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 a Yer 34:1-7 b Ez 24:2Awo Zeddekiya nga yakafugira emyaka mwenda, Nebukadduneeza kabaka w’e Babulooni n’eggye lye lyonna ne balumba Yerusaalemi ku lunaku olw’ekkumi mu mwezi ogw’ekkumi; ne basiisira ebweru waakyo, ne bakizimbako ebigo okukyetooloola. 2Awo ekibuga ne kizingizibwa okumala emyaka ebiri nga Zeddekiya y’akyali kabaka. 325:3 Yer 14:18; Kgb 4:9Ku lunaku olw’omwenda mu mwezi ogwokuna enjala n’eba nnyingi nnyo mu kibuga, abantu ab’omu nsi ne babulwako n’emmere ey’okulya. 425:4 a Ez 33:21 b Yer 4:17Awo kabaka n’eggye lye lyonna abaali mu kibuga ne bawagula mu bbugwe ekituli, ekiro, ne badduka nga bayita mu mulyango ogwaliraananga ennimiro ya kabaka ne bayita ne ku Bakaludaaya abaali bazingizza ekibuga enjuuyi zonna. 525:5 Ez 12:14Naye eggye ly’Abakaludaaya ne bagoberera kabaka, okutuusa lwe bamukwatira mu nsenyi ez’e Yeriko n’eggye lye lyonna ne lisaasaana okumwabulira. 625:6 a Yer 34:21-22 b 2Bk 23:33Ne bawamba kabaka, ne bamuleeta eri kabaka w’e Babulooni e Libula gye yasalirwa omusango. 725:7 Yer 21:7; 32:4-5; Ez 12:11Ne battira batabani ba Zeddekiya mu maaso ge, ne bamuggyamu amaaso, ne bamuteeka mu masamba, n’atwalibwa e Babulooni.
Yerusaalemi ne Yeekaalu bisaanyizibwawo
8Awo ku lunaku olw’omusanvu mu mwezi ogwokutaano mu mwaka ogw’ekkumi n’omwenda ogw’obwakabaka bwa Nebukadduneeza, kabaka w’e Babulooni, Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi ow’eggye lya kabaka ery’oku ntikko, ate nga mwami wa kabaka w’e Babulooni n’ajja mu Yerusaalemi. 925:9 a Is 60:7 b Zab 74:3-8; Yer 2:15; Am 2:5; Mi 3:12N’ayokya yeekaalu ya Mukama, n’olubiri lwa kabaka, n’ennyumba zonna na buli kizimbe ekikulu era nga kya muwendo mu Yerusaalemi. 1025:10 Nek 1:3Awo eggye lyonna ery’Abakaludaaya nga bakulemberwa omuduumizi ow’eggye ery’oku ntikko, ne bamenya bbugwe wa Yerusaalemi. 1125:11 a 2Bk 24:14 b 2Bk 24:1Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi ow’eggye ery’oku ntikko n’atwala abantu bonna abaali basigaddewo mu kibuga, mu buwaŋŋanguse nga basibe, n’abaali baasenga kabaka w’e Babulooni, n’abalala bonna abaali mu kibuga. 1225:12 2Bk 24:14Wabula yalekamu abaali basemberayo ddala obwavu mu nsi eyo, okulabiriranga emizabbibu n’okulimanga.
13Abakaludaaya ne bamenyaamenya empagi ez’ebikomo n’ebyuma ebyawaniriranga ennyanja ey’ekikomo, n’ennyanja ey’ekikomo, ebyali mu yeekaalu ya Mukama, n’ebikomo byamu ne babitwala e Babulooni. 1425:14 Kuv 27:3; 1Bk 7:47-50Era baatwala n’entamu, n’ebisena, n’ebisalako ebisirinza, n’ebijiiko n’ebintu byonna eby’ekikomo ebyakozesebwanga mu yeekaalu. 15Omuduumizi ow’eggye ery’oku ntikko n’atwala n’ebyoterezo wamu n’ebibya ebyali ebya zaabu n’ebyali ebya ffeeza.
16Ekikomo ekyava mu mpagi ebbiri, ne mu nnyanja, ne mu byuma ebyawaniriranga ennyanja ey’ekikomo, Sulemaani bye yakolera yeekaalu ya Mukama, obuzito bwakyo nga tebumanyiddwa. 1725:17 1Bk 7:15-22Buli mpagi obugulumivu yali mita munaana ne desimoolo emu ne ku mutwe gwayo nga kuliko ekikomo ng’obugulumivu bwakyo mita emu ne desimoolo ssatu, nga kitoneddwatoneddwa n’ebifaananyi n’amakomamawanga ag’ekikomo okukyetooloola. N’empagi eyookubiri yali ekoleddwa mu ngeri y’emu.
1825:18 a 1By 6:14; Ezr 7:1; Nek 11:11 b Yer 21:1; 29:25Omuduumizi ow’eggye ery’oku ntikko n’atwala nga basibe: Seraya kabona Asinga obukulu, n’omumyuka we Zeffaniya, n’abaggazi abasatu. 19Era yatwala n’omukungu eyaduumiranga abasajja abalwanyi, n’abakungu abalala bataano abatuulanga ku lukiiko lwa kabaka; era n’atwala n’omuwandiisi omukulu eyavunaanyizibwanga okuyingizanga abantu mu magye mu nsi ya Yuda, n’abasajja abannansi nkaaga abaasangibwa mu kibuga. 20Abo bonna Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi ow’eggye ery’oku ntikko n’abatwalira kabaka w’e Babulooni e Libula. 2125:21 Lub 12:7; Ma 28:64; Yos 23:13; 2Bk 23:27Kabaka w’e Babulooni n’abattira eyo e Libula, mu nsi y’e Kamasi.
Bw’atyo Yuda n’atwalibwa mu buwaŋŋanguse nga musibe, okuva mu nsi ye.
2225:22 Yer 39:14; 40:5, 7Awo Nebukadduneeza kabaka w’e Babulooni n’alonda Gedaliya mutabani wa Akikamu, muzzukulu wa Safani okuba omukulembeze w’abo abaali basigaddewo mu Yuda. 23Awo abakungu ab’eggye n’abasajja abalala bwe baawulira nga kabaka w’e Babulooni alonze Gedaliya okuba omukulembeze, ne bagenda eri Gedaliya e Mizupa. Abasajja abakungu abo baali Isimayiri mutabani wa Nesaniya, ne Yokanaani mutabani wa Kaleya, ne Seraya mutabani wa Tanukumesi Omunetofa, ne Yaazaniya mutabani w’Omumaakasi. 24Gedaliya n’abalayirira bo n’abasajja baabwe n’abagamba nti, “Temutya bakungu Bakaludaaya, naye mutereere mu nsi muweereze kabaka w’e Babulooni kale ebintu byonna binaabagendera bulungi.”
25Naye mu mwezi ogw’omusanvu, Isimayiri mutabani wa Nesaniya, muzzukulu wa Erisaama ow’olulyo olulangira n’ajja n’abasajja kkumi, n’alumba Gedaliya era n’amutta, awamu n’Abayudaaya; n’Abakaludaaya abaali awamu naye e Mizupa nabo n’abatta. 2625:26 Is 30:2; Yer 43:7Awo abantu bonna okuviira ddala ku wawansi okutuukira ddala ku w’eddaala erya waggulu, n’abamaggye abakulu bonna, ne baddukira e Misiri, nga batidde Abakaludaaya.
Yekoyakini Ateebwa
27Awo Yekoyakini kabaka wa Yuda nga yakamala emyaka amakumi asatu mu musanvu mu buwaŋŋanguse mu busibe, nga Evirumerodaki kyajje afuuke kabaka w’e Babulooni, Evirumerodaki n’ata Yekoyakini kabaka wa Yuda okuva mu kkomera ku lunaku olw’amakumi abiri mu omusanvu mu mwezi ogw’ekkumi n’ebiri. 2825:28 Ezr 5:5; Nek 2:1N’ayogera naye ebigambo ebyekisa, n’amuwa n’ekitiibwa ekya waggulu okusinga ne bakabaka abalala abaali awamu naye mu buwaŋŋanguse mu busibe e Babulooni. 2925:29 2Sa 9:7Awo Yekoyakini n’aggyamu ebyambalo bye eby’ekkomera n’aliiranga wamu ne kabaka w’e Babulooni ku mmeeza ya kabaka ennaku zonna ez’obulamu bwe. 3025:30 Es 2:9; Yer 28:4Kabaka n’awanga Yekoyakini omugabo ogwa buli lunaku ennaku zonna ez’obulamu bwe.
