Jeremiah

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

1In the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and surrounded it.

2And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.

2In Zedekiah's eleventh year, on the ninth day of the fourth month, the army broke through the city wall.

3And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.

3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down in the Middle Gate. They were Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and the rest of the king's officials.

NoteRabsaris and Rabmag are job titles for high officers in the Babylonian court, not personal names. The KJV lists them as if they were extra people.

4And it came to pass, that when 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 betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all his soldiers saw them, they ran. They slipped out of the city at night through the king's garden, by the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah valley.

5But the Chaldeans’ army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.

5But the Babylonian army chased them and caught Zedekiah on the flat land near Jericho. They brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, and there the king decided his punishment.

NoteThe KJV says "Chaldeans." The Chaldeans were the people who ruled Babylon, so this means the Babylonian army.

6Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.

6At Riblah the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah's sons while Zedekiah watched. He also killed all the leading men of Judah.

7Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.

7Then he blinded Zedekiah, put bronze chains on him, and took him away to Babylon.

8And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.

8The Babylonians burned down the king's palace and the people's houses, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

9Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried 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.

9Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard, carried off to Babylon the people still left in the city. He also took those who had gone over to his side, and everyone else who remained.

10But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

10But Nebuzaradan left some of the poorest people behind in Judah, the ones who owned nothing. At that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

11Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,

11Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard. He said:

12Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.

12"Take him, and take good care of him. Do not let anyone hurt him. Do for him whatever he asks."

13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon’s princes;

13So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon sent for Jeremiah.

14Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.

14They had Jeremiah brought out of the guards' courtyard where he was being held. They handed him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to take him home. So Jeremiah stayed among his own people.

15Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

15While Jeremiah was still shut up in the guards' courtyard, the LORD had already spoken to him. He said:

16Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.

16"Go and speak to Ebed-melech, the man from Cush. Tell him this is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I am about to do to this city exactly what I said. It will bring harm, not good, and you will watch it happen that day.

17But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.

17But I will keep you safe that day, says the LORD. You will not be handed over to the men you are afraid of.

18For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.

18I will surely rescue you. You will not be killed in the fighting. You will get away with your life, because you trusted me, says the LORD."

NoteThe KJV says "thy life shall be for a prey unto thee." A "prey" was something a soldier carried away from a battle. The picture is of a man who loses everything else but walks away alive.