52 Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 11 years. His mother's name was Hamutal. She was the daughter of Jeremiah, who came from Libnah. [ a ] 2 Zedekiah did things that the Lord said were evil, as Jehoiakim had done.
3 All this trouble happened to Jerusalem and to Judah because the Lord was very angry with them. In the end, the Lord sent them away from himself. This is what happened when King Zedekiah turned against the king of Babylon.
4 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, marched with his army to attack Jerusalem. He arrived on the tenth day of the tenth month, in the ninth year when Zedekiah had ruled Judah. His soldiers made their camp all around the city. They built heaps of earth all around Jerusalem's walls. 5 Babylon's army stayed around the city until the 11th year that Zedekiah had been king.
6 By the ninth day of the fourth month there was a very bad famine in the city. There was no food for the people to eat. 7 Then Babylon's army broke down Jerusalem's wall so that they could go into the city. Their soldiers were all around the city. So the king of Judah and all his army tried to escape in the night. They went through the gate that was near the king's garden. The path went between the two walls of the city. They ran towards the Jordan Valley. 8 But the soldiers of Babylon's army chased after King Zedekiah. They caught him on the flat land near Jericho. All King Zedekiah's soldiers ran away from him in many directions.
9 Babylon's soldiers took hold of Zedekiah. They took him to King Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, in Hamath region. Nebuchadnezzar decided how to punish Zedekiah. 10 He told his soldiers to kill all Zedekiah's sons, while Zedekiah watched. He also punished all the officers of Judah with death there at Riblah. 11 Then they cut out Zedekiah's eyes to make him blind. They tied him with chains and they took him to Babylon as their prisoner. They kept him in prison until the day that he died.
12 King Nebuchadnezzar had an officer whose name was Nebuzaradan. He was the captain of the king's royal guards. Nebuzaradan came to Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar had ruled Babylon for 19 years. It was on the tenth day of the fifth month. 13 Nebuzaradan destroyed the Lord 's temple, the king's palace and all the other houses in Jerusalem. He burned them all with fire, so that he destroyed every important building in the city. 14 Then Nebuzaradan commanded his whole army to knock down the walls around Jerusalem. 15 Captain Nebuzaradan sent away as prisoners some of the poor people and the rest of the people who remained in Jerusalem. He also sent away those people who had agreed to serve the king of Babylon, and the workers who had special skills. 16 But he let some of the poorest people stay there. He gave them vineyards and fields to work in.
17 The soldiers from Babylon broke the two bronze pillars that were in the Lord 's temple. They also broke the carts which carried the buckets for water and the large bath called ‘the Sea’. They carried all the bronze pieces away to Babylon. 18 They also took away the pots, the bowls, the spades, the small tools for the lamps, and the dishes. They took all the bronze tools that the priests used in the temple. 19 Captain Nebuzaradan also took away everything that was made from gold or silver. He took the dishes, the baskets that carried hot coals, the bowls for water, the pots, the lampstands and other bowls.
20 The bronze from the things that King Solomon had made for the Lord 's temple was very heavy. They included the two bronze pillars, the large bath called ‘the Sea’, the 12 bronze bulls under the bath and the carts which carried the buckets for water. The bronze from all these things was more than they could weigh. 21 Each pillar was 8 metres high and 5 metres around. The bronze was 8 centimetres thick and each pillar was empty inside. 22 The bronze piece on the top of one pillar was more than a metre high. It had rows of chains with images of pomegranates made from bronze all around it. The other pillar, with its rows of chains and pomegranates, was the same. 23 There were 96 images of pomegranates around the sides of the pillars. There were 100 images of pomegranates on the chains at the top.
24 Captain Nebuzaradan took hold of these people:
Seraiah, the leader of the priests.
Zephaniah, the next most important priest.
The three temple guards.
25 He also took hold of these people who remained in Jerusalem:
The palace officer with authority over the soldiers.
Seven of the king's advisors.
The army secretary who took men to join the army.
60 other people of Judah who were inside the city.
26 Captain Nebuzaradan took hold of all those people. He brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 There, at Riblah in the Hamath region, the king of Babylon commanded his soldiers to punish them all with death.
That was how Judah's people went into exile, away from their own land.
28 This is a list of the number of people that Nebuchadnezzar took away as prisoners to Babylon:
He took 3,023 people from Judah in his seventh year as king.
29 He took 832 people from Jerusalem in his 18th year.
30 Captain Nebuzaradan took 745 people from Judah in Nebuchadnezzar's 23rd year as king.
So Nebuchadnezzar took 4,600 people away as his prisoners.
31 37 years after King Jehoiachin of Judah had gone as a prisoner to Babylon, Evil-Merodach became the king of Babylon. On the 25th day of the 12th month, he took Jehoiachin out from his prison so that he became free. 32 King Evil-Merodach spoke in a kind way to Jehoiachin. He gave him more honour than the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 Jehoiachin no longer had to wear the clothes of a prisoner. Every day for the rest of his life, he ate a meal at the king's table in Babylon. 34 The king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin everything that he needed each day of his life until he died.
52 Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king of Judah. He ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah. [ a ] Hamutal’s family was from the town of Libnah. 2 Zedekiah did evil things, just as King Jehoiakim had done. The Lord did not like Zedekiah doing those evil things. 3 Terrible things happened to the people of Jerusalem and Judah because the Lord was angry with them. Finally, he threw them out of his presence.
Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month, [ b ] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. The army of Babylon set up their camp outside of Jerusalem. Then they built ramps all around the city walls so that they could get over the walls. 5 The city of Jerusalem was surrounded by the army of Babylon until the eleventh year that Zedekiah [ c ] was king. 6 By the ninth day of the fourth month of that year, the hunger in the city was very bad. There was no food left for the people in the city to eat. 7 On that day the army of Babylon broke into Jerusalem. The soldiers of Jerusalem ran away. They left the city at night. They went through the gate between the two walls. That gate was near the king’s garden. Even though the army of Babylon had surrounded the city, the soldiers of Jerusalem still ran away toward the desert.
8 But the Babylonian army chased King Zedekiah and caught him on the plains of Jericho. All of Zedekiah’s soldiers ran away. 9 The army of Babylon captured King Zedekiah and took him to the king of Babylon who was at the city of Riblah, in the land of Hamath. At Riblah the king of Babylon announced his judgment on King Zedekiah. 10 There, at the town of Riblah, the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah’s sons while Zedekiah watched. The king of Babylon also killed all the royal officials of Judah. 11 Then the king of Babylon tore out Zedekiah’s eyes. He put bronze chains on him and took him to Babylon. In Babylon he put Zedekiah into prison. He stayed in prison until the day he died.
12 Nebuzaradan was the commander of the king of Babylon’s special guard. He was one of the king’s most important officials while at Jerusalem. He came to Jerusalem on the tenth day of the fifth month, in the 19th year that Nebuchadnezzar [ d ] was king. 13 Nebuzaradan burned the Lord ’s Temple, the king’s palace, and every important building in Jerusalem, as well as all the houses. 14 All the Babylonian soldiers that were with the commander broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 15 Commander Nebuzaradan took the people who were still in Jerusalem [ e ] and those who had surrendered earlier and made them captives. He took them and the skilled craftsmen who were left in Jerusalem as captives to Babylon. 16 But Nebuzaradan left some of the poorest people behind in the land. He left them to work in the vineyards and the fields.
17 The Babylonian army broke up the bronze columns of the Lord ’s Temple. They also broke up the stands and the bronze tank [ f ] that were in the Lord ’s Temple. They carried all that bronze to Babylon. 18 The army of Babylon also took these things from the Temple: pots, shovels, lamp snuffers, large bowls, pans, and all the bronze things that were used in the Temple service. 19 The commander of the king’s special guards took these things away: basins, firepans, large bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and bowls used for drink offerings. He took everything that was made of gold or silver. 20 The two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the moveable stands were very heavy. King Solomon had made those things for the Lord ’s Temple. The bronze that those things were made of was so heavy it could not be weighed.
21 Each of the bronze pillars was 31 feet [ g ] tall. Each pillar was almost 21 feet [ h ] around. Each pillar was hollow. The wall of each pillar was 3 inches [ i ] thick. 22 The bronze capital on top of the first pillar was over 5 feet [ j ] tall. It was decorated with a net design and bronze pomegranates all around it. The other pillar had pomegranates too. It was like the first pillar. 23 There were 96 pomegranates on the sides of the pillars. All together, there were 100 pomegranates above the net design that went around the pillars.
24 The commander of the king’s special guards took Seraiah the high priest and Zephaniah the next highest priest as prisoners. The three doorkeepers were also taken as prisoners. 25 The commander of the king’s special guards also took the officer in charge of the fighting men. He also took seven of the king’s advisors as prisoners. They were still there in Jerusalem. He also took the scribe who was in charge of putting people in the army. And he took 60 of the ordinary people who were there in the city. 26-27 Nebuzaradan, the commander, took all these officials and brought them to the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon was at the city of Riblah. Riblah is in the country of Hamath. There at the city of Riblah, the king ordered all of them to be killed.
So the people of Judah were taken from their country. 28 This is how many people Nebuchadnezzar carried into captivity:
In Nebuchadnezzar’s 7th year [ k ] as king of Babylon, 3023 people were taken from Judah.
29 In Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th year [ l ] as king of Babylon, 832 people were taken from Jerusalem.
30 In Nebuchadnezzar’s 23rd year [ m ] as king, Nebuzaradan took 745 people of Judah into captivity. Nebuzaradan was the commander of the king’s special guards.
In all, 4600 people were taken captive.
31 King Jehoiachin of Judah was in prison in Babylon for 37 years. In the 37th year of his imprisonment, [ n ] King Evil Merodach of Babylon was very kind to Jehoiachin. He let Jehoiachin out of prison in that year. This was the same year that Evil Merodach became king of Babylon. He set Jehoiachin free from prison on the 25th day of the 12th month. 32 Evil Merodach spoke kindly to Jehoiachin. He gave Jehoiachin a place of honor higher than the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So Jehoiachin took his prison clothes off. For the rest of his life, he ate regularly at the king’s table. 34 Every day the king of Babylon paid Jehoiachin enough to take care of his needs until the day Jehoiachin died.
52 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
2 And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord , according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
3 For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
4 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.
5 So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.
6 And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.
7 Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain.
8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.
9 Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him.
10 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.
11 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.
12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem,
13 And burned the house of the Lord , and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire:
14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.
15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude.
16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen.
17 Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord , and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord , the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.
18 The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
19 And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away.
20 The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the Lord : the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
21 And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.
22 And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.
23 And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about.
24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
25 He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king's person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.
26 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.
27 And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.
28 This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:
29 In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:
30 In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.
31 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison.
32 And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,
33 And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.
34 And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
52 ( A ) Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was [ a ] ( B ) Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of ( C ) Libnah. 2 He did ( D ) evil in the sight of the Lord , in accordance with everything that ( E ) Jehoiakim had done. 3 For because of the ( F ) anger of the Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah, until He drove them out from His presence. And Zedekiah ( G ) revolted against the king of Babylon. 4 ( H ) Now it came about in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it, and built a [ b ] ( I ) bulwark all around [ c ] it. 5 ( J ) So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 6 On the ninth day of the ( K ) fourth month the ( L ) famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 7 Then the city was ( M ) breached, and all the ( N ) warriors fled and left the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls which was by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were [ d ] ( O ) all around the city. And they went by way of the Arabah. 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and ( P ) overtook Zedekiah in the [ e ] desert plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they captured the king and ( Q ) brought him up to the king of Babylon at ( R ) Riblah in the land of ( S ) Hamath, and he [ f ] passed sentence on him. 10 And the king of Babylon ( T ) slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also slaughtered all the commanders of Judah in Riblah. 11 Then he ( U ) blinded the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him with bronze shackles and brought him to Babylon and put him in prison until the day of his death.
12 ( V ) Now on the tenth day of the fifth month, which was the ( W ) nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, ( X ) Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who [ g ] was in the service of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 And he ( Y ) burned the house of the Lord , the ( Z ) king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every large house he burned with fire. 14 So the entire army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard ( AA ) tore down all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard ( AB ) took into exile some of the poorest of the people, the rest of the people who were left in the city, the ( AC ) deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. 16 But ( AD ) Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.
17 Now the bronze ( AE ) pillars which belonged to the house of the Lord and the ( AF ) stands and the bronze [ h ] ( AG ) sea, which were in the house of the Lord , the Chaldeans smashed to pieces and carried all their bronze to Babylon. 18 They also took the ( AH ) pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the basins, the [ i ] pans, and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service. 19 The captain of the guard also took the ( AI ) bowls, the firepans, the basins, the pots, the lampstands, the [ j ] pans, and the drink offering bowls, whatever was fine gold, and whatever was fine silver. 20 The two pillars, the one [ k ] sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were under [ l ] the sea, and the stands, which King Solomon had made for the house of the Lord —the bronze of all these vessels was ( AJ ) beyond weight. 21 As for the pillars, the ( AK ) height of each pillar was [ m ] eighteen cubits, and [ n ] it was twelve cubits in ( AL ) circumference and four fingers in thickness, and hollow. 22 Also, a ( AM ) capital of bronze was on top of it; and the height of each capital was [ o ] five cubits, with latticework and ( AN ) pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these, including pomegranates. 23 There were ninety-six [ p ] exposed pomegranates; all ( AO ) the pomegranates numbered a hundred on the latticework all around.
24 Then the captain of the guard took ( AP ) Seraiah the chief priest and ( AQ ) Zephaniah the second priest, with the three [ q ] ( AR ) officers of the temple. 25 He also took from the city one official who was overseer of the warriors, seven [ r ] of the ( AS ) king’s advisers who were found in the city, the scribe of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men from the people of the land who were found inside the city. 26 Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguards took them and ( AT ) brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 Then the king of Babylon ( AU ) struck them and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was ( AV ) led into exile from its land.
28 These are the people whom ( AW ) Nebuchadnezzar took into exile: in the [ s ] seventh year 3,023 Jews; 29 in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar 832 persons from Jerusalem; 30 in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, ( AX ) Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took into exile 745 Jewish people; there were 4,600 people in all.
31 ( AY ) Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth of the month, that [ t ] Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, [ u ] ( AZ ) showed favor to Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. 32 ( BA ) Then he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So [ v ] Jehoiachin ( BB ) changed his prison clothes, and [ w ] ( BC ) had his meals in [ x ] the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life. 34 And as his allowance, a ( BD ) regular allowance was given to him by the king of Babylon, a portion for each day, all the days of his life until the day of his death.
52 Zedekiah ( D ) 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. ( E ) 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord , just as Jehoiakim ( F ) had done. 3 It was because of the Lord ’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, ( G ) and in the end he thrust them from his presence. ( H )
Now Zedekiah rebelled ( I ) against the king of Babylon.
4 So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth ( J ) day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem ( K ) with his whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works ( L ) all around it. ( M ) 5 The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
6 By 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. ( N ) 7 Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled. ( O ) They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians [ a ] were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah, [ b ] 8 but the Babylonian [ c ] army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, 9 and he was captured. ( P )
He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah ( Q ) in the land of Hamath, ( R ) where he pronounced sentence on him. 10 There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons ( S ) of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. 11 Then 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. ( T )
12 On the tenth day of the fifth ( U ) month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan ( V ) commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 He set fire ( W ) to the temple ( X ) of the Lord , the royal palace and all the houses ( Y ) of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. 14 The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls ( Z ) around Jerusalem. 15 Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile ( AA ) some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen [ d ] and those who had deserted ( AB ) to the king of Babylon. 16 But Nebuzaradan left behind ( AC ) the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.
17 The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, ( AD ) the movable stands ( AE ) and the bronze Sea ( AF ) that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried all the bronze to Babylon. ( AG ) 18 They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ( AH ) dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service. ( AI ) 19 The commander of the imperial guard took away the basins, censers, ( AJ ) sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, ( AK ) dishes ( AL ) and bowls used for drink offerings ( AM ) —all that were made of pure gold or silver. ( AN )
20 The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls ( AO ) under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord , was more than could be weighed. ( AP ) 21 Each pillar was eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference [ e ] ; each was four fingers thick, and hollow. ( AQ ) 22 The bronze capital ( AR ) on top of one pillar was five cubits [ f ] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates ( AS ) of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; the total number of pomegranates ( AT ) above the surrounding network was a hundred. ( AU )
24 The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah ( AV ) the chief priest, Zephaniah ( AW ) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers. ( AX ) 25 Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal advisers. He also took the secretary ( AY ) who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land, sixty of whom were found in the city. 26 Nebuzaradan ( AZ ) the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 27 There at Riblah, ( BA ) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.
So Judah went into captivity, away ( BB ) from her land. 28 This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile: ( BC )
in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;
29 in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year,
832 people from Jerusalem;
30 in his twenty-third year,
745 Jews taken into exile ( BD ) by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard.
There were 4,600 people in all. ( BE )
31 In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin ( BG ) 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. 32 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. ( BH ) 34 Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance ( BI ) as long as he lived, till the day of his death.
