The Fall of Jerusalem Recounted
בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְאַחַ֤ת שָׁנָה֙ צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ בְמָלְכ֔וֹ וְאַחַ֤ת עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ חֲמוּטַ֥ל בַּֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ מִלִּבְנָֽה׃
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוֹיָקִֽים׃
And Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done.
כִּ֣י׀ עַל־אַ֣ף יְהוָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֣ם וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה עַד־הִשְׁלִיכ֥וֹ אוֹתָ֖ם מֵעַ֣ל פָּנָ֑יו וַיִּמְרֹ֥ד צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ בְּמֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃
For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.
וַיְהִי֩ בַשָּׁנָ֨ה הַתְּשִׁעִ֜ית לְמָלְכ֗וֹ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי֮ בֶּעָשׂ֣וֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ֒ בָּ֠א נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֨ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֜ל ה֤וּא וְכָל־חֵילוֹ֙ עַל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ עָלֶ֑יהָ וַיִּבְנ֥וּ עָלֶ֛יהָ דָּיֵ֖ק סָבִֽיב׃
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it.
וַתָּבֹ֥א הָעִ֖יר בַּמָּצ֑וֹר עַ֚ד עַשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּֽהוּ׃
And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.
בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָֽרְבִיעִי֙ בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָרָעָ֖ב בָּעִ֑יר וְלֹא־הָיָ֥ה לֶ֖חֶם לְעַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃
By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food.
וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע הָעִ֗יר וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֡ה יִבְרְחוּ֩ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ מֵהָעִ֜יר לַ֗יְלָה דֶּ֜רֶךְ שַׁ֤עַר בֵּין־הַחֹמֹתַ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּ֥ים עַל־הָעִ֖יר סָבִ֑יב וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃
Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled the city by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah,
וַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּשִּׂ֥יגוּ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ בְּעַֽרְבֹ֣ת יְרֵח֑וֹ וְכָל־חֵיל֔וֹ נָפֹ֖צוּ מֵעָלָֽיו׃
but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army deserted him.
וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּעֲל֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ אֶל־מֶ֧לֶךְ בָּבֶ֛ל רִבְלָ֖תָה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ מִשְׁפָּטִֽים׃
The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on Zedekiah.
וַיִּשְׁחַ֧ט מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ לְעֵינָ֑יו וְגַ֛ם אֶת־כָּל־שָׂרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה שָׁחַ֥ט בְּרִבְלָֽתָה׃
There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the officials of Judah.
וְאֶת־עֵינֵ֥י צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ עִוֵּ֑ר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֣הוּ בַֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֗יִם וַיְבִאֵ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ בָּבֶ֔לָה וַיִּתְּנֵ֥הוּ בֵֽית הַפְּקֻדֹּ֖ת עַד־י֥וֹם מוֹתֽוֹ׃
Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon, where he kept him in custody until his dying day.
The Temple Destroyed
וּבַחֹ֤דֶשׁ הַֽחֲמִישִׁי֙ בֶּעָשׂ֣וֹר לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ הִ֗יא שְׁנַת֙ תְּשַֽׁע־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֑ל בָּ֗א נְבֽוּזַרְאֲדָן֙ רַב־טַבָּחִ֔ים עָמַ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.
וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף אֶת־בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־בָּתֵּ֧י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם וְאֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֥ית הַגָּד֖וֹל שָׂרַ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃
He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building.
וְאֶת־כָּל־חֹמ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם סָבִ֑יב נָֽתְצוּ֙ כָּל־חֵ֣יל כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֶת־רַב־טַבָּחִֽים׃
And the whole army of the Chaldeans under the captain of the guard broke down all the walls around Jerusalem.
וּמִדַּלּ֨וֹת הָעָ֜ם וְֽאֶת־יֶ֥תֶר הָעָ֣ם׀ הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים בָּעִ֗יר וְאֶת־הַנֹּֽפְלִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽפְלוּ֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֵ֖ת יֶ֣תֶר הָֽאָמ֑וֹן הֶגְלָ֕ה נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־טַבָּחִֽים׃
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the craftsmen.
וּמִדַּלּ֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ הִשְׁאִ֕יר נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֑ים לְכֹרְמִ֖ים וּלְיֹגְבִֽים׃
But Nebuzaradan captain of the guard left behind some of the poorest of the land to tend the vineyards and fields.
וְאֶת־עַמּוּדֵ֨י הַנְּחֹ֜שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְבֵית־יְהוָ֗ה וְֽאֶת־הַמְּכֹנ֞וֹת וְאֶת־יָ֧ם הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֖ה שִׁבְּר֣וּ כַשְׂדִּ֑ים וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ אֶת־כָּל־נְחֻשְׁתָּ֖ם בָּבֶֽלָה׃
Moreover, the Chaldeans broke up the bronze pillars and stands and the bronze Sea in the house of the LORD, and they carried all the bronze to Babylon.
וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּרוֹת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִ֨ים וְאֶת־הַֽמְזַמְּר֜וֹת וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקֹ֣ת וְאֶת־הַכַּפּ֗וֹת וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־כְּלֵ֧י הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר־יְשָׁרְת֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם לָקָֽחוּ׃
They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes, and all the articles of bronze used in the temple service.
וְאֶת־הַ֠סִּפִּים וְאֶת־הַמַּחְתּ֨וֹת וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָק֜וֹת וְאֶת־הַסִּיר֣וֹת וְאֶת־הַמְּנֹר֗וֹת וְאֶת־הַכַּפּוֹת֙ וְאֶת־הַמְּנַקִי֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר זָהָב֙ זָהָ֔ב וַאֲשֶׁר־כֶּ֖סֶף כָּ֑סֶף לָקַ֖ח רַב־טַבָּחִֽים׃
The captain of the guard also took away the basins, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and drink offering bowls—anything made of pure gold or fine silver.
הָעַמּוּדִ֣ים׀ שְׁנַ֗יִם הַיָּ֤ם אֶחָד֙ וְהַבָּקָ֞ר שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר נְחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ אֲשֶׁר־תַּ֣חַת הַמְּכֹנ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֛ה הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה לֹא־הָיָ֣ה מִשְׁקָ֔ל לִנְחֻשְׁתָּ֖ם כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
As for the two pillars, the Sea, the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the movable stands that King Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the weight of the bronze from all these articles was beyond measure.
וְהָעַמּוּדִ֗ים שְׁמֹנֶ֨ה עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה אַמָּה֙ קוֹמַת֙ הָעַמֻּ֣ד הָאֶחָ֔ד וְח֛וּט שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה אַמָּ֖ה יְסֻבֶּ֑נּוּ וְעָבְי֛וֹ אַרְבַּ֥ע אַצְבָּע֖וֹת נָבֽוּב׃
Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall and twelve cubits in circumference; each was hollow, four fingers thick.
וְכֹתֶ֨רֶת עָלָ֜יו נְחֹ֗שֶׁת וְקוֹמַ֨ת הַכֹּתֶ֥רֶת הָאַחַת֮ חָמֵ֣שׁ אַמּוֹת֒ וּשְׂבָכָ֨ה וְרִמּוֹנִ֧ים עַֽל־הַכּוֹתֶ֛רֶת סָבִ֖יב הַכֹּ֣ל נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְכָאֵ֛לֶּה לַֽעַמּ֥וּד הַשֵּׁנִ֖י וְרִמּוֹנִֽים׃
The bronze capital atop one pillar was five cubits high, with a network of bronze pomegranates all around. The second pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar.
וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ הָֽרִמֹּנִ֔ים תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֖ה ר֑וּחָה כָּל־הָרִמּוֹנִ֥ים מֵאָ֛ה עַל־הַשְּׂבָכָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃
Each capital had ninety-six pomegranates on the sides, and a total of a hundred pomegranates were above the surrounding network.
Captives Carried to Babylon
וַיִּקַּ֣ח רַב־טַבָּחִ֗ים אֶת־שְׂרָיָה֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָ֖ה כֹּהֵ֣ן הַמִּשְׁנֶ֑ה וְאֶת־שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת שֹׁמְרֵ֥י הַסַּֽף׃
The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers.
וּמִן־הָעִ֡יר לָקַח֩ סָרִ֨יס אֶחָ֜ד אֲֽשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה פָקִ֣יד׀ עַל־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וְשִׁבְעָ֨ה אֲנָשִׁ֜ים מֵרֹאֵ֤י פְנֵי־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצְא֣וּ בָעִ֔יר וְאֵ֗ת סֹפֵר֙ שַׂ֣ר הַצָּבָ֔א הַמַּצְבִּ֖א אֶת־עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים אִישׁ֙ מֵעַ֣ם הָאָ֔רֶץ הַֽנִּמְצְאִ֖ים בְּת֥וֹךְ הָעִֽיר׃
Of those still in the city, he took a court official who had been appointed over the men of war, as well as seven trusted royal advisers. He also took the scribe of the captain of the army, who had enlisted the people of the land, and sixty men who were found in the city.
וַיִּקַּ֣ח אוֹתָ֔ם נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֖ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֑ים וַיֹּ֧לֶךְ אוֹתָ֛ם אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל רִבְלָֽתָה׃
Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
וַיַּכֶּ֣ה אוֹתָם֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֧ל וַיְמִתֵ֛ם בְּרִבְלָ֖ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חֲמָ֑ת וַיִּ֥גֶל יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃
There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land.
זֶ֣ה הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶגְלָ֖ה נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֑ר בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁ֕בַע יְהוּדִ֕ים שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃
These are the people Nebuchadnezzar carried away: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;
בִּשְׁנַ֛ת שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה לִנְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֑ר מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם נֶ֕פֶשׁ שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵא֖וֹת שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃
in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem;
בִּשְׁנַ֨ת שָׁלֹ֣שׁ וְעֶשְׂרִים֮ לִנְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּר֒ הֶגְלָ֗ה נְבֽוּזַרְאֲדָן֙ רַב־טַבָּחִ֔ים יְהוּדִ֕ים נֶ֕פֶשׁ שְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אַרְבָּעִ֣ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑ה כָּל־נֶ֕פֶשׁ אַרְבַּ֥עַת אֲלָפִ֖ים וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃ פ
in Nebuchadnezzar’s twenty-third year, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away 745 Jews. So in all, 4,600 people were taken away.
Jehoiachin Released from Prison
וַיְהִי֩ בִשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וָשֶׁ֜בַע שָׁנָ֗ה לְגָלוּת֙ יְהוֹיָכִ֣ן מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֔ה בִּשְׁנֵ֤ים עָשָׂר֙ חֹ֔דֶשׁ בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ נָשָׂ֡א אֱוִ֣יל מְרֹדַךְ֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ בָּבֶ֜ל בִּשְׁנַ֣ת מַלְכֻת֗וֹ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ יְהוֹיָכִ֣ין מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיֹּצֵ֥א אוֹת֖וֹ מִבֵּ֥ית הַכְּלֽוּא׃
On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the first year of the reign of Evil-merodach king of Babylon, he pardoned Jehoiachin king of Judah and released him from prison.
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ טֹב֑וֹת וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־כִּסְא֔וֹ מִמַּ֗עַל לְכִסֵּ֧א הַמְּלָכִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בְּבָבֶֽל׃
And he spoke kindly to Jehoiachin and set his throne above the thrones of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.