Jeremiah 39
Good News Translation
The Fall of Jerusalem
39 In the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia came with his whole army and attacked Jerusalem. 2 On the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year as king, the city walls were broken through.
(3 When Jerusalem was captured,[a] all the high officials of the king of Babylonia came and took their places at the Middle Gate, including Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Sarsechim, and another Nergal Sharezer.[b])
4 When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers saw what was happening, they tried to escape from the city during the night. They left by way of the royal garden, went through the gateway connecting the two walls, and escaped in the direction of the Jordan Valley. 5 But the Babylonian army pursued them and captured Zedekiah in the plains near Jericho. Then they took him to King Nebuchadnezzar, who was in the city of Riblah in the territory of Hamath, and there Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him. 6 At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed. 7 After that, he had Zedekiah's eyes put out and had him placed in chains to be taken to Babylonia. 8 Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned down the royal palace and the houses of the people and tore down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Finally Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners to Babylonia the people who were left in the city, together with those who had deserted to him. 10 He left in the land of Judah some of the poorest people, who owned no property, and he gave them vineyards and fields.
Jeremiah's Release
11 But King Nebuchadnezzar commanded Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, to give the following order: 12 “Go and find Jeremiah and take good care of him. Do not harm him, but do for him whatever he wants.” 13 So Nebuzaradan, together with the high officials Nebushazban and Nergal Sharezer and all the other officers of the king of Babylonia, 14 had me brought from the palace courtyard. They put me under the care of Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, who was to see that I got home safely. And so I stayed there among the people.
Hope for Ebedmelech
15 While I was still imprisoned in the palace courtyard, the Lord told me 16 to tell Ebedmelech the Ethiopian[c] that the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, had said, “Just as I said I would, I am going to bring upon this city destruction and not prosperity. And when this happens, you will be there to see it. 17 But I, the Lord, will protect you, and you will not be handed over to the people you are afraid of. 18 I will keep you safe, and you will not be put to death. You will escape with your life because you have put your trust in me. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 39:3 When Jerusalem was captured; these words are moved here from the end of chapter 38.
- Jeremiah 39:3 The names and titles of these men are unclear.
- Jeremiah 39:16 Hebrew Cushite: Cush is the ancient name of the extensive territory south of the First Cataract of the Nile River. This region was called Ethiopia in Graeco-Roman times, and included within its borders most of modern Sudan and some of present-day Ethiopia (Abyssinia).
Jeremiah 39
New King James Version
The Fall of Jerusalem(A)
39 In the (B)ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 In the (C)eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the [a]city was penetrated.
3 (D)Then all the princes of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, [b]Rabsaris, Nergal-Sarezer, [c]Rabmag, with the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.
4 (E)So it was, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city by night, by way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went out by way of the [d]plain. 5 But the Chaldean army pursued them and (F)overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to (G)Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him. 6 Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his (H)eyes in Riblah; the king of Babylon also killed all the (I)nobles of Judah. 7 Moreover (J)he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze [e]fetters to carry him off to Babylon. 8 (K)And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people with (L)fire, and broke down the (M)walls of Jerusalem. 9 (N)Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people who remained in the city and those who (O)defected to him, with the rest of the people who remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah the (P)poor people, who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields [f]at the same time.
Jeremiah Goes Free
11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, 12 “Take him and look after him, and do him no (Q)harm; but do to him just as he says to you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon’s chief officers; 14 then they sent someone (R)to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him (S)to Gedaliah the son of (T)Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people.
15 Meanwhile the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 16 “Go and speak to (U)Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, (V)I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. 17 But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18 For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but (W)your life shall be as a prize to you, (X)because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 39:2 city wall was breached
- Jeremiah 39:3 A title, probably Chief Officer; also v. 13
- Jeremiah 39:3 A title, probably Troop Commander; also v. 13
- Jeremiah 39:4 Or Arabah; the Jordan Valley
- Jeremiah 39:7 chains
- Jeremiah 39:10 Lit. on that day
Jeremiah 39
English Standard Version
The Fall of Jerusalem
39 (A)In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. 3 Then all (B)the officials of the king of Babylon came (C)and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer of Samgar, Nebu-sar-sekim (D)the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon. 4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward (E)the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in (F)the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at (G)Riblah, in the land of Hamath; (H)and he passed sentence on him. 6 The king of Babylon (I)slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at (J)Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon (K)slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7 (L)He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. 8 (M)The Chaldeans burned the king's house and the house of the people, (N)and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then (O)Nebuzaradan, the (P)captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, (Q)those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained. 10 Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, (R)left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
The Lord Delivers Jeremiah
11 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying, 12 (S)“Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” 13 So (T)Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, (U)and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon 14 sent and took Jeremiah from (V)the court of the guard. They entrusted him to (W)Gedaliah the son of (X)Ahikam, son of (Y)Shaphan, that he should take him home. So (Z)he lived among the people.
15 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah (AA)while he was shut up in the court of the guard: 16 “Go, and say to (AB)Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (AC)Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and (AD)not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. 17 But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men (AE)of whom you are afraid. 18 For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your (AF)life as a prize of war, (AG)because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.’”
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
