took³³ Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed³⁴ him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam³⁵ the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while³⁶ he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

Go and speak to Ebedmelech³⁷ the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold,³⁸ I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee³⁹.

But I will⁴⁰ deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom⁴¹ thou art afraid.

For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but⁴² thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because⁴³ thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.