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1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it.
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In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city.
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Then all 2the officials of the king of Babylon came 3and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim 4the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, with all the rest of the officers of the king of Babylon.
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When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward 5the Arabah.
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But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in 6the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at 7Riblah, in the land of Hamath; 8and he passed sentence on him.
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The king of Babylon 9slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at 10Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon 11slaughtered all the nobles of Judah.
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12He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon.
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13The Chaldeans burned the king's house and the house of the people, 14and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
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Then 15Nebuzaradan, the 16captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, 17those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained.
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Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, 18left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
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Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying,
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19"Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you."
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So 20Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, 21and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon
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sent and took Jeremiah from 22the court of the guard. They entrusted him to 23Gedaliah the son of 24Ahikam, son of 25Shaphan, that he should take him home. So 26he lived among the people.
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The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah 27while he was shut up in the court of the guard:
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"Go, and say to 28Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 29Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and 30not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day.
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But I will deliver you on that day, declares the LORD, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men 31of whom you are afraid.
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For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your 32life as a prize of war, 33because you have put your trust in me, declares the LORD.'"