⁷ After that, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah^(A) king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague,^(B) sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon^(C) and to their enemies^(D) who want to kill them.^(E) He will put them to the sword;^(F) he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’^(G)

¹⁷ Then King Zedekiah sent^(A) for him and had him brought to the palace, where he asked^(B) him privately,^(C) “Is there any word from the Lord?”

“Yes,” Jeremiah replied, “you will be delivered^(D) into the hands of the king of Babylon.”

⁵ but the Babylonian^[a] army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,^{(A) 6} and he was captured.^(B)

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah,^(C) where sentence was pronounced on him. ⁷ They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.^(D)

²⁰ I will spread my net^(A) for him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment^(B) on him there because he was unfaithful^(C) to me. ²¹ All his choice troops will fall by the sword,^(D) and the survivors^(E) will be scattered to the winds.^(F) Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken.^(G)

“‘Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes you.^(C)

⁸ but the Babylonian^[a] army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, ⁹ and he was captured.^(A)

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah^(B) in the land of Hamath,^(C) where he pronounced sentence on him. ¹⁰ There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons^(D) of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. ¹¹ Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.^(E)

¹⁴ I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord. I will allow no pity^(A) or mercy or compassion^(B) to keep me from destroying^(C) them.’”

¹⁸ The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah^(A) the chief priest, Zephaniah^(B) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.^{(C) 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,^(D) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.^(E)

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