The People of Judah Are Taken to Babylonia^(A)

¹⁸ In addition, Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners Seraiah the High Priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank, and the three other important Temple officials. ¹⁹ From the city he took the officer who had been in command of the troops, five of the king's personal advisers who were still in the city, the commander's assistant, who was in charge of military records, and sixty other important men. ²⁰ Nebuzaradan took them to the king of Babylonia, who was in the city of Riblah ²¹ in the territory of Hamath. There the king had them beaten and put to death.

So the people of Judah were carried away from their land into exile.

Jehoiachin Is Released from Prison^(A)

²⁷ In the year that Evilmerodach became king of Babylonia, he showed kindness to King Jehoiachin of Judah by releasing him from prison. This happened on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year after Jehoiachin had been taken away as prisoner. ²⁸ Evilmerodach treated him kindly and gave him a position of greater honor than he gave the other kings who were exiles with him in Babylonia. ²⁹ So Jehoiachin was permitted to change from his prison clothes and to dine at the king's table for the rest of his life. ³⁰ Each day, for as long as he lived, he was given a regular allowance for his needs.