Jeremiah 39:1–7

The Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon

39In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to it.²In the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken into. ^z3All the officials of the king of Babylon entered and sat at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar, Nebusarsechim ^athe Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer the Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of Babylon’s king. ^b

⁴When he saw them, Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden ^cthrough the gate between the two walls. They left along the route to the Arabah. ^d5However, the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains ^eof Jericho, arrested him, and brought him to Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon’s king, at Riblah in the land of Hamath. The king passed sentence on him there. ^f

⁶At Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, and he also slaughtered all Judah’s nobles. ⁷Then he blinded Zedekiah and put him in bronze chains to take him to Babylon. ^gh