1Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. He marched out against Jerusalem. His whole army went with him. It was in the ninth year of the rule of Zedekiah. It was on the tenth day of the tenth month. Nebuchadnezzar set up camp outside the city. He brought in war machines all around it. 2It was surrounded until the 11th year of King Zedekiah’s rule.
3By the ninth day of the fourth month, there wasn’t any food left in the city. So the people didn’t have anything to eat. 4Then the Babylonians broke through the city wall. Judah’s whole army ran away at night. They went out through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They escaped even though the Babylonians surrounded the city. Judah’s army ran toward the Arabah Valley. 5But the Babylonian army chased King Zedekiah. They caught up with him in the plains near Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him. They had scattered in every direction. 6The king was captured.
He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah. That’s where Nebuchadnezzar decided how he would be punished. 7Nebuchadnezzar’s men killed the sons of Zedekiah. They forced him to watch it with his own eyes. Then they poked out his eyes. They put him in bronze chains. And they took him to Babylon.
8Nebuzaradan was an official of the king of Babylon. In fact, he was commander of the royal guard. He came to Jerusalem. It was in the 19th year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. It was on the seventh day of the fifth month. 9Nebuzaradan set the Lord’s temple on fire. He also set fire to the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. He burned down every important building. 10The whole Babylonian army broke down the walls around Jerusalem. That’s what the commander told them to do. 11Some people still remained in the city. But Nebuzaradan the commander took them away as prisoners. He also took the rest of the people of the land. That included those who had joined the king of Babylon. 12But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land. He told them to work in the vineyards and fields.
13The Babylonian army destroyed the Lord’s temple. They broke the bronze pillars into pieces. They broke up the bronze stands that could be moved around. And they broke up the huge bronze bowl. Then they carried the bronze away to Babylon. 14They also took away the pots, shovels, wick cutters and dishes. They took away all the bronze objects used for any purpose in the temple. 15The commander of the royal guard took away the shallow cups for burning incense. He took away the sprinkling bowls. So he took away everything made out of pure gold or silver.
16The bronze was more than anyone could weigh. It included the bronze from the two pillars, the huge bowl and the stands. Solomon had made all those things for the Lord’s temple. 17Each pillar was 27 feet high. The bronze top of one pillar was four and a half feet high. It was decorated with a set of bronze chains and pomegranates all around it. The other pillar was just like it. It also had a set of chains.
18The commander of the guard took some prisoners. They included Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the priest who was next in rank. They also included the three men who guarded the temple doors. 19Some people were still left in the city. The commander took as a prisoner the officer who was in charge of the fighting men. He took the five men who gave advice to the king. He also took the secretary. He was the chief officer in charge of getting the people of the land to serve in the army. And he took 60 of those people serving in the army who were still in the city. 20Nebuzaradan the commander took all of them away. He brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21There the king had them put to death. Riblah was in the land of Hamath.
So the people of Judah were taken as prisoners. They were taken far away from their own land.
22Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had left some people behind in Judah. He appointed Gedaliah to govern them. Gedaliah was the son of Ahikam. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan. 23All of Judah’s army officers and their men heard about what had happened. They heard that the king had appointed Gedaliah as governor. So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, came. So did Johanan, the son of Kareah. Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth, also came. And so did Jaazaniah, the son of the Maakathite. All their men came too. Seraiah was from Netophah. 24Gedaliah promised to help them and their men. He spoke in a kind way to them. He said, “Don’t be afraid of the Babylonian officials. Make your homes in the land of Judah. Serve the king of Babylon. Then things will go well with you.”
25But in the seventh month Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, came with ten men. He killed Gedaliah. He also killed the people of Judah and the Babylonians who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah. Nethaniah was the son of Elishama. Ishmael was a member of the royal family. 26After he had killed Gedaliah, all the people ran away to Egypt. Everyone from the least important of them to the most important ran away. The army officers went with them. All of them went to Egypt because they were afraid of the Babylonians.
Jehoiachin Is Set Free
27Awel-Marduk set Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, free from prison. It was in the 37th year after Jehoiachin had been taken away to Babylon. It was also the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon. It was on the 27th day of the 12th month. 28Awel-Marduk spoke kindly to Jehoiachin. He gave him a place of honor. Other kings were with Jehoiachin in Babylon. But his place was more important than theirs. 29So Jehoiachin put his prison clothes away. For the rest of Jehoiachin’s life the king provided what he needed. 30The king did that for Jehoiachin day by day as long as he lived.
125:1 Jer 21:2; Ezek 21:22Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, mwaka-inĩ wa kenda wa ũthamaki wa Zedekia, mũthenya wa ikũmi, wa mweri wa ikũmi, Nebukadinezaru mũthamaki wa Babuloni agĩthiĩ kũhũũrana na Jerusalemu arĩ na ita rĩake rĩothe. Nake akĩamba hema nja ya itũũra rĩu inene, na agĩaka indo cia kũmũteithia gũtharĩkĩra itũũra mĩena yothe yarĩo. 2Narĩo itũũra rĩkĩrigiicĩrio nginya mwaka wa ikũmi na ũmwe wa Mũthamaki Zedekia. 325:3 Alaw 26:26; Maca 2:20Na rĩrĩ, mũthenya wa kenda wa mweri wa kana, ngʼaragu ĩkĩneneha itũũra-inĩ, o nginya gũkĩaga irio cia kũrĩĩo nĩ andũ. 425:4 Ayub 30:14; Ezek 33:21Hĩndĩ ĩyo rũthingo rwa itũũra rĩu inene rũkĩmomorwo, nayo mbũtũ yothe ya ita ĩkĩũra ũtukũ ĩgereire kĩhingo-inĩ kĩrĩa kĩarĩ gatagatĩ ga thingo cierĩ hakuhĩ na mũgũnda wa mũthamaki, o na gũtuĩka andũ a Babuloni nĩmarigiicĩirie itũũra rĩu inene. Nayo ĩkĩũra ĩrorete Araba, 525:5 Alaw 26:36; Ezek 12:14no mbũtũ ya ita ya Babuloni ĩgĩtengʼeria mũthamaki, ĩkĩmũkinyĩra werũ-inĩ ũrĩa mwaraganu wa Jeriko. Thigari ciake ciothe nĩciamũranĩtio nake na ikahurunjũka. 625:6 Isa 22:3; Ndar 34:11Nayo mbũtũ ya ita ĩkĩnyiita mũthamaki ũcio, na agĩtwarwo kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Babuloni kũu Ribila kũrĩa aatuĩrĩirwo ciira. 725:7 Gũcook 28:36; Ezek 40:1Makĩũraga ariũ a Zedekia o hau mbere yake, magĩcooka makĩmũkũũra maitho, makĩmuoha na bĩngũ cia gĩcango, na makĩmũtwara Babuloni.
8Mũthenya wa mũgwanja wa mweri wa ĩtano mwaka-inĩ wa ikũmi na kenda wa Nebukadinezaru mũthamaki wa Babuloni, Nebuzaradani mũnene wa arangĩri a mũthamaki, ndungata nene ya mũthamaki wa Babuloni, agĩũka Jerusalemu. 925:9 Thab 74:3-8; Amos 2:5Agĩcina hekarũ ya Jehova, na nyũmba ya ũthamaki, o na nyũmba ciothe cia Jerusalemu. Agĩcina nyũmba yothe yarĩ ya bata. 1025:10 Jer 50:15Nayo mbũtũ yothe ya ita ya Babuloni, ĩtongoretio nĩ mũnene wa arangĩri a mũthamaki ĩkĩmomora thingo iria ciathiũrũrũkĩirie Jerusalemu. 1125:11 Alaw 26:44; 2Ath 24:14Nebuzaradani mũnene wa arangĩri nĩathaamirie andũ arĩa othe maatigaire kũu itũũra-inĩ inene, hamwe na kĩrĩndĩ kĩu kĩngĩ, na arĩa othe maathiĩte kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Babuloni. 1225:12 2Ath 24:14No mũnene ũcio wa ita agĩtigia andũ amwe a arĩa athĩĩni mũno a bũrũri ũcio, nĩguo marutage wĩra mĩgũnda-inĩ ya mĩthabibũ na mĩgũnda-inĩ ĩrĩa ĩngĩ.
13Andũ a Babuloni nĩmoinangire itugĩ cia gĩcango, na metha cia kũigĩrĩra indo, na Karia ga gĩcango, iria ciarĩ hekarũ-inĩ ya Jehova, na magĩkuua icango icio magĩcitwara Babuloni. 1425:14 Ndar 7:14; Ezar 1:7Ningĩ magĩkuua nyũngũ, na icakũri, na magathĩ ma gũtinia ndaambĩ, na mbakũri, na indo ciothe cia icango iria ciahũthagĩrwo wĩra-inĩ wa hekarũ, magĩthiĩ nacio. 1525:15 2Ath 24:13; Jer 15:13Mũnene ũcio wa thigari cia mũthamaki nĩakuuire ngĩo cia mwaki na mbakũri cia kũminjaminjĩria, iria ciothe ciathondeketwo na thahabu therie kana betha.
16Nakĩo gĩcango kuuma itugĩ iria igĩrĩ, na gĩa Karia, na kĩa makaari marĩa Solomoni aakĩte marĩ ma hekarũ ya Jehova, gĩtingĩathimĩkire nĩ kũingĩha. 1725:17 1Ath 7:15-22Gĩtugĩ o kĩmwe kĩarĩ kĩa ũraihu wa buti mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ na mũgwanja.25:17 nĩ ta mita inyanya na robo (18:25) Nakĩo kĩongo gĩakĩo kĩrĩa kĩarĩ igũrũ rĩa gĩtugĩ kĩmwe gĩacio kĩarĩ kĩa buti inya na nuthu25:17 nĩ ta mita ĩmwe na nuthu (1:5) kũraiha na igũrũ, na kĩagemetio na gĩgathiũrũrũkĩrio na mũkwa na makomamanga ma gĩcango. Gĩtugĩ kĩu kĩngĩ na mũkwa wakĩo nĩkĩahaanaine na kĩu kĩngĩ.
1825:18 1Maũ 6:14; Jer 21:1Mũnene ũcio wa arangĩri nĩanyiitire Seraia mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai ũrĩa mũnene, na Zefania ũrĩa mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai wa keerĩ, na arangĩri arĩa atatũ maarangagĩra mĩrango. 19Harĩ arĩa angĩ maatigaire kũu itũũra-inĩ inene, akĩnyiita mũnene ũrĩa warũgamĩrĩire andũ a mbaara, na andũ atano arĩa mataaraga mũthamaki. Ningĩ agĩkuua mwandĩki-marũa ũrĩa mũnene na nowe warĩ mũrori mũnene wa wandĩkithia wa andũ a bũrũri ũcio, na andũ ake mĩrongo ĩtandatũ arĩa maakorirwo itũũra-inĩ rĩu inene. 20Nebuzaradani ũcio mũnene wa arangĩri akĩmakuua othe, akĩmatwara kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Babuloni kũu Ribila. 2125:21 Ndar 34:11Nake mũthamaki wa Babuloni akĩmooragithĩria kũu Ribila, bũrũri wa Hamathu.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ a Juda magĩtwarwo ithaamĩrio, kũraya na bũrũri wao.
2225:22 Jer 40:5, 7; 2Ath 22:12Nebukadinezaru mũthamaki wa Babuloni agĩthuura Gedalia mũrũ wa Ahikamu, mũrũ wa Shafani akĩmũtua mũrori wa andũ arĩa maatigirwo Juda. 23Rĩrĩa anene a mbũtũ cia ita othe na andũ ao maaiguire atĩ mũthamaki wa Babuloni nĩathuurĩte Gedalia atuĩke barũthi, magĩthiĩ kũrĩ Gedalia kũu Mizipa, nao nĩo, Ishumaeli mũrũ wa Nethania, na Johanani mũrũ wa Karea, na Seraia mũrũ wa Tanihumethu ũrĩa Mũnetofathi, na Jaazania mũrũ wa Mũmaakathi, na andũ ao. 24Gedalia akĩĩhĩta mwĩhĩtwa wa kũmoomĩrĩria hamwe na andũ ao, akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Tigai gwĩtigĩra anene a Babuloni. Ikarai bũrũri-inĩ na mũtungatagĩre mũthamaki wa Babuloni, na nĩmũgũikara wega.”
2525:25 2Ath 12:20; Zek 7:5No rĩrĩ, mweri-inĩ wa mũgwanja, Ishumaeli mũrũ wa Nethania, mũrũ wa Elishama ũrĩa warĩ wa thakame ya ũthamaki, agĩũka na andũ ikũmi, akĩũraga Gedalia o hamwe na andũ a Juda, na andũ a Babuloni arĩa maarĩ nake kũu Mizipa. 2625:26 Isa 30:2; Jer 43:7Nĩ ũndũ wa ũguo andũ othe kuuma ũrĩa mũnini mũno nginya ũrĩa mũnene mũno, hamwe na atongoria a mbũtũ cia ita, makĩũrĩra Misiri nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩtigĩra andũ a Babuloni.
Kuohorwo kwa Jehoiakini
2725:27 2Ath 24:12Mwaka-inĩ wa mĩrongo ĩtatũ na mũgwanja kuuma rĩrĩa Jehoiakini mũthamaki wa Juda aatwarirwo bũrũri ũngĩ, mwaka-inĩ o ũrĩa Evili-Merodaki aatuĩkire mũthamaki wa Babuloni, nĩ ohorithirie Jehoiakini kuuma njeera, mũthenya wa mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ na mũgwanja mweri-inĩ wa ikũmi na ĩĩrĩ. 2825:28 Ezar 5:5; Dan 2:48Akĩmwarĩria na ũhooreri na akĩmũhe gĩtĩ gĩa kũmũtĩĩithia gũkĩra athamaki acio angĩ maarĩ nao kũu Babuloni. 2925:29 2Sam 9:7Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jehoiakini akĩruta nguo ciake cia njeera, na agĩtũũra arĩĩagĩra metha-inĩ ya mũthamaki matukũ mothe marĩa aatũũrire muoyo. 3025:30 Kĩam 43:34; Esit 9:22Mũthamaki ũcio nĩaheaga Jehoiakini indo cia kũmũteithia cia o mũthenya, matukũ mothe marĩa aatũũrire muoyo.
