¹¹ Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: ¹² “Take him and look after him; don’t harm^(A) him but do for him whatever he asks.” ¹³ So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers^(B) of the king of Babylon ¹⁴ sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard.^(C) They turned him over to Gedaliah^(D) son of Ahikam,^(E) the son of Shaphan,^(F) to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.^(G)

¹⁵ While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: ¹⁶ “Go and tell Ebed-Melek^(H) the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words^(I) against this city—words concerning disaster,^(J) not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. ¹⁷ But I will rescue^(K) you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. ¹⁸ I will save^(L) you; you will not fall by the sword^(M) but will escape with your life,^(N) because you trust^(O) in me, declares the Lord.’”

Jeremiah Freed

40 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah.^(A) He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives^(B) from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. ² When the commander^(C) of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God decreed^(D) this disaster^(E) for this place.^{(F) 3} And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned^(G) against the Lord and did not obey^(H) him. ⁴ But today I am freeing^(I) you from the chains^(J) on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”^{(K) 5} However, before Jeremiah turned to go,^[a] Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah^(L) son of Ahikam,^(M) the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed^(N) over the towns^(O) of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.”^(P)

Then the commander gave him provisions and a present^(Q) and let him go. ⁶ So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah^(R) and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

⁸ On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ⁹ He set fire^(A) to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down.^{(B) 10} The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls^(C) around Jerusalem. ¹¹ Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile^(D) the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.^{(E) 12} But the commander left behind some of the poorest people^(F) of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

¹³ The Babylonians broke^(G) up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried the bronze to Babylon. ¹⁴ They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes^(H) and all the bronze articles^(I) used in the temple service. ¹⁵ The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—all that were made of pure gold or silver.^(J)

¹⁶ The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed. ¹⁷ Each pillar^(K) was eighteen cubits^[a] high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was three cubits^[b] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar.

¹⁸ The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah^(L) the chief priest, Zephaniah^(M) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.^{(N) 19} Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and five royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land and sixty of the conscripts who were found in the city. ²⁰ Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²¹ There at Riblah,^(O) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.^(P)

So Judah went into captivity,^(Q) away from her land.^(R)

¹² On the tenth day of the fifth^(A) month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan^(B) commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ¹³ He set fire^(C) to the temple^(D) of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses^(E) of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. ¹⁴ The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls^(F) around Jerusalem. ¹⁵ Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile^(G) some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen^[a] and those who had deserted^(H) to the king of Babylon. ¹⁶ But Nebuzaradan left behind^(I) the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

¹⁷ The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars,^(J) the movable stands^(K) and the bronze Sea^(L) that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried all the bronze to Babylon.^{(M) 18} They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls,^(N) dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service.^{(O) 19} The commander of the imperial guard took away the basins, censers,^(P) sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands,^(Q) dishes^(R) and bowls used for drink offerings^(S)—all that were made of pure gold or silver.^(T)

²⁰ The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls^(U) under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed.^{(V) 21} Each pillar was eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference^[b]; each was four fingers thick, and hollow.^{(W) 22} The bronze capital^(X) on top of one pillar was five cubits^[c] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates^(Y) of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar. ²³ There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; the total number of pomegranates^(Z) above the surrounding network was a hundred.^(AA)

²⁴ The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah^(AB) the chief priest, Zephaniah^(AC) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.^{(AD) 25} Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal advisers. He also took the secretary^(AE) who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land, sixty of whom were found in the city. ²⁶ Nebuzaradan^(AF) the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²⁷ There at Riblah,^(AG) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.

So Judah went into captivity, away^(AH) from her land.

The Fall of Jerusalem^(A)(B)

¹⁵ The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers^(C) again and again,^(D) because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. ¹⁶ But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed^(E) at his prophets until the wrath^(F) of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.^{(G) 17} He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians,^[a](H) who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men^(I) or young women, the elderly or the infirm.^(J) God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.^{(K) 18} He carried to Babylon all the articles^(L) from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. ¹⁹ They set fire^(M) to God’s temple^(N) and broke down the wall^(O) of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed^(P) everything of value there.^(Q)

²⁰ He carried into exile^(R) to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants^(S) to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. ²¹ The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;^(T) all the time of its desolation it rested,^(U) until the seventy years^(V) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.