1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. 2And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. 3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. 4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah.39:4 Or the Jordan Valley
5But the Babylonian39:5 Or Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. 6There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.
8The Babylonians39:8 Or Chaldeans set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people. 10But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.
11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: 12“Take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks.” 13So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers of the king of Babylon 14sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.
15While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him: 16“Go and tell Ebed-Melek the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city—words concerning disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. 17But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. 18I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.’ ”
Anguko La Yerusalemu
139:1 2Fal 25:1; Eze 4:3; Yer 52:4-7; 25:29; 2Nya 36:11; Yer 28:14; Eze 24:2Hivi ndivyo Yerusalemu ilivyotwaliwa: Katika mwaka wa tisa wa utawala wa Mfalme Sedekia wa Yuda, katika mwezi wa kumi, Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli akiwa na jeshi lake lote alifanya vita dhidi ya Yerusalemu na akauzunguka mji. 239:2 Zek 8:19; 2Fal 14:13; Eze 33:21Katika siku ya tisa ya mwezi wa nne wa mwaka wa kumi na moja wa utawala wa Sedekia, ukuta wa mji ulibomolewa. 339:3 Yer 21:4Kisha maafisa wote wa mfalme wa Babeli wakaja na kuketi kwenye Lango la Kati, nao ni: Nergal-Shareza wa Samgari, Nebo-Sarsekimu afisa mkuu, Nergal-Shareza afisa mwenye cheo cha juu, na maafisa wengine wote wa mfalme wa Babeli. 439:4 Eze 12:12; Isa 22:11Mfalme Sedekia wa Yuda na askari wote walipowaona, wakakimbia na kuondoka mjini usiku kwa njia ya bustani ya mfalme, kupitia lango lililokuwa kati ya kuta mbili, wakaelekea Araba.39:4 Au: kuelekea Bonde la Yordani.
539:5 Yer 24:8; Hes 34:11; 2Fal 23:33; Yos 5:10; Yer 34:18; 32:4Lakini jeshi la Wakaldayo likawafuatia na kumpata Sedekia katika sehemu tambarare za Yeriko. Wakamkamata na kumpeleka kwa Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli huko Ribla, katika nchi ya Hamathi, mahali ambapo alimtangazia hukumu. 6Huko Ribla, mfalme wa Babeli aliwachinja wana wa Sedekia mbele ya macho yake, na pia akawaua wakuu wote wa Yuda. 739:7 Hes 16:14; Eze 12:13; Yer 2:35Kisha akayangʼoa macho ya Sedekia na kumfunga kwa pingu za shaba na kumpeleka Babeli.
839:8 Yer 34:22; 38:18; Za 80:12; Mao 2:8; Isa 22:5Jeshi la Wakaldayo likachoma moto jumba la kifalme na nyumba za watu, na kuzibomoa kuta za Yerusalemu. 939:9 Yer 40:1; Mao 1:5; Yer 52:15; 21:9Nebuzaradani kiongozi wa walinzi wa mfalme akawachukua na kuwapeleka uhamishoni Babeli watu waliokuwa wamebaki ndani ya mji, pamoja na wale waliokuwa wamejisalimisha kwake, na watu wengine wote. 10Lakini Nebuzaradani kiongozi wa walinzi aliwabakiza baadhi ya watu maskini katika nchi ya Yuda, ambao hawakuwa na kitu. Naye wakati huo akawapa mashamba ya mizabibu na mashamba mengine.
11Basi, Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli alikuwa ametoa maagizo kuhusu Yeremia kupitia Nebuzaradani kiongozi wa walinzi wa mfalme akisema: 1239:12 Mit 16:7; 1Pet 3:13; Yer 15:20-21“Mchukue umtunze. Usimdhuru, lakini umfanyie chochote anachotaka.” 13Basi Nebuzaradani kiongozi wa walinzi, Nebushazbani afisa mkuu, Nergal-Shareza afisa wa cheo cha juu, na maafisa wengine wote wa mfalme wa Babeli 1439:14 Neh 3:25; Yer 38:28; 2Fal 22:12; Yer 40:5; 37:21wakatuma watu kumwondoa Yeremia kutoka ua wa walinzi. Wakamkabidhi kwa Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu mwana wa Shafani, ili amrudishe nyumbani kwake. Kwa hiyo akabaki miongoni mwa watu wake mwenyewe.
15Wakati Yeremia alipokuwa amezuiliwa katika ua wa walinzi, neno la Bwana lilimjia kusema: 1639:16 Yer 38:7; Yos 23:15; Dan 9:12; Za 33:11; Isa 14:27; 40:8; Mao 2:17; Yer 44:28“Nenda ukamwambie Ebed-Meleki Mkushi, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: Ninakaribia kutimiza maneno yangu dhidi ya mji huu kwa njia ya maafa, wala si kwa kuwafanikisha. Wakati huo hayo yatatimizwa mbele ya macho yako. 1739:17 Za 34:22; 41:1-2Lakini siku hiyo nitakuokoa, asema Bwana; hutatiwa mikononi mwa wale unaowaogopa. 1839:18 Ay 5:20; Yer 45:5; 21:9; 38:2; Rum 10:11; Rut 2:12; 1Nya 5:20; 1Sam 17:47; Mdo 16:31Nitakuokoa; hutaanguka kwa upanga, lakini maisha yako yatakuwa salama, kwa sababu unanitumaini, asema Bwana.’ ”
