This is how Jerusalem was captured: in 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.
In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city wall,
and all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Sarsechim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, along with all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.
And when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled and went out of the city at night by the path through the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him.
Then the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes; the king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah.
Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon.
The Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, and also the deserters who had deserted to him, and the rest of the people who remained.
But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poor people who did not own anything in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at that time.
The Lord Delivers Jeremiah
Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard concerning Jeremiah, saying,
“Take him and look after him well and do him no harm, but do for him whatever he tells you.”
So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushazban, Rabsaris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rabmag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon;
they sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he remained among the people.
Now the word of Yahweh had come to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guard, saying,
“Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘This is what Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Behold, I will bring my words on this city for evil, and not for good, and they will be accomplished before your face in that day.
But I will deliver you in that day, says Yahweh, and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.
Indeed, I will surely save you, and you will not fall by the sword, but your life will be your spoils of war, because you have put your trust in me, says Yahweh.’”