Jerusalem Is Captured and Destroyed
(2 Chronicles 36.17-21Jeremiah 52.3-30)1 In Zedekiah's ninth year as king, on the tenth day of the tenth month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia led his entire army to attack Jerusalem. The troops set up camp outside the city and built ramps up to the city walls.
2-3 After a year and a half, all the food in Jerusalem was gone. Then on the ninth day of the fourth month, 4 the Babylonian troops broke through the city wall. That same night, Zedekiah and his soldiers tried to escape through the gate near the royal garden, even though they knew the enemy had the city surrounded. They headed toward the desert, 5 but the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah, but his soldiers scattered in every direction.
6 Zedekiah was taken to Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial and found him guilty. 7 Zedekiah's sons were killed right in front of him. His eyes were then poked out, and he was put in chains and dragged off to Babylon.
8 About a month later, in Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king, Nebuzaradan, who was his official in charge of the guards, arrived in Jerusalem. 9 Nebuzaradan burned down the Lord's temple, the king's palace, and every important building in the city, as well as all the houses. 10 Then he ordered the Babylonian soldiers to break down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 He led away as prisoners the people left in the city, including those who had become loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. 12 Only some of the poorest people were left behind to work the vineyards and the fields.
13 The Babylonian soldiers took the two bronze columns that stood in front of the temple, the ten movable bronze stands, and the large bronze bowl called the Sea. They broke them into pieces so they could take the bronze to Babylonia. 14 They carried off the bronze things used for worship at the temple, including the pans for hot ashes, and the shovels, snuffers, and also the dishes for incense, 15 as well as the fire pans and the sprinkling bowls. Nebuzaradan ordered his soldiers to take everything made of gold or silver.
16 The pile of bronze from the columns, the stands, and the large bowl that Solomon had made for the temple was too large to be weighed. 17 Each column had been eight meters tall with a bronze cap over one meter high. These caps were decorated with bronze designs—some of them like chains and others like pomegranates.
18 Next, Nebuzaradan arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah his assistant, and three temple officials. 19 Then he arrested one of the army commanders, the king's five personal advisors, and the officer in charge of gathering the troops for battle. He also found 60 more soldiers who were still in Jerusalem. 20 Nebuzaradan led them all to Riblah 21 near Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar had them killed.
Most of the people of Judah had been carried away as captives from their own country.
Gedaliah Is Made Ruler of the People Left in Judah
(Jeremiah 40.7-9Jeremiah 41.1-3)22 King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam to rule the few people still living in Judah. 23 When the army officers and troops heard that Gedaliah was their ruler, the officers met with him at Mizpah. These men were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth from Netophah, and Jaazaniah from Maacah.
24 Gedaliah said to them, “Everything will be fine, I promise. We don't need to be afraid of the Babylonian rulers, if we live here peacefully and do what Nebuchadnezzar says.”
25 Ishmael was from the royal family. And about two months after Gedaliah began his rule, Ishmael and ten other men went to Mizpah. They killed Gedaliah and his officials, including those from Judah and those from Babylonia. 26 After that, the army officers and all the people in Mizpah, whether important or not, were afraid of what the Babylonians might do. So they left Judah and went to Egypt.
Jehoiachin Is Set Free
(Jeremiah 52.31-34)27 Jehoiachin was a prisoner in Babylon for 37 years. Then Evil-Merodach became king of Babylonia, and in the first year of his rule, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, he let Jehoiachin out of prison. 28 Evil-Merodach was kind to Jehoiachin and honored him more than any of the other kings held prisoner there. 29 Jehoiachin was even allowed to wear regular clothes, and he ate at the king's table every day. 30 As long as Jehoiachin lived, he was paid a daily allowance to buy whatever he needed.
Omatwiro wa Jerusalem
(2Eku 36:13-21Jer 52:3-11)1 Sidkija wa sekamena Nebukadnesar, ombara ya Babilon. Nebukadnesar ope era notjimbumba tje atjihe tjovita na rwisa Jerusalem meyuva oritjamurongo komueze outjamurongo wombura oitjamuvyu youhona wa Sidkija. Owo va tona ozondanda pendje yotjihuro, ave tungu orumbo rwehi okukondoroka tjo, 2 nave tji kovere nga kombura oitjamurongo na imwe youhona wa Sidkija. 3 Meyuva oritjamuvyu komueze outjaine wombura tjingeyo ndjo, ondjara tji ya rira onene tjinene nai, nga ovandu tji ve ha ri notjiṋa okurya 4 orumbo rwotjihuro otji rwa teyewa, nu nandarire kutja Ovababilon va koverere otjihuro, ovarwe avehe wovita va hena ouṱuku. Owo va twara ondjira yotjikunino tjombara ave pitire momuvero wokotjikoro tjorumbo, nave taura okuhungama orutjandja rwonḓonḓu Jordan. 5 Nungwari otjimbumba tjOvababilon tjovita tja tezera ombara Sidkija, natji kemukamburira motutjandja popezu na Jeriko; ovarwe ve avehe wovita ve mu esa. 6 Sidkija wa twarewa kombara Nebukadnesar, ngwa ri motjihuro Ribla, nu mu tjo Nebukadnesar ome mu pangurira. 7 Ovazandu va Sidkija va ṱa, eye omuini ngunda ama tarere; tjazumba Nebukadnesar wa raera kutja omeho wa Sidkija ye homonwe, a pandekwe na twarewe kObabilon.
Omanyoneno wondjuwo ya Muhona
(Jer 52:12-23)8 Meyuva oritjahambombari komueze outjatano wombura oitjamurongo na muvyu youhona wa Nebukadnesar, ombara ya Babilon, Nebusaradan, omuyandjandunge wombara nomuhongore omunene wovatjevere, otja hita mOjerusalem. 9 Eye wa hwika ondjuwo ya Muhona, nondjuwo youhona, nozondjuwo azehe zovandu ovatjiukwa mOjerusalem; 10 novarwe ve wovita va haṋa orumbo rwotjihuro. 11 Nebusaradan wa twara ovandu imba mba hupa motjihuro kObabilon, na wina imba ovaungure ozonongo mba hupa, na imba mba kondere kOvababilon. 12 Nungwari eye wa isa ovandu tjiva mOjuda, imba ovasyona tjinene, mbe ha ri nouini, ne ve ungurisa movikunino vyomivite na momahi womakunino.
13 Ovababilon va hahaura ozongunḓe zongoporo nḓa ri pomahitiro wondjuwo ya Muhona, noutemba mbwa ri mondjuwo ya Muhona, noruungu orunene rwongoporo ndwa ri mo wina, nave twara ongoporo aihe kObabilon. 14 Owo wina va twara oviwote noviukiro vyomutwe mbyaa vi ungurisiwa okukohorora na vyo otjipunguhiro, novikonde vyomamunine, noviyaha vyokutirira mo ombinḓu yovinamuinyo vyozombunguhiro, noviyaha vyomatwimisiro, noviungurise avihe vyarwe vyongoporo mbyaa vi ungurisiwa mokukarera na vyo mondjuwo ya Muhona. 15 Owo va twara oviungurise avihe mbya ungurwa posilveri na pongoldo, okutja ouyaha ouṱiṱi noviyaha ovitjandja muyamu toorerwa omakara nge nomuriro. 16 Imbi oviṋa vyongoporo ombara Salomo mbya unguririre ondjuwo ya Muhona vya ri ovizeu tjinene okusanekwa, okutja ozongunḓe inḓa mbari zongoporo, noutemba wongoporo, noruungu indwi orunene rwongoporo. 17 Ozongunḓe nḓa mbari za sanene kumwe: Aihe ya ri noutonga wozometa hambondatu, nu ya ri notjiuru tjongoporo tji tja ri noure wometa imwe nohinga. Otjiuru atjihe peke tja kondorokisirwe noruzenga rwongoporo ndwa harekwa nozondenya zongoporo.
Otjiwaṋa tja Juda matji twarewa kObabilon
(Jer 52:24-27)18 Puna imbi oviṋa avihe Nebusaradan, omuhongore omunene wovatjevere, wa twara ooSeraja, Omupristeri Otjiuru, nomupristeri wokehi, novatjevere vetatu vopomahitiro wondjuwo ya Muhona otja ovahuurwa. 19 Okuza motjihuro eye wa twara omuhongore omunene ngwa ri omutye wovarwe wovita, novayandjandunge vetano vombara, ingee mba ri motjihuro, nomuvatere womuhongore omunene wotjimbumba tjovita, ngwa ri omutjangerepo wotjimbumba hi, novarumendu varwe ovatjiukwa omirongo hamboumwe wina mba ri motjihuro. 20 Nebusaradan we ve twara kombara ya Babilon ndja ri motjihuro Ribla, 21 mehi ra Hamat. Motjihuro hi ombara omu ye ve tonena nai ve zepa.
Komuhingo mbwi otjiwaṋa tja Juda otji tja twarewa kouhuura okuza mehi ratjo.
Gedalja ma rire omunane omunene wokehi yombara mehi ra Juda
(Jer 40:7-9Jer 41:1-3)22 Nebukadnesar, ombara ya Babilon, wa zika Gedalja, omuzandu wa Ahikam, omuzandu wa Safan, okurira ongooneya mehi ra Juda, ne mu ziki okurira omutye wa imba avehe mbe ha twarerwe kObabilon. 23 Ovahongore va Juda novarwe mbe ha huurirwe tjiva zuva nai, ve rikuta kuna Gedalja mOmispa. Ovahongore mba va ri ooIsmael, omuzandu wa Netanja, na Johanan, omuzandu wa Kareak, na Seraja, omuzandu wa Tanhumet, ngwa zire kotjirongo Netofa, na Jaasanja, ngwa zire kOmaaka. 24 Gedalja we ve yanena na tja ku wo: “Kahepero eṋe okuriyandja mouvara wombara ya Babilon. Tureye mehi ndi nu mu karere ombara ya Babilon, nu mamu kara nawa.”
25 Nungwari momueze outjahambombari wombura ndjo, Ismael, omuzandu wa Netanja, omuzandu wa Elisama womuhoko wouhona, wa ya kOmispa puna ovarumendu omurongo, a karwisa Gedalja ne mu zepa. Eye wina wa zepa Ovaisrael nOvababilon, mba ri puna ye mbo. 26 Ovaisrael avehe, ovatumbe novasyona puna ovahongore votjimbumba tjovita, va ya kOengipte, tjinga ave tira Ovababilon.
Jojakin ma pitisiwa motjovakamburwa
(Jer 52:31-34)27 Mombura Ewil-Merodak ndja rira ombara mObabilon, eye wa ṱotjari na Jojakin, ombara ya Juda, ne mu pitisa motjovakamburwa. Ihi tja tjitwa meyuva oritjamirongo vivari na hambombari komueze outjamurongo na vivari wombura oitjamirongo vitatu na hambombari, Jojakin tja za nokuhuurwa. 28 Ewil-Merodak we mu ṱuna nawa, ne mu haamisa poruveze rwondjozikiro, pu indwi eye ndwa yandja kozombara ozongwao, nḓa ri mouhuura puna ye mObabilon. 29 Komuhingo mbwi Jojakin otja yandjerwa okurihukura ozombanda zomotjovakamburwa nokukarya kotjiriro tjombara, ngunda a ri nomuinyo. 30 Eyuva arihe ngunda e nomuinyo, aa pewa oviparure mbya hepa.
