| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Zedekiah 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. | 1Zedekiah 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. |
| 2He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. | 2And Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. |
| 3It was because of the LORD's anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. | 3For 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. |
| 4So 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 whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it. | 4So 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. |
| 5The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. | 5And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. |
| 6By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. | 6By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. |
| 7Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled. They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king's garden, though the Babylonians were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah, | 7Then 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, |
| 8but the Babylonian army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, | 8but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was separated from him. |
| 9and he was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. | 9The 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. |
| 10There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. | 10There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the officials of Judah. |
| 11Then 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. | 11Then 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. |
| 12On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. | 12On 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. |
| 13He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. | 13He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building. |
| 14The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. | 14And the whole army of the Chaldeans under the captain of the guard broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. |
| 15Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon. | 15Then 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. |
| 16But Nebuzaradan left behind the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields. | 16But Nebuzaradan captain of the guard left behind some of the poorest of the land to tend the vineyards and fields. |
| 17The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the LORD and they carried all the bronze to Babylon. | 17Moreover, 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. |
| 18They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service. | 18They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes, and all the articles of bronze used in the temple service. |
| 19The commander of the imperial guard took away the basins, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, dishes and bowls used for drink offerings--all that were made of pure gold or silver. | 19The 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. |
| 20The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the LORD, was more than could be weighed. | 20As 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. |
| 21Each pillar was eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference; each was four fingers thick, and hollow. | 21Each pillar was eighteen cubits tall and twelve cubits in circumference; each was hollow, four fingers thick. |
| 22The bronze capital on top of one pillar was five cubits high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar. | 22The 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. |
| 23There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; the total number of pomegranates above the surrounding network was a hundred. | 23Each capital had ninety-six pomegranates on the sides, and a total of a hundred pomegranates were above the surrounding network. |
| 24The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers. | 24The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers. |
| 25Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land, sixty of whom were found in the city. | 25Of 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. |
| 26Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. | 26Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. |
| 27There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed. So Judah went into captivity, away from her land. | 27There 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. |
| 28This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; | 28These are the people Nebuchadnezzar carried away: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; |
| 29in Nebuchadnezzar's eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem; | 29in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem; |
| 30in his twenty-third year, 745 Jews taken into exile by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard. There were 4,600 people in all. | 30in Nebuchadnezzar’s twenty-third year, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away 745 Jews. So in all, 4,600 people were taken away. |
| 31In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah and freed him from prison. | 31On 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. |
| 32He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. | 32And he spoke kindly to Jehoiachin and set his throne above the thrones of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. |
| 33So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king's table. | 33So Jehoiachin changed out of his prison clothes, and he dined regularly at the king’s table for the rest of his life. |
| 34Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived, till the day of his death. | 34And the king of Babylon provided Jehoiachin a daily portion for the rest of his life, until the day of his death. |
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