1 AND it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.
2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.
3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.
4 And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain.
5 And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.
6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.
7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.
8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:
9 And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire.
10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.
11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carry away.
12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.
13 And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon.
14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
15 And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.
16 The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord; the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work.
18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
19 And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king’s presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city:
20 And Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah:
21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.
22 And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler.
23 And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.
24 And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.
25 But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.
26 And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.
27 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;
28 And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon;
29 And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.

30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life

1And it came to passe in the ninth yeere of his reigne, in the tenth moneth, in the tenth day of the moneth, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, hee, and all his hoste, against Ierusalem, and pitched against it, and they built fortes against it, round about.

2And the citie was besieged vnto the eleuenth yeere of king Zedekiah.

3And on the ninth day of the fourth moneth, the famine preuailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

4 And the citie was broken vp, and all the men of warre fled by night, by the way of the gate, betweene two walles, which is by the kings garden, (now the Caldees were against the citie round about) and the King went the way toward the plaine.

5And the army of the Caldees pursued after the King, and ouertooke him in the plaines of Iericho: and all his armie were scattered from him.

6So they tooke the King, and brought him vp to the King of Babylon, to Riblah, and they gaue iudgement vpon him.

7And they slew the sonnes of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brasse, and carried him to Babylon.

8 And in the fifth moneth, on the seuenth day of the moneth (which is the nineteenth yeere of King Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon) came Nebuzaradan captaine of the guard, a seruant of the king of Babylon, vnto Ierusalem:

9And hee burnt the house of the Lord, and the kings house, and all the houses of Ierusalem, and euery great mans house burnt he with fire.

10And all the army of the Caldees that were with the captaine of the guard, brake downe the walles of Ierusalem round about.

11Now the rest of the people that were left in the citie, and the fugitiues that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captaine of the guard cary away.

12But the captaine of the guard left of the poore of the land, to be Uine-dressers, and husbandmen.

13And the pillars of brasse that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Caldees breake in pieces, and caried the brasse of them to Babylon.

14And the pots, and the shouels, and the snuffers, and the spoones, and all the vessels of brasse wherewith they ministred, tooke they away.

15And the fire-pans, and the bowles, & such things as were of golde, in golde, and of siluer, in siluer, the captaine of the guard tooke away.

16The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, the brasse of al these vessels was without weight.

17The height of the one pillar was eighteene cubits, and the chapiter vpon it was brasse: and the height of the chapiter three cubites; and the wreathen worke, and pomegranates vpon the chapiter round about, all of brasse: and like vnto these had the second pillar with wreathen worke.

18 And the captaine of the guard, tooke Seraiah the chiefe Priest, and Zephaniah the second Priest, and the three keepers of the doore.

19And out of the citie hee tooke an Officer, that was set ouer the men of warre, and fiue men of them that were in the kings presence, which were found in the citie, and the principall Scribe of the hoste, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the citie.

20And Nebuzaradan captaine of the guard tooke these, and brought them to the king of Babylon, to Riblah.

21And the King of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath: so Iudah was caried away out of their land.

22 And as for the people that remained in the land of Iudah, whom Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon had left, euen ouer them he made Gedaliah the sonne of Ahikam, the sonne of Shaphan, ruler.

23And when all the captaines of the armies, they, and their men, heard that the King of Babylon had made Gedaliah gouernour, there came to Gedaliah to Mispah, euen Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, and Iohanan the sonne of Careah, and Seraiah the sonne of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Iaazaniah the sonne of a Maachathite, they, and their men.

24And Gedaliah sware to them and to their men, and said vnto them, Feare not to be the seruants of the Caldees: dwell in the land, and serue the King of Babylon; and it shall bee well with you.

25But it came to passe in the seuenth moneth, that Ishmael the sonne of Nethaniah, the sonne of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Iewes, and the Caldees that were with him at Mizpah.

26And all the people both small and great, and the captaines of the armies arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Caldees.

27 And it came to passe in the seuen and thirtieth yeere of the captiuitie of Iehoiachin king of Iudah, in the twelfth moneth, on the seuen and twentieth day of the moneth, that Euilmerodach king of Babylon, in the yeere that he began to reigne, did lift vp the head of Iehoiachin king of Iudah out of prison.

28And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne aboue the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,

29And changed his prison garments: and he did eate bread continually before him all the dayes of his life.

30And his allowance was a continuall allowance giuen him of the king, a dayly rate for euery day, all the dayes of his life.

I == 2nd Chr 36:17 ; Jer 34:2 ; 39:1 ; 52:4-5 ; Ezek 24:1

 

 

 

 

III == Jer 39:2 ; 52:6

 

IV == Jer 39:2 , 4-7 ; 52:7 ; Ezek 12:12

 

 

 

 

 

VI == 2nd Kings 23:33 ; Jer 52:9

 

VII == Jer 39:7 ; Ezek 12:13

 

 

VIII == 2nd Kings 24:12 ; 25:27 ; Jer 39:9 ; 52:12-14

 

 

IX == 2nd Chr 36:19 ; Ps 79:1 ; Jer 39:8 ; Amos 2:5

X == Neh 1:3 ; Jer 52:14

 

XI == Jer 39:9 ; 52:15

 

 

XII == 2nd Kings 24:14 ; Jer 39:10 ; 40:7 ; 52:16

XIII == 1st Kings 7:15 , 23 , 27 ; 2nd Kings 20:17 ; Jer 27:19 , 22 ; 52:17-23

 

XIV == Ex 27:3 ; 1st Kings 7:45 , 50

 

 

 

XVI == 1st Kings 7:47

 

XVII == 1st Kings 7:15 ; Jer 52:21

 

 

 

 

XVIII == 1st Chr 6:14 ; Ezra 7:1 ; Jer 21:1 ; 29:25 ; 52:24

XIX == Jer 52:25

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXI == Lev 26:33 ; Deut 28:36 , 64 ; 2nd Kings 23:27

 

XXII == Jer 40:5

 

 

XXIII == Jer 40:7-9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXV == Jer 41:1-2

 

 

 

XXVI == Jer 43:4 , 7

 

XXVII == Gen 40:13 , 20 ; Jer 52:31

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIX == 2nd Sam 9:7

 

1 In the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and his whole army advanced against Jerusalem, encamped around it, and built siege walls on every side.

2 The siege of the city continued until the eleventh year of Zedekiah.

3 On the ninth day of the fourth month, when famine had gripped the city, and the people had no more bread,

4 the city walls were breached. Then the king and all the soldiers left the city by night through the gate between the two walls which was near the king's garden. Since the Chaldeans had the city surrounded, they went in the direction of the Arabah.

5 But the Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook him in the desert near Jericho, abandoned by his whole army.

6 The king was therefore arrested and brought to Riblah to the king of Babylon, who pronounced sentence on him.

7 He had Zedekiah's sons slain before his eyes. Then he blinded Zedekiah, bound him with fetters, and had him brought to Babylon.

8 On the seventh day of the fifth month (this was in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan, captain of the bodyguard, came to Jerusalem as the representative of the king of Babylon.

9 He burned the house of the LORD, the palace of the king, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every large building was destroyed by fire.

10 Then the Chaldean troops who were with the captain of the guard tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem.

11 Then Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, led into exile the last of the people remaining in the city, and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the last of the artisans.

12 But some of the country's poor, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, left behind as vinedressers and farmers.

13 The bronze pillars that belonged to the house of the LORD, and the wheeled carts and the bronze sea in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke into pieces; they carried away the bronze to Babylon.

14 They took also the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the bowls, the pans and all the bronze vessels used for service.

15 The fire-holders and the bowls which were of gold or silver the captain of the guard also carried off.

16 The weight in bronze of the two pillars, the bronze sea, and the wheeled carts, all of them furnishings which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, was never calculated.

17 Each of the pillars was eighteen cubits high; a bronze capital five cubits high surmounted each pillar, and a network with pomegranates encircled the capital, all of bronze; and so for the other pillar, as regards the network.

18 The captain of the guard also took Seraiah the high priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the entry.

19 And from the city he took one courtier, a commander of soldiers, five men in the personal service of the king who were still in the city, the scribe of the army commander, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty of the common people still remaining in the city.

20 The captain of the guard, Nebuzaradan, arrested these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah;

21 the king had them struck down and put to death in Riblah, in the land of Hamath. Thus was Judah exiled from her land.

22 As for the people whom he had allowed to remain in the land of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, appointed as their governor Gedaliah, son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan.

23 Hearing that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, all the army commanders with their men came to him at Mizpah: Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, Johanan, son of Kareah, Seraiah, son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah, from Beth-maacah.

24 Gedaliah gave the commanders and their men his oath. "Do not be afraid of the Chaldean officials," he said to them. "Remain in the country and serve the king of Babylon, and all will be well with you."

25 But in the seventh month Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of royal descent, came with ten men, attacked Gedaliah and killed him, along with the Jews and Chaldeans who were in Mizpah with him.

26 Then all the people, great and small, left with the army commanders and went to Egypt for fear of the Chaldeans.

27 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, Evilmerodach, king of Babylon, in the inaugural year of his own reign, raised up Jehoiachin, king of Judah, from prison.

28 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a throne higher than that of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.

29 Jehoiachin took off his prison garb and ate at the king's table as long as he lived.

30 The allowance granted him by the king was a perpetual allowance, in fixed daily amounts, for as long as he lived.

v 1-3. Comparing with Jer. 37, 38, we see that Zedekiah made alliance with Egypt and the siege was lifted briefly while Nebuchadnezzar dealt with them, then resumed siege. The entire time was about a year and a half,  from the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of Zedekiah to the ninth day of the fourth month of his eleventh year, with severe famine at the last. Possibly had water due to Hezekiah’s tunnel.

v  4-7. The Babylonians broke through the wall one night and Zedekiah fled with the remaining soldiers through a gate between two walls in an attempt to get to the Jordan. He was caught near Jericho, soldiers were scattered and he was taken to Nebuchadnezzar’s headquarters at Riblah, by the Orontes River 65 miles north of Damascus, from where he was also fighting Tyre and other cities. There sentence was given and they killed Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes for mental torture. They put out his eyes so he could never hope to rebel again, killed all others who might seek to gain power, and took him in bronze fetters to Babylon. 

 

v 8-12. About a month later, Aug. 14, 586 BC, so Nebuchadnezzar would never have to deal with rebellion and a long siege again, he sent commander Nebuzaradan with men to burn the temple and all other important houses in Jerusalem. Then they destroyed the wall so Jerusalem could not be defended. All the people in the city and all who had come out willingly were taken to Babylon, leaving only poor farmers to keep the land from becoming barren.

v 13-17. The magnificent bronze pillars, the bronze sea (basin), the bases and all utensils of bronze were broken up and taken to Babylon. Solomon had made all these in such size and quantity that the weight was not known. All of value or harm taken.

v 18-21. Seraiah, chief priest and ancestor of Ezra, Ezra 7:1, along with all other priests and important men who remained in the city were taken to field headquarters in Riblah. These were the last who could stir up rebellion, so they were killed there. It was from Ramah that more were slain and Jeremiah was permitted to return, Jer. 40.

v 22-24. Gedaliah’s father had protected Jeremiah, Jer. 26:24, his grandfather was Shaphan, Josiah’s scribe, 2 Ki. 22:8. Gedaliah followed Jeremiah’s advice to cooperate with the Babylonians and Jeremiah may have recommended him, so he was trusted and made governor and set up at Mizpah, about eight miles north of Jerusalem. All the captains and soldiers who had escaped rallied around Gedaliah. He tried to persuade them to dwell in the land and cooperate with Babylon and all would be well. For many details on Gedaliah and Jeremiah, see Jer. 39-41.

v 25,26. Ishmael was of royal descent and wanted to rule, so he came with ten  men and assassinated Gedaliah and his men. Gedaliah had been warned, but didn’t believe the report. Now all the people feared retaliation by Babylon, so they fled to Egypt. Jeremiah warned them not to, but they even took him along. See interesting details in Jer. 40-43.

v 27-30. We hear no more of Zedekiah, but Jer. 34:5 indicates he did receive an honorable burial. After Jehoiachin had been in prison 37 years, the new Babylonian king, Evil-merodach, looked favorably upon him and released him from prison. He was treated better than all other kings there, given princely clothing, and in addition to being housed in the palace, he was given a daily allowance for the rest of his life. It seems likely, that like Manasseh, he may have repented and received God’s favor. The king may also have had respect to the long dynasty of David and even influenced by the prophet Daniel. This was the 36th year of the 70 year captivity, and the Lord may have used this to give the Jews hope of return. 
2 Chronicles 36:22,23. This is the first year of Cyrus over Babylon, but he had been a king for 20 years. It seemed profitable to him to repatriate captives to their lands and make his outlying areas friendly. Of course this was the work of the Spirit of the Lord on his heart. Then he was somehow introduced to Isa. 44:28, where he was named 150 years earlier as the one who would have Jerusalem and the temple rebuilt. The Spirit caused him to take this amazing prediction to heart, and he arranged for Jews to return if they chose. He had his own false gods, but he had to recognize the God of heaven. This is followed up in the book of Ezra.