52 Zedekiah
was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven
years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of
Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 And
he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that
Jehoiakim had done. 3 For
through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah,
till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against
the king of Babylon. 4 And
it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in
the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came,
he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built
forts against it round about. 5 So
the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 6 And
in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore
in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 7 Then
the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out
of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which
was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:)
and they went by the way of the plain. 8 But
the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah
in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then
they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah
in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him. 10 And
the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew
also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 11 Then
he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in
chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day
of his death. 12 Now
in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth
year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the
guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, 13 And
burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses
of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire: 14 And
all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard,
brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about. 15 Then
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the
poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the
city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and
the rest of the multitude. 16 But
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land
for vinedressers and for husbandmen. 17 Also
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, the Chaldeans brake,
and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.
18
The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and
the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took
they away. 19 And the basons, and the firepans, and
the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the
cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver,
took the captain of the guard away. 20 The two pillars, one sea, and twelve
brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the
house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 21 And concerning the pillars, the height
of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass
it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow. 22 And a chapiter of brass was upon it;
and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates
upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and
the pomegranates were like unto these. 23 And there were ninety and six pomegranates
on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round
about.
24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah
the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: 25 He took also out of the city an eunuch,
which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were
near the king's person, which were found in the city; and the principal
scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore
men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city. 26 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard
took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. 27 And the king of Babylon smote them,
and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried
away captive out of his own land. 28 This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar
carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three
and twenty: 29 In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar
he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons: 30 In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven
hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six
hundred. 31 And it came to pass in the seven and
thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth
month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king
of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin
king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison. 32 And spake kindly unto him, and set his
throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, 33 And changed his prison garments: and
he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life. 34 And for his diet, there was a continual
diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day
of his death, all the days of his life..