Zedekiah

8King Zedekiah made an agreement with all the people in Jerusalem. They promised to set their slaves free. After that, the LORD gave Jeremiah this message.

This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;

NoteIn those days some people owned other people as slaves. A slave had to work and could not leave. An agreement like this was a very serious promise.

9Every man was to free his Hebrew slaves, both the men and the women. No one was to keep a fellow Jew as a slave.

That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.

NoteHebrew and Jew were both names for God's own people. They were not supposed to keep each other as slaves.

10All the leaders and all the people joined this agreement. They heard that everyone must free their slaves and keep them no longer. So they obeyed and let them go.

Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.

11But later they changed their minds. They took back the men and women they had set free. They made them slaves again.

But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.

12Then the LORD gave Jeremiah this message.

Therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

13This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says. I made an agreement with your fathers long ago. That was when I brought them out of Egypt. There they had been slaves.

Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying,

NoteLong ago God's people were slaves in Egypt. God brought them out and set them free.

14I told them this. Every seventh year, free any Hebrew who sold himself to you. He may work for you six years. Then you must let him go free. But your fathers would not listen to me at all.

At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.

NoteA poor man could sell himself to work off money he owed. God's rule said he worked six years only. In the seventh year he had to go free.

15A short while ago you changed and did what is right. Each of you set your neighbors free. You made this promise in front of me. You made it in the temple, the house that carries my name.

And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:

NoteThe temple was the special building in Jerusalem for worshiping God. A promise made there was the most serious kind.

16But then you changed again and made my name dirty. Each of you took back the servants you had freed. You had let them go wherever they wanted. Now you have forced them to be your slaves again.

But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.

NoteThey had used God's name when they made the promise. Breaking it made his name look small and cheap.

17So this is what the LORD says. You did not obey me. You did not set your brothers and neighbors free. So now I will set something free for you, says the LORD. I will set loose war, sickness, and hunger. Every kingdom on earth will be shocked when they see you.

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

NoteThe LORD turns their own words back on them. They would not set people free. So he sets trouble free instead. Hunger here means famine, when no food will grow.

18Some people broke my agreement. They did not keep the promise they made in front of me. They had cut a young cow in two and walked between the pieces. I will make them like that cow.

And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,

NoteThis was how people made a big promise back then. They cut an animal in two and walked between the halves. It meant, let this happen to me if I break my word.

19This means the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. It also means the king's officials, the priests, and all the people of the land. They all walked between the pieces of the cow.

The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf;

NoteThe king's officials were the men who worked in his palace. Priests were the men who led worship at the temple.

20I will hand them over to their enemies, who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds and the wild animals.

I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.

NoteBack then, not being buried was the saddest ending people knew. Families always wanted to bury someone they loved.

21I will also hand over Zedekiah, king of Judah, and his leaders. Their enemies want to kill them. I will hand them to the army of the king of Babylon. That army has marched away from you for now.

And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which are gone up from you.

NoteThe Babylonian army had marched away to fight Egypt's army. The people in the city hoped it would not come back.

22Listen, says the LORD. I will give the order and bring that army back to this city. They will fight it, take it, and burn it down. I will leave the towns of Judah empty, with no one living in them.

Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.

1Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. He made Zedekiah the king of Judah. Zedekiah was the son of Josiah. He became king instead of Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim.

And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.

NoteBabylon was a strong country far away from Judah. Its army had beaten Judah. So the king of Babylon got to choose who ruled Judah. Zedekiah was king, but he had to do what Babylon said.

2But Zedekiah did not obey what the LORD said. His helpers and the people did not obey either. The LORD had spoken these words through Jeremiah, a prophet who told people what God said.

But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.

NoteWhen you see LORD in big letters, it is God's own special name. The Bible writers used it for God alone.

3Still, King Zedekiah sent two men to Jeremiah. They were Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the priest, son of Maaseiah. They said, "Please pray to the LORD our God for us."

And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us.

NoteA priest was a man whose job was helping people worship God. He worked at the temple, God's special house in Jerusalem.

4At that time Jeremiah could still come and go among the people. No one had put him in prison yet.

Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.

5The army of Egypt had marched out of its land. The army of Babylon was camped all around Jerusalem. When they heard that Egypt was coming, they left the city.

Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.

NoteThe King James Version says "the Chaldeans." Chaldeans was another name for the people of Babylon. Egypt was a big country to the south. Its king was called Pharaoh.

6Then the LORD gave a message to Jeremiah the prophet.

Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

7The LORD, the God of Israel, said: Tell this to the king of Judah, who sent men to ask me. The army of Egypt came out to help you. But it will go back home to Egypt.

Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.

NoteGod is speaking here. He tells Jeremiah the words to say to the king.

8Then the army of Babylon will come back here. They will fight against this city. They will take it and burn it down.

And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.

NoteCities then had thick walls around them. An army would sit outside and wait. No food could get in, so the people grew very hungry. That is what "besieged" means.

9The LORD says: Do not fool yourselves. Do not say, "The army of Babylon is gone for good." They are not gone.

Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.

10Even if you beat their whole army, they would not stay down. Even if only hurt men were left lying in their tents, they would get up. They would still burn this city down.

For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

NoteThe King James Version says "smitten," which means beaten in a fight.

11The army of Babylon had left Jerusalem because they were afraid of Egypt's army.

And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,

12So Jeremiah started to leave Jerusalem. He was going to the land of Benjamin to get the piece of land that was his.

Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.

NoteFamilies in Israel each had their own piece of land. It was passed down from parents to children. Benjamin was the part of the country Jeremiah came from.

13He reached the city gate called the Gate of Benjamin. The captain of the guards was there. His name was Irijah, son of Shelemiah, son of Hananiah. He grabbed Jeremiah and said, "You are running away to join the army of Babylon!"

And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans.

NoteThe wall around a city had gates. Guards stood there and watched who went in and out. Irijah thought Jeremiah was leaving to help the enemy.

14Jeremiah said, "That is not true. I am not going to join them." But Irijah would not listen. He took Jeremiah to the king's leaders.

Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.

15The leaders were angry with Jeremiah. They beat him. Then they shut him up in the house of Jonathan the writer. That house had been made into a prison.

Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.

NoteA writer, or scribe, was a man whose job was writing things down. Most people back then could not read or write.

16Jeremiah was put down in a small room under the ground. He stayed there many days.

When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;

NoteThis was a dark room dug under the ground. It was used to lock people up.

17Then King Zedekiah sent for him and had him brought out. In his house, the king asked him quietly, "Is there any word from the LORD?" Jeremiah said, "There is. You will be handed over to the king of Babylon."

Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.

Note"Handed over" means put into someone else's power. Jeremiah is saying the king of Babylon will catch Zedekiah.

18Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, "What wrong have I done to you? What wrong have I done to your helpers or to these people? Why have you put me in prison?

Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

19Where are your prophets now? They told you the king of Babylon would never come against you or this land.

Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?

20Now please listen, my lord the king. Please say yes to what I ask. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the writer. If you do, I will die there."

Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

Note"My lord the king" was a polite way to talk to a king. It is like saying "sir" today.

21So King Zedekiah gave an order. Jeremiah was to be kept in the open yard by the guards. Each day he was to be given a loaf of bread from the bakers' street. This lasted until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the guards' yard.

Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

NoteIn that city, all the bread shops sat on one street together. It was called the bakers' street. The bread ran out because the enemy army stopped food from coming in. The open yard was a much better place to stay than the dark room under the ground.

1Four men heard what Jeremiah kept telling everyone. They were Shephatiah, Gedaliah, Jucal, and Pashur.

Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,

NoteJeremiah was a prophet. A prophet told people what God said. These four men were officials, important helpers of the king.

2Jeremiah said, "The LORD says this. Anyone who stays in this city will die. War, hunger, or sickness will kill them. But anyone who goes out and gives up to the army of Babylon will live. He will get to keep his own life, and he will live."

Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.

NoteThe LORD in big letters is God's own special name. To "give up" here means to walk out to the enemy. Then the soldiers would let you live instead of killing you.

3"The LORD says this too. This city will surely be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon. That army will take it."

Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.

NoteBabylon was a strong country far away. Its army had come to attack this city, Jerusalem.

4So the officials said to the king, "Please have this man killed. His words make our soldiers lose heart. They make all the people lose heart too. This man does not want good for these people. He wants harm."

Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.

NoteThe officials were important men who helped the king rule the country.

5King Zedekiah said, "He is yours. Do what you want. I cannot stop you."

Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.

NoteZedekiah was the king in Jerusalem. He was afraid of his own officials. So he let them do what they wanted with Jeremiah.

6So they took Jeremiah and put him in the pit that belonged to Malchiah, the king's son. The pit was in the prison yard. They let Jeremiah down with ropes. There was no water in the pit, only thick mud. Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.

NoteThe pit was a cistern. People dug deep holes like this to hold rainwater. This one had no water left, only deep mud. The prison yard was an open yard where guards watched people.

7Ebed-melech was from Cush, and he worked in the king's palace. He heard that Jeremiah had been put in the pit. Just then the king was sitting at the Benjamin Gate.

Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;

NoteCush was a land far to the south, in Africa. Ebed-melech worked for the king in his palace. Kings often sat in a city gate to listen to people. That is where Zedekiah was.

8Ebed-melech left the palace and went to speak to the king. He said,

Ebedmelech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king, saying,

9"My lord the king, these men have done a very wrong thing. They put Jeremiah the prophet in the pit. He will starve to death down there. There is no more bread left in the city."

My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.

NoteThe enemy army was camped all around the city. No food could get in. That is why the bread was running out. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says.

10So the king told Ebed-melech, "Take thirty men with you. Pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the pit before he dies."

Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.

11Ebed-melech took the men and went into the palace, to a room under the storeroom. He got some old rags and worn-out clothes from there. He let them down to Jeremiah in the pit with ropes.

So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

12Ebed-melech called to Jeremiah, "Put these old rags and worn clothes under your arms. They will pad the ropes." Jeremiah did what he said.

And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.

13Then they pulled Jeremiah up with the ropes and lifted him out of the pit. Jeremiah stayed in the prison yard after that.

So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

14Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet. He met him at the third door of the LORD's house. The king said, "I want to ask you something. Do not hide anything from me."

Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.

NoteThe LORD's house was the temple. It was the big building where people came to worship God.

15Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I tell you, you will kill me. And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me."

Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?

16So King Zedekiah made a secret promise to Jeremiah. He said, "As surely as the LORD lives, who gave us our lives, I will not kill you. And I will not hand you over to the men who want you dead."

So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

Note"As surely as the LORD lives" was a way to make a very strong promise. It meant, I really mean this.

17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the LORD says. He is the God of armies, the God of Israel. If you go out and give up to the officers of the king of Babylon, you will live. This city will not be burned. You and your family will stay alive.

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

Note"God of armies" is a name for God. It means he is stronger than any army.

18But if you will not go out and give up to them, this city will be handed over to the army of Babylon. They will burn it down. And you will not get away from them."

But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

19King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Jews who already went over to the other side. The Babylonians might hand me to them, and they will treat me badly."

And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

NoteSome people from the city had already left. They walked out and joined the Babylonian side. Zedekiah was afraid of what they would do to him.

20Jeremiah said, "They will not hand you over. Please do what the LORD says. I am telling you his words. Then things will go well for you, and you will live.

But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.

21But if you refuse to go out and give up, here is what the LORD has shown me.

But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:

22All the women left in the palace of the king of Judah will be led out. They will be brought to the officers of the king of Babylon. Those women will say to you, 'Your trusted friends tricked you and beat you. Your feet sank in the mud, and your friends walked away.'

And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.

NoteThese women lived in the king's palace. The words they say are a teasing song. It says the king trusted the wrong friends.

23All your wives and children will be led out to the army of Babylon. You will not get away from them. The king of Babylon will catch you. And you will cause this city to be burned down."

So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.

24Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Do not let anyone know about this talk, or you will die.

Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.

25The officials may hear that I spoke with you. They may come and say, 'Tell us what you said to the king. Tell us what he said to you. Do not hide it, or we will kill you.'

But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee:

26If they do, tell them this. Say, 'I was begging the king not to send me back to Jonathan's house to die there.'"

Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.

NoteJonathan's house had been used as a prison. Jeremiah had been locked up there before. It was a hard place to stay.

27Then all the officials came and questioned Jeremiah. He told them just what the king had told him to say. So they stopped asking him questions. No one had heard the real talk.

Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.

28So Jeremiah stayed in the prison yard until the day Jerusalem was taken. He was still there when the city fell.

So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.

NoteA city was "taken" when the enemy finally broke in. The army got past the walls and captured it.

1Zedekiah was the king of Judah. In his ninth year as king, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar came. He was the king of Babylon, and he brought his whole army to Jerusalem. They circled the city so no one could go in or out.

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.

NoteJudah was the land where God's people lived. Babylon was a big, strong country far away. Its army came and stood all around Jerusalem. This is called a siege. No food could get in, so the people inside grew very hungry.

2It was now Zedekiah's eleventh year as king. On the ninth day of the fourth month, the army broke through the city wall.

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

NotePeople counted years by how long their king had ruled. So this was ten to eleven years after Zedekiah became king. The siege lasted about a year and a half.

3Then all the important men who served the king of Babylon came into the city. They sat down in the Middle Gate. They were Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer, Rabmag, and the other leaders from Babylon.

And 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.

NoteA city gate was not just a door. It was a wide building with rooms and benches inside. Leaders sat there to make big decisions. Sitting in the gate showed everyone who was in charge now. Some words in this list are job titles, not names. Rabsaris and Rabmag mean something like chief officer.

4King Zedekiah and his soldiers saw them and ran away. They left the city at night through the king's garden. They went out the gate between the two walls. Then Zedekiah took the road toward the flat open land.

And 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.

NoteThe gate between the two walls was a small, hidden way out. Zedekiah hoped no one would see him leave. The flat open land was the low valley near the Jordan River.

5But the army of Babylon chased them. They caught Zedekiah on the flat land near the town of Jericho. They brought him to King Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, in the land of Hamath. There the king decided what would happen to him.

But 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.

NoteThe King James calls this army "the Chaldeans." That was another word for the people of Babylon. Jericho was a very old town near the Jordan River. Riblah was a town far to the north, where Babylon's king was waiting.

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

Then 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.

NoteA king's sons would grow up to be kings after him. Killing them meant Zedekiah's family could never rule again.

7Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes so he could not see. He tied Zedekiah with chains to take him away to Babylon.

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

NoteArmies did this cruel thing to a king they had beaten. A blind king could never lead soldiers again.

8Babylon's soldiers set fire to the king's palace and to the people's houses. They also knocked down the walls of Jerusalem.

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

NoteThick walls kept a city safe from enemies. Once they were knocked down, Jerusalem could not fight back.

9Nebuzaradan was the leader of the king's guards. He took the people who were still left in the city away to Babylon. He also took the ones who had given up and joined his side.

Then 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.

NoteTaking people away to live in another country is called exile. They had to leave their homes and never come back. Some people in the city had already given up during the fight. They walked out and joined Babylon's side.

10But Nebuzaradan let some of the poor people stay in the land of Judah. These were people who owned nothing. He gave them grape fields and farm fields to keep.

But 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.

NoteGrape fields and farm fields were how people fed their families. These poor people had never owned any land before.

59This is the message Jeremiah the prophet, a man who told people what God said, gave to Seraiah. Seraiah was the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah. He went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon. It was the fourth year Zedekiah was king. Seraiah was the officer in charge of supplies.

The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince.

NoteA prophet is someone who told people what God said. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. Seraiah's job was taking care of the king's food and supplies on the trip.

60So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the trouble that would come on Babylon. All these words were written about her.

So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.

NoteA book then was a scroll, a long sheet rolled up. People wrote on it with ink and a reed pen.

61Jeremiah said to Seraiah, "When you get to Babylon, make sure you read all these words out loud."

And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words;

62"Then say, 'LORD, you have said you will wipe out this place. No one will be left, no person and no animal. It will lie empty forever.'"

Then shalt thou say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.

63"When you finish reading the book, tie a stone to it. Throw it into the middle of the Euphrates River."

And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates:

NoteThe Euphrates is the big river that ran right through the city of Babylon.

64"Then say, 'Babylon will sink like this and never rise again. That is because of the trouble I will bring on her. Her people will grow tired.'" Here the words of Jeremiah end.

And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

NoteThis sentence tells us Jeremiah's own words are finished. The next chapter was added by someone else to tell what happened.

1Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah from the town of Libnah.

Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

NoteJudah was the land where God's people lived. Jerusalem was its biggest city. This Jeremiah from Libnah is a different man from Jeremiah the prophet.

2Zedekiah did what the LORD said was wrong. He acted just like King Jehoiakim had done before him.

And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

NoteThe LORD, written in big letters, is God's own special name.

3The LORD was angry with Jerusalem and Judah. In the end he sent the people away from him. Zedekiah also turned against the king of Babylon and would not obey him.

For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

NoteBabylon was a huge, strong country far to the east. Its king had made Zedekiah promise to obey him. Zedekiah broke that promise.

4It was Zedekiah's ninth year as king, on the tenth day of the tenth month. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came with his whole army. They camped around Jerusalem and piled up dirt walls to attack it.

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

NoteAn army camped all around a city so nobody could go in or out. They piled dirt into ramps to climb over the walls. This is called a siege. The months here were counted starting in spring, not in January.

5The army stayed around the city until Zedekiah's eleventh year as king.

So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

NoteThe soldiers stayed outside the city for about a year and a half. No food and no help could get in.

6By the ninth day of the fourth month, the people were starving. There was no food left in the city.

And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

7Then the enemy broke a hole through the city wall. All the soldiers of Judah ran away at night. They went out the gate between the two walls, near the king's garden. The Chaldeans, the soldiers from Babylon, were all around the city. The men of Judah ran toward the flat land called the Arabah.

Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain.

NoteThe Chaldeans were the people of Babylon. The Arabah is dry, flat land down near the Jordan River.

8But the army from Babylon chased the king. They caught Zedekiah on the flat land near Jericho. All his soldiers had scattered and left him alone.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.

NoteJericho was a very old city near the Jordan River, east of Jerusalem.

9They took the king to the king of Babylon at Riblah, in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon decided what would happen to him.

Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him.

NoteRiblah was a town far to the north. The king of Babylon stayed there with his army.

10At Riblah the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah's sons while Zedekiah watched. He killed all the leaders of Judah too.

And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.

11Then he blinded Zedekiah's eyes. He tied him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. Zedekiah stayed locked up there until the day he died.

Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.

NoteLong ago, kings sometimes blinded enemies who fought back. A blind man could not lead an army again.