Jerusalem Is Captured by the Babylonians
(Jeremiah 52.4-162 Kings 25.1-12)1-3 In the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army began their attack on Jerusalem. They kept the city surrounded for a year and a half. Then, on the ninth day of the fourth month of the eleventh year that Zedekiah was king, they broke through the city walls.
After Jerusalem was captured, Nebuchadnezzar's highest officials, including Nebo Sarsechim and Nergal Sharezer from Simmagir, took their places at Middle Gate to show they were in control of the city.
4 When King Zedekiah and his troops saw that Jerusalem had been captured, they tried to escape from the city that same night. They went to the king's garden, where they slipped through the gate between the two city walls and headed toward the Jordan River valley. 5 But the Babylonian troops caught up with them near Jericho. They arrested Zedekiah and took him to the town of Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar put him on trial, then found him guilty, 6 and gave orders for him to be punished. Zedekiah's sons were killed there in front of him, and so were the leaders of Judah's ruling families. 7 Then his eyes were poked out, and he was put in chains, so he could be dragged off to Babylonia.
8 Meanwhile, the Babylonian army had burned the houses in Jerusalem, including the royal palace, and they had broken down the city walls. 9 Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian officer in charge of the guards, led away everyone from the city as prisoners, even those who had deserted to Nebuchadnezzar. 10 Only the poorest people who owned no land were left behind in Judah, and Nebuzaradan gave them fields and vineyards.
11 Nebuchadnezzar had given the following orders to Nebuzaradan: 12 “Find Jeremiah and keep him safe. Take good care of him and do whatever he asks.”
13 Nebuzaradan, Nebushazban, Nergal Sharezer, and the other officers of King Nebuchadnezzar 14 sent some of their troops to bring me from the courtyard of the royal palace guards. They put me in the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam and told him to take me to my home. And so I was allowed to stay with the people who remained in Judah.
The Lord Promises To Protect Ebedmelech
15 While I was a prisoner in the courtyard of the palace guard, the Lord told me to say 16 to Ebedmelech from Ethiopia:
I am the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel. I warned everyone that I would bring disaster, not prosperity, to this city. Now very soon I will do what I said, and you will see it happen. 17-18 But because you trusted me, I will protect you from the officials of Judah, and when Judah is struck by disaster, I will rescue you and keep you alive. I, the Lord, have spoken.
Jerusalem tashi teka po
1 Momwedhi omutimulongo gwomumvo omutimugoyi Sedekia sho a li omukwaniilwa gwaJuda, Nebukadnezzar, omukwaniilwa gwaBabilon, okwe ya netangakwiita lye alihe e ta ponokele Jerusalem. 2 Mesiku etimugoyi lyomwedhi omutine gwomumvo gwaSedekia omutimulongo nagumwe, medhingililokuma lyoshilando omwa tsuwa oombululu.
3 (Jerusalem sho sha kwatwa po, omalenga agehe omanene gomukwaniilwa gwaBabilonia oge ya e taga kala pOsheelo shopokati, mu na Nergal Sareser, Samgar Nebo, Sarsekim naNergal Sareser gulwe.)
4 Omukwaniilwa Sedekia naakwiita ye ayehe sho ye shi mono, oya kambadhala ya gwaye mo uusiku ya ye ontuku. Oye ende nondjila tayi uka koshikunino shuuwa, oya pitile mosheelo shi li pokati komadhingililokuma gaali noya yi yu uka lwokesilu lyaJordan. 5 Ihe etangakwiita lyaBabilonia olye ya landula e tali kwatele Sedekia polushandja lu li popepi naJeriko. Oye mu fala komukwaniilwa Nebukadnezzar kuRibla moshikandjo Hamat, noko nkoka Nebukadnezzar e mu pangula. 6 Okwa dhipagitha aana yaSedekia montaneho yaSedekia, okwa dhipagitha wo omalenga omakuluntu gaJuda. 7 Konima yaambika okwa tsipulitha mo omeho gaSedekia e te mu tula momalyenge nokufalwa kuBabilon. 8 Aababilonia oya fike po uuwa nomagumbo gaantu noya kumuna po omadhingililokuma gaJerusalem. 9 Hugunina Nebusaradan, elenga ekuluntu lyaalangeli, okwa kwata po aantu mboka ya li ya hupile moshilando nokwe ya fala oonkwatwa kuBabilon, pamwe naamboka ya adhikile yi igandja kuye. 10 Ihe oohepele dhomoshigwana ndhoka dha li dhaa na sha, Nebusaradan okwe dhi thigi muJuda e te dhi pe iitsambe yomiviinu nomapya.
Jeremia ta mangululwa
11 Omukwaniilwa Nebukadnezzar okwa lombwele elenga ekuluntu lyaalangeli Nebusaradan a ti: 12 “Inda u ka konge Jeremia, u mu sile oshimpwiyu. Ino mu ehameka tuu, ihe mu ningila shoka a hala.” 13 Nebusaradan, pamwe nomalenga omakuluntu ooNebushashan naNergal Sareser nomalenga galwe gomukwaniilwa gwaBabilon, 14 oya kutha ndje molugumbo lwomalangelo. Oya tula ndje moshimpwiyu shaGedalia yaAhikam, omutekulu gwaShafan, ngoka a li e na okuthindikila ndje sigo okegumbo. Osho ngaaka nda thigala mokati koshigwana.
Etegameno lyaEbedmelek
15 Manga nda li molugumbo lwomalangelo, Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje, 16 ndi lombwele Omuetiopia Ebedmelek kutya Omuwa Omunankondoawike, Kalunga kaIsrael, okwa ti: “Otandi ningi shili ngaashi nda ti, otandi ka hanagula po oshilando shika, itashi kala shi na elago. Ihe shika nge tashi ningwa, oto ke shi tala nkene tashi ningwa. 17 Ihe ngame, Omuwa, otandi ke ku gamena, noito ka gandjwa miikaha yaantu mboka wa tila. 18 Otandi ke ku gamena, noito ka dhipagwa nando. Oto ka fadhuka po u na omwenyo, oshoka owi inekela ndje. Ongame, Omuwa, nda popi.”
