1 O rei Nabucodonozor da Babilónia mobilizou todo o seu exército e pôs cerco a Jerusalém, chegando ali no dia 10 do décimo mês*25.1 Mês de Tebet. Entre a lua nova do mês de dezembro e o mês de janeiro., do nono ano do reinado de Zedequias, rei de Judá. 2 O cerco manteve-se até ao décimo primeiro ano do seu reinado.

3 No dia 9 do quarto mês*25.3 Mês de Tamuz. Entre a lua nova do mês de junho e o mês de julho., tinham-se esgotado completamente os mantimentos e a fome apertava a cidade. 4 Nessa noite, o rei e os seus cabos de guerra fizeram um buraco na muralha da cidade e conseguiram escapar-se em direção à campina de Arabá, através da porta que ficava entre a dupla muralha, perto do jardim do rei. 5 As tropas dos caldeus que rodeavam a cidade puseram-se em perseguição e capturaram-no nas campinas de Jericó. No entanto, todos os seus homens conseguiram escapar. 6 O rei foi feito prisioneiro em Ribla, onde o interrogaram e sentenciaram perante o rei da Babilónia. 7 Os filhos de Zedequias foram mortos na sua presença; depois arrancou-lhe os olhos e mandou-o amarrado com cadeias para a Babilónia.

8 Nebuzaradão, comandante da guarda, chegou a Jerusalém, vindo da Babilónia, no sétimo dia do quinto mês*25.8 Mês de Abe. Entre a lua nova do mês de julho e o mês de agosto., do décimo nono ano do reinado de Nabucodonozor. 9 Pôs fogo ao templo e ao palácio real, e a todas as casas de maior importância, 10 e mandou os soldados deitar abaixo as muralhas da cidade. 11 A população da cidade e os judeus desertores, que tinham declarado a sua fidelidade ao rei da Babilónia, foram levados para a Babilónia. 12 Mas o comandante da guarda deixou alguns outros, dos mais miseráveis do povo, para colherem os frutos dos campos, e como vinhateiros e lavradores.

13 Os caldeus derrubaram os dois grandes pilares de bronze, que estavam à entrada do templo do Senhor, assim como as suas bases, mais o mar de bronze, e carregaram todo esse bronze para a Babilónia. 14 Levaram igualmente todos os recipientes, pás, perfumadores e bacias, e outros utensílios de bronze usados no serviço do templo. 15 Foram também retirados de lá os incensários e também as bacias de ouro e de prata com tudo o que havia em ouro puro e prata maciça.

16 Era impossível fazer uma estimativa do peso dos dois enormes pilares e do mar, com a suas bases, tudo feito para o templo pelo rei Salomão, pois eram extremamente pesados. 17 Cada um dos pilares media 9 metros de altura, com uma intrincada rede em bronze, de romãs decorativas, nos capitéis de metro e meio no alto dos pilares.

18 O comandante da guarda levou Seraías, o sumo sacerdote, o seu assistente Sofonias e os três guardas do templo cativos. 19 Um comandante do exército de Judá, o chefe dos serviços de recrutamento do exército, cinco dos conselheiros do rei e sessenta fazendeiros, todos eles descobertos ainda na cidade, 20 foram levados pelo comandante da guarda, Nebuzaradão, ao rei da Babilónia, em Ribla. 21 Ali foram executados à espada, na terra de Hamate.

Assim, Judá foi exilado da sua terra.

22 O rei Nabucodonozor nomeou Gedalias, filho de Aicão e neto de Safã, como governador da terra e sobre o povo que ali foi permitido ficar. 23 Quando as forças militares israelitas souberam que o rei da Babilónia tinha nomeado Gedalias como governador, alguns chefes que viviam no anonimato, mais os seus homens, juntaram-se a ele em Mizpá. Neste número encontram-se Ismael, filho de Netanias, Joanã, filho de Careá, Seraías, filho de Tanumete, o netofatita, e Jazanias, filho de maacatita, com os seus homens.

24 Gedalias assegurou-lhes que seria mais seguro submeterem-se aos caldeus. "Fiquem aqui, sirvam o rei da Babilónia e tudo o resto vos correrá bem." 25 Mas no sétimo mês daquele ano, Ismael, filho de Netanias e neto de Elisama, que era membro da família real, foi a Mizpá com dez homens e matou Gedalias e os seus conselheiros, tanto os que eram judeus como os que tinham nacionalidade caldeia. 26 Então todos os homens de Judá e os oficiais do exército fugiram em pânico para o Egito, porque estavam com receio das represálias que o rei da Babilónia viesse a exercer sobre eles.

27 No trigésimo sétimo ano, após a prisão na Babilónia de Jeconias, rei de Judá, Evil-Merodaque, que se tornou rei da Babilónia nesse ano, mostrou-se generoso para com o rei Jeconias e tirou-o da prisão no dia 27 do décimo segundo mês. 28 Falou-lhe gentilmente e deu-lhe até preferência em relação a todos os outros reis que estavam na Babilónia. 29 Foi ainda dada a Jeconias a possibilidade de trocar a sua roupa de prisioneiro, dando-lhe roupa nobre, e assim assentou-se à mesa do rei. E isso todo o resto do tempo da sua vida. 30 O rei também lhe concedeu uma pensão diária, para que pudesse atender às necessidades quotidianas, o resto da sua vida.

1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

4 And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. 5 And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. 6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.*25.6 gave…: Heb. spake judgment with him 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.*25.7 put…: Heb. made blind

8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:*25.8 captain…: or, chief marshal 9 And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carry away.*25.11 fugitives: Heb. fallen away 12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. 13 And 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, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. 15 And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16 The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD; the brass of all these vessels was without weight.*25.16 one…: Heb. the one sea 17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work.

18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:*25.18 door: Heb. threshold 19 And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king’s presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city:*25.19 officer: or, eunuch*25.19 were in…: Heb. saw the king’s face*25.19 principal…: or, scribe of the captain of the host 20 And Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah: 21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.

22 And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler. 23 And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. 24 And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you. 25 But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.*25.25 royal: Heb. of the kingdom 26 And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.

27 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; 28 And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon;*25.28 kindly…: Heb. good things with him 29 And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life. 30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.