1 Aconteceu que no ano nono do seu reinado, no décimo mês, aos dez dias do mês, veio Nabucodonozor, rei da Babilônia, com todo o exército contra Jerusalém, e acampou-se contra ela, e contra ela levantaram trincheiras ao redor.2 A cidade ficou sitiada até o undécimo ano de Zedequias.3 Aos nove dias do quarto mês viu-se a cidade apertada de fome, de modo que não havia pão para o povo da terra.4 Então se abriu uma brecha na cidade e todos os homens de guerra fugiram de noite pelo caminho da porta entre os dois muros, a qual está junto ao jardim do rei (ora os caldeus cercavam a cidade ao redor); e o rei fugiu pelo caminho da Araba.5 Mas o exército dos caldeus perseguiu ao rei e alcançou-o nas campinas de Jericó: e todo o exército do rei foi disperso para longe dele.6 Então o tomaram preso e o levaram a Ribla, ao rei da Babilônia; e foi-lhe pronunciada a sentença.7 Mataram aos filhos de Zedequias à sua vista, vasaram-lhe os olhos, ataram-no com cadeias e levaram-no para a Babilônia.8 Ora, no quinto mês, aos sete dias do mês, que era o décimo nono ano de Nabucodonozor, rei da Babilônia, veio a Jerusalém Nebuzaradã, capitão da guarda, servo do rei da Babilônia.9 Queimou a casa de Jeová, e a casa do rei; todas as casas de Jerusalém, todas as casas importantes, ele as entregou às chamas.10 Todo o exército dos caldeus que estava com o capitão da guarda deitou abaixo em roda os muros de Jerusalém.11 Nebuzaradã, capitão da guarda, transferiu o resto do povo que havia ficado na cidade e os que se tinham desertado para o rei da Babilônia, e o resto da multidão;12 mas deixou alguns dos mais pobres da terra para serem vinheiros e lavradores.13 Os caldeus despedaçaram as colunas de bronze, as bases e o mar de bronze que estavam na casa de Jeová, e levaram o bronze para a Babilônia.14 Levaram também as panelas, e as pás, e os apagadores, e as colheres, e todos os vasos de bronze de que usavam no ministério.15 Levou o capitão da guarda os braseiros e as bacias: o que era de ouro e o que era de prata.16 As duas colunas, um mar, e as bases que Salomão tinha feito para a casa de Jeová; o bronze de todos estes vasos não foi pesado.17 A altura duma coluna era de dezoito cúbitos, e sobre ela havia um capitel de bronze. O capitel tinha três cúbitos de alto; e uma rede e romãs sobre o capitel ao redor, tudo de bronze: semelhante a esta era a outra coluna com a rede.18 Levou também o capitão da guarda a Seraías, sumo sacerdote, e a Sofonias, segundo sacerdote, e aos três guardas do vestíbulo.19 Da cidade levou a um oficial que tinha a seu cargo a gente da guerra, e a cinco homens dos que assistiam ao rei e que se achavam na cidade, e ao escriba, capitão do exército, que registrava o povo da terra, e a sessenta homens do povo da terra que se achavam na cidade.20 Tomando-os Nebuzaradã, capitão da guarda, levou-os ao rei da Babilônia, a Ribla.21 O rei da Babilônia os feriu e matou em Ribla, na terra de Hamate. Assim Judá foi levado cativo para fora da sua terra.22 Quanto ao povo que tinha ficado na terra de Judá, que Nabucodonozor, rei da Babilônia, tinha deixado, este o pôs sob o governo de Gedalias, filho de Aicão, filho de Safã.23 Ora, ouvindo todos os capitães das forças com seus homens que o rei da Babilônia havia posto por governador a Gedalias, vieram ter com este a Mispa, a saber: Ismael, filho de Netanias, Joanã, filho de Careá, Seraías, filho de Tanumete netofatita, e Jazanias, filho do maacatita, eles e seus homens.24 Gedalias jurou-lhes a eles e aos seus homens e disse-lhes: Não tenhais medo por causa dos servos dos caldeus. Ficai na terra, e servi ao rei da Babilônia, e vos dareis bem.25 Sucedeu, porém, no sétimo mês que Ismael, filho de Netanias, filho de Elisama, de sangue real, veio com dez homens, e feriram a Gedalias, de maneira que ele morreu, e aos judeus e caldeus que com ele estavam em Mispa.26 Levantando-se todo o povo, tanto pequenos como grandes, e os capitães das forças, foram ao Egito; pois tiveram medo dos caldeus.27 No trigésimo sétimo ano do cativeiro de Joaquim, rei de Judá, no dia vinte e sete do duodécimo mês, Evil-Merodaque, rei da Babilônia, no ano em que começou a reinar levantou a cabeça de Joaquim, rei de Judá, tirando-o da prisão.28 Falou-lhe benignamente, pôs o seu trono acima do trono dos que estavam com ele em Babilônia,29 e fez-lhe mudar os vestidos de prisão. Joaquim comeu pão da mesa real todos os dias da sua vida.30 O rei proveu a sua subsistência, dando-lhe uma pensão diária, durante todos os dias da sua vida.

1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, the tenth day of the month, that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon came, he and all his army against Jerusalem: and they surrounded it: end raised works round about it.2 And the city was shut up and besieged till the eleventh year of king Sedecias,3 The ninth day of the month: and a famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.4 And a breach was made into the city: and all the men of war fled in the night between the two walls by the king's garden, (now the Chaldees besieged the city round about,) and Sedecias fled by the way that leadeth to the plains of the wilderness.5 And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all the warriors that were with him were scattered, and left him:6 So they took the king, and brought him to the king of Babylon to Reblatha, and he gave judgment upon him.7 And he slew the sons of Sedecias before his face, and he put out his eyes, and bound him with chains, and brought him to Babylon.8 In the fifth month, the seventh day of the month, that is, the nineteenth year of the king of Babylon, came Nabuzardan commander of the army, a servant of the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem.9 And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and the houses of Jerusalem, and every house he burnt with fire.10 And all the army of the Chaldees, which was with the commander of the troops, broke down the walls of Jerusalem round about.11 And Nabuzardan the commander of the army, carried away the rest of the people that remained in the city, and the fugitives that had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the remnant of the common people.12 But of the poor of the land he left some dressers of vines and husbandmen.13 And the pillars of brass that were in the temple of the Lord, and the bases, and the sea of brass which was in the house of the Lord, the Chaldees broke in pieces, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.14 They took away also the pots of brass, and the mazers, and the forks, and the cups, and the mortars, and all the vessels of brass with which they ministered.15 Moreover also the censers, and the bowls, such as were of gold in gold, and such as were of silver in silver, the general of the army took away.16 That is, two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made in the temple of the Lord: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.17 One pillar was eighteen cubits high, and the chapiter of brass which was upon it was three cubits high: and the network, and the pomegranates that were upon the chapiter of the pillar, were all of brass: and the second pillar had the like adorning.18 And the general of the army took Seraias the chief priest, and Sophonias the second priest, and three doorkeepers.19 And out of the city one eunuch, who was captain over the men of war: and five men of them that had stood before the king, whom he found in the city, and Sopher the captain of the army who exercised the young soldiers of the people of the land: and threescore men of the common people, who were found in the city.20 These Nabuzardan the general of the army took away, and carried them to the king of Babylon to Reblatha.21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Reblatha in the land of Emath: so Juda was carried away out of their land.22 But over the people that remained in the land of Juda, which Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had left, he gave the government to Godolias the son of Ahicam the son of Saphan.23 And when all the captains of the soldiers had heard this, they and the men that were with them, to wit, that the king of Babylon had made Godolias governor, they came to Godolias to Maspha, Ismael the son of Nathanias, and Johanan the son of Caree, and Saraia the son of Thanehumeth the Netophathite, and Jezonias the son of Maachathi, they and their men.24 And Godolias swore to them and to their men, saying : Be not afraid to serve the Chaldees: stay 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 Ismael the son of Nathanias, the son of Elisama of the seed royal came, and ten men with him: and smote Godolias so that he died: and also the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him in Maspha.26 And all the people both little and great, and the captains of the soldiers, rising up went to Egypt, fearing the Chaldees.27 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Joachin king of Juda, in the twelfth month the seven and twentieth day of the month: Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, lifted up the head of Joachin king of Juda out of prison.28 And he spoke kindly to him: and he set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon.29 And he changed his garments which he had in prison, and he ate bread always before him, all the days of his life.30 And he appointed him a continual allowance, which was also given him by the king day by day, all the days of his life.