וַיְהִי֩ בִשְׁנַ֨ת הַתְּשִׁיעִ֜ית לְמׇלְכ֗וֹ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי֮ בֶּעָשׂ֣וֹר לַחֹ֒דֶשׁ֒ בָּ֠א נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֨ר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֜ל ה֧וּא וְכׇל־חֵיל֛וֹ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וַיִּ֣חַן עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּבְנ֥וּ עָלֶ֛יהָ דָּיֵ֖ק סָבִֽיב׃ And in the ninth year of hisaI.e., Zedekiah’s. reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar moved against Jerusalem with his whole army. He besieged it; and they built towers against it all around.
וַתָּבֹ֥א הָעִ֖יר בַּמָּצ֑וֹר עַ֚ד עַשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃ The city continued in a state of siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָֽרָעָ֖ב בָּעִ֑יר וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה לֶ֖חֶם לְעַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃ By the ninth day [of the fourth month]bCf. Jer. 52.6. the famine had become acute in the city; there was no food left for the common people.
וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע הָעִ֗יר וְכׇל־אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֤ה ׀ הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ דֶּ֜רֶךְ שַׁ֣עַר ׀ בֵּ֣ין הַחֹמֹתַ֗יִם אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּ֥ים עַל־הָעִ֖יר סָבִ֑יב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃ Then [the wall of] the city was breached. All the soldiers [left the city] by night through the gate between the double walls, which is near the king’s garden—the Chaldeans were all around the city; and [the king] set out for the Arabah.cHoping to escape across the Jordan.
וַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּשִּׂ֥גוּ אֹת֖וֹ בְּעַֽרְב֣וֹת יְרֵח֑וֹ וְכׇ֨ל־חֵיל֔וֹ נָפֹ֖צוּ מֵעָלָֽיו׃ But the Chaldean troops pursued the king, and they overtook him in the steppes of Jericho as his entire force left him and scattered.
וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל רִבְלָ֑תָה וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אִתּ֖וֹ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ They captured the king and brought him before the king of Babylon at Riblah; and they put him on trial.
וְאֶת־בְּנֵי֙ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ שָׁחֲט֖וּ לְעֵינָ֑יו וְאֶת־עֵינֵ֤י צִדְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ עִוֵּ֔ר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙ בַֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיְבִאֵ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽל׃ {ס} They slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes; then Zedekiah’s eyes were put out. He was chained in bronze fetters and he was brought to Babylon.
וּבַחֹ֤דֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִׁי֙ בְּשִׁבְעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ הִ֗יא שְׁנַת֙ תְּשַֽׁע־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּ֣ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֑ל בָּ֞א נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֧ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֛ים עֶ֥בֶד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ On the seventh day of the fifth month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.
וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף אֶת־בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֖ה וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־בָּתֵּ֧י יְרוּשָׁלַ֛͏ִם וְאֶת־כׇּל־בֵּ֥ית גָּד֖וֹל שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ He burned the House of the LORD, the king’s palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down dMeaning of Heb. uncertain.the house of every notable person.-d
וְאֶת־חוֹמֹ֥ת יְרֽוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם סָבִ֑יב נָֽתְצוּ֙ כׇּל־חֵ֣יל כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר רַב־טַבָּחִֽים׃ The entire Chaldean force that was with the chief of the guard tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side.
וְאֵת֩ יֶ֨תֶר הָעָ֜ם הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים בָּעִ֗יר וְאֶת־הַנֹּֽפְלִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽפְלוּ֙ עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֵ֖ת יֶ֣תֶר הֶהָמ֑וֹן הֶגְלָ֕ה נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־טַבָּחִֽים׃ The remnant of the people that was left in the city, the defectors who had gone over to the king of Babylon—and the remnant of the population—were taken into exile by Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards.
וּמִדַּלַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ הִשְׁאִ֖יר רַב־טַבָּחִ֑ים לְכֹרְמִ֖ים וּלְיֹגְבִֽים׃ But some of the poorest in the land were left by the chief of the guards, to be vinedressers and field hands.
וְאֶת־עַמּוּדֵ֨י הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֣ר בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֗ה וְֽאֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֞וֹת וְאֶת־יָ֧ם הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּבֵית־יְהֹוָ֖ה שִׁבְּר֣וּ כַשְׂדִּ֑ים וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ אֶת־נְחֻשְׁתָּ֖ם בָּבֶֽלָה׃ The Chaldeans broke up the bronze columns of the House of the LORD, the stands, and the bronze tank that was in the House of the LORD; and they carried the bronze away to Babylon.
וְאֶת־הַסִּירֹ֨ת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֜ים וְאֶת־הַֽמְזַמְּר֣וֹת וְאֶת־הַכַּפּ֗וֹת וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־כְּלֵ֧י הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־בָ֖ם לָקָֽחוּ׃ They also took all the pails, scrapers, snuffers, ladles, and all the other bronze vessels used in the service.
וְאֶת־הַמַּחְתּוֹת֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר זָהָב֙ זָהָ֔ב וַאֲשֶׁר־כֶּ֖סֶף כָּ֑סֶף לָקַ֖ח רַב־טַבָּחִֽים׃ The chief of the guards took whatever was of gold and whatever was of silver: firepans and sprinkling bowls.
הָעַמּוּדִ֣ים ׀ שְׁנַ֗יִם הַיָּ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ וְהַמְּכֹנ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה לֹא־הָיָ֣ה מִשְׁקָ֔ל לִנְחֹ֖שֶׁת כׇּל־הַכֵּלִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ The two columns, the one tank, and the stands that Solomon provided for the House of the LORD—all these objects contained bronze beyond weighing.
שְׁמֹנֶה֩ עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה אַמָּ֜ה קוֹמַ֣ת ׀ הָעַמּ֣וּד הָאֶחָ֗ד וְכֹתֶ֨רֶת עָלָ֥יו ׀ נְחֹ֘שֶׁת֮ וְקוֹמַ֣ת הַכֹּתֶ֘רֶת֮ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ (אמה) [אַמּוֹת֒] וּשְׂבָכָ֨ה וְרִמֹּנִ֧ים עַֽל־הַכֹּתֶ֛רֶת סָבִ֖יב הַכֹּ֣ל נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְכָאֵ֛לֶּה לַעַמּ֥וּד הַשֵּׁנִ֖י עַל־הַשְּׂבָכָֽה׃ The one column was eighteen cubits high. It had a bronze capital above it; the height of the capital was three cubits, and there was a meshwork [decorated] with pomegranates about the capital, all made of bronze. And the like was true of the other column with its meshwork.
וַיִּקַּ֣ח רַב־טַבָּחִ֗ים אֶת־שְׂרָיָה֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָ֖הוּ כֹּהֵ֣ן מִשְׁנֶ֑ה וְאֶת־שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת שֹׁמְרֵ֥י הַסַּֽף׃ The chief of the guards also took Seraiah, the chief priest, Zephaniah, the deputy priest, and the three guardians of the threshold.
וּמִן־הָעִ֡יר לָקַח֩ סָרִ֨יס אֶחָ֜ד אֲֽשֶׁר־ה֥וּא פָקִ֣יד ׀ עַל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וַחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה אֲנָשִׁ֜ים מֵרֹאֵ֤י פְנֵֽי־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצְא֣וּ בָעִ֔יר וְאֵ֗ת הַסֹּפֵר֙ שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֔א הַמַּצְבִּ֖א אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים אִישׁ֙ מֵעַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֖ים בָּעִֽיר׃ And from the city he took a eunuch who was in command of the soldiers; five royal privy councillors who were present in the city; the scribe of the army commander, who was in charge of mustering the people of the land; and sixty of the common people who were inside the city.
וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֹתָ֔ם נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֑ים וַיֹּ֧לֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם עַל־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל רִבְלָֽתָה׃ Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
וַיַּ֣ךְ אֹתָם֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֧ל וַיְמִיתֵ֛ם בְּרִבְלָ֖ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיִּ֥גֶל יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃ The king of Babylon had them struck down and put to death at Riblah, in the region of Hamath.
Thus Judah was exiled from its land.
וְהָעָ֗ם הַנִּשְׁאָר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִשְׁאִ֔יר נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֖ר מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל וַיַּפְקֵ֣ד עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֥ם בֶּן־שָׁפָֽן׃ King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon put Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan in charge of the people whom he left in the land of Judah.
וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ כׇל־שָׂרֵ֨י הַחֲיָלִ֜ים הֵ֣מָּה וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים כִּֽי־הִפְקִ֤יד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֔הוּ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ הַמִּצְפָּ֑ה וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֡ה וְיוֹחָנָ֣ן בֶּן־קָ֠רֵ֠חַ וּשְׂרָיָ֨ה בֶן־תַּנְחֻ֜מֶת הַנְּטֹפָתִ֗י וְיַאֲזַנְיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־הַמַּ֣עֲכָתִ֔י הֵ֖מָּה וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ When the officers of the troops and their men heard that the king of Babylon had put Gedaliah in charge, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah with Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maachite, together with their men.
וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע לָהֶ֤ם גְּדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם אַל־תִּֽירְא֖וּ מֵֽעַבְדֵ֣י הַכַּשְׂדִּ֑ים שְׁב֣וּ בָאָ֗רֶץ וְעִבְד֛וּ אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל וְיִטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם׃ {פ}
Gedaliah reassuredeLit. “took an oath to them.” them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid fJer. 40.9 reads “to serve the Chaldeans.”of the servants of the Chaldeans.-f Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בָּ֣א יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְ֠תַנְיָ֠ה בֶּן־אֱלִ֨ישָׁמָ֜ע מִזֶּ֣רַע הַמְּלוּכָ֗ה וַעֲשָׂרָ֤ה אֲנָשִׁים֙ אִתּ֔וֹ וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ וַיָּמֹ֑ת וְאֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים֙ וְאֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־הָי֥וּ אִתּ֖וֹ בַּמִּצְפָּֽה׃ In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, who was of royal descent, came with ten men, and they struck down Gedaliah and he died; [they also killed] the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were present with him at Mizpah.
וַיָּקֻ֨מוּ כׇל־הָעָ֜ם מִקָּטֹ֤ן וְעַד־גָּדוֹל֙ וְשָׂרֵ֣י הַחֲיָלִ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֥י יָֽרְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵ֥י כַשְׂדִּֽים׃ {ס} And all the people, young and old, and the officers of the troops set out and went to Egypt because they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
וַיְהִי֩ בִשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וָשֶׁ֜בַע שָׁנָ֗ה לְגָלוּת֙ יְהוֹיָכִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֔ה בִּשְׁנֵ֤ים עָשָׂר֙ חֹ֔דֶשׁ בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָ֖ה לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ נָשָׂ֡א אֱוִ֣יל מְרֹדַךְ֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֜ל בִּשְׁנַ֣ת מׇלְכ֗וֹ אֶת־רֹ֛אשׁ יְהוֹיָכִ֥ין מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֖ה מִבֵּ֥ית כֶּֽלֶא׃ In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, King Evil-merodach of Babylon, in the year he became king, gLit. “raised the head of.”took note of-g King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him from prison.
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ טֹב֑וֹת וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־כִּסְא֔וֹ מֵעַ֗ל כִּסֵּ֧א הַמְּלָכִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בְּבָבֶֽל׃ He spoke kindly to him, and gave him a throne above those of other kings who were with him in Babylon.
וְשִׁנָּ֕א אֵ֖ת בִּגְדֵ֣י כִלְא֑וֹ וְאָכַ֨ל לֶ֧חֶם תָּמִ֛יד לְפָנָ֖יו כׇּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו׃ His prison garments were removed, and [Jehoiachin] received regular rations by his favor for the rest of his life.
וַאֲרֻחָת֗וֹ אֲרֻחַ֨ת תָּמִ֧יד נִתְּנָה־לּ֛וֹ מֵאֵ֥ת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ דְּבַר־י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֑וֹ כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽו׃ A regular allotment of food was given him at the instance of the king—an allotment for each day—all the days of his life.