But what if you do not give yourself up to them? Then this city will be handed over to the Babylonians. They will burn it down. And you yourself will not escape from them.’ ”

你若不出去归降巴比伦王的首领，这城必交在迦勒底人手中。他们必用火焚烧，你也不得脱离他们的手。”

你若不归顺巴比伦王的官长，这城必交在迦勒底人手中。他们必用火焚烧，你也不得脱离他们的手。”

你若不归顺巴比伦王的官长，这城必交在迦勒底人手中。他们必用火焚烧，你也不得脱离他们的手。”

但如果你不出去向巴比伦王的将领投降，这城必落在迦勒底人手里，被付之一炬，你也逃不掉。’”

但你若不出去归降巴比伦王的将领，这城就必交在迦勒底人的手中；他们必放火烧毁这城，你自己也不能从他们的手里逃脱。’”

你若不出去歸降巴比倫王的首領，這城必交在迦勒底人手中。他們必用火焚燒，你也不得脫離他們的手。」

你若不歸順巴比倫王的官長，這城必交在迦勒底人手中。他們必用火焚燒，你也不得脫離他們的手。」

你若不歸順巴比倫王的官長，這城必交在迦勒底人手中。他們必用火焚燒，你也不得脫離他們的手。」

但如果你不出去向巴比倫王的將領投降，這城必落在迦勒底人手裡，被付之一炬，你也逃不掉。』」

但你若不出去歸降巴比倫王的將領，這城就必交在迦勒底人的手中；他們必放火燒毀這城，你自己也不能從他們的手裡逃脫。’”

但你若不出去歸降巴比倫王的首領，這城就必交在迦勒底人手中；他們必放火燒城，你自己也不能逃脫他們的手。』

如爾不出降於巴比倫王之牧伯、是邑必付於迦勒底人手、焚之以火、爾亦不得脫於其手、

不然迦勒底人必焚此城、爾亦不能脫於其手。

如爾不出邑見巴比倫王之將帥、斯邑必付於迦勒底人之手、必焚之以火、爾亦不能脫於其手、

But if you will not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians and they will burn it down; you yourself will not escape from them.’”

But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.”

But if you refuse to surrender, you will not escape! This city will be handed over to the Babylonians, and they will burn it to the ground.’”

But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city will be handed over to the Chaldeans. They will burn it, and you yourself will not escape from them.’”

But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be handed over to the Chaldeans; and they will burn it with fire, and you yourself will not escape from their hands.’ ”

But if you do not surrender to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans; they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.’”

But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city will be handed over to the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape from them.’”

But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be handed over to the Babylonians and they will burn it down. You yourself will not escape from them.’”

But if you will not go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire, and you won’t escape out of their hand.’”

The Lord also says,‘ This city will certainly be handed over to the armies of the king of Babylon. They will capture it.’ ”

“‘ But there are also bad figs. In fact, they are so bad they can’t be eaten,’ says the Lord.‘ Zedekiah, the king of Judah, is like these bad figs. So are his officials and the people of Jerusalem who are still left alive. I will punish them whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt.I will make all the kingdoms on earth displeased with them. In fact, they will hate them a great deal. They will shake their heads at them. They will curse them and make fun of them. All this will happen no matter where I force them to go.I will send war, hunger and plague against them. They will be destroyed from the land I gave them and their people of long ago.’ ”

Zedekiah, the king of Judah, had made Jeremiah a prisoner there. Zedekiah had said to him,“ Why do you prophesy as you do? You say,‘ The Lord says,“ I am about to hand over this city to the king of Babylon. He will capture it.Zedekiah, the king of Judah, will not escape from the powerful hands of the armies of Babylon. He will certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon. Zedekiah will speak with him face to face. He will see him with his own eyes.Nebuchadnezzar will take Zedekiah to Babylon. Zedekiah will remain there until I deal with him,” announces the Lord.“ Suppose you fight against the armies of Babylon. If you do, you will not succeed.” ’ ”

Then the Babylonians broke through the city wall. Judah’s whole army ran away at night. They went out through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They escaped even though the Babylonians surrounded the city. Judah’s army ran toward the Arabah Valley.But the Babylonian army chased King Zedekiah. They caught up with him in the plains near Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him. They had scattered in every direction.The king was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah. That’s where Nebuchadnezzar decided how he would be punished.Nebuchadnezzar’s men killed the sons of Zedekiah. They forced him to watch it with his own eyes. Then they poked out his eyes. They put him in bronze chains. And they took him to Babylon.Nebuzaradan was an official of the king of Babylon. In fact, he was commander of the royal guard. He came to Jerusalem. It was in the 19th year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. It was on the seventh day of the fifth month.Nebuzaradan set the Lord’ s temple on fire. He also set fire to the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. He burned down every important building.The whole Babylonian army broke down the walls around Jerusalem. That’s what the commander told them to do.

Awel- Marduk set Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, free from prison. It was in the 37th year after Jehoiachin had been taken away to Babylon. It was also the year Awel- Marduk became king of Babylon. It was on the 27th day of the 12th month.Awel- Marduk spoke kindly to Jehoiachin. He gave him a place of honor. Other kings were with Jehoiachin in Babylon. But his place was more important than theirs.So Jehoiachin put his prison clothes away. For the rest of Jehoiachin’s life the king provided what he needed.The king did that for Jehoiachin day by day as long as he lived.

“ All your wives and children will be brought out to the Babylonians. You yourself won’t escape from them. You will be captured by the king of Babylon. And this city will be burned down.”

Then the Babylonians broke through the city wall. Judah’s whole army ran away. They left the city at night. They went out through the gate between the two walls that were near the king’s garden. They escaped even though the Babylonians surrounded the city. Judah’s army ran toward the Arabah Valley.But the armies of Babylon chased King Zedekiah. They caught up with him in the plains near Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him. They had scattered in every direction.The king was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah. Riblah was in the land of Hamath. That’s where Nebuchadnezzar decided how Zedekiah would be punished.At Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah. He forced him to watch it with his own eyes. Nebuchadnezzar also killed all the officials of Judah.Then he poked out Zedekiah’s eyes. He put him in bronze chains. And he took him to Babylon. There he put Zedekiah in prison until the day he died.

Then the armies of Babylon will come back here. They will attack this city. They will capture it. Then they will burn it down.’

“ I am the Lord, the God of Israel. Go to Zedekiah, the king of Judah. Tell him,‘ The Lord says,“ I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon. He will burn it down.You will not escape from his power. You will certainly be captured. You will be handed over to him. You will see the king of Babylon with your own eyes. He will speak with you face to face. And you will go to Babylon.

Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, handed himself over to Nebuchadnezzar. Jehoiachin’s mother did the same thing. And so did all his attendants, nobles and officials. The king of Babylon took Jehoiachin away as his prisoner. It was in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule.

All the officials of the king of Babylon came. They took seats near the Middle Gate. Nergal- Sharezer from Samgar was there. Nebo- Sarsekim, a chief officer, was also there. So was Nergal- Sharezer, a high official. And all the other officials of the king of Babylon were there too.

I will spread out my net to catch him. He will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylon. I will judge him there because he was not faithful to me.All Zedekiah’s best troops will be killed by swords. Those who are left alive will be scattered to the winds. Then you will know that I have spoken. I am the Lord.”

King Zedekiah, your day has come. You are an unholy and evil prince in Israel. The day for you to be punished is here.The Lord and King says,“ Take off your turban. Remove your crown. Things will not be as they were in the past. Those who are considered not important will be honored. And those who are honored will be considered not important.Jerusalem will fall. I will destroy it. It will not be rebuilt until the true king comes. After all, the kingdom belongs to him. I will give it to him.

But the armies of Babylon chased them. They caught up with Zedekiah in the plains near Jericho. They captured him there. And they took him to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. He was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. That’s where Nebuchadnezzar decided how Zedekiah would be punished.The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah. He forced Zedekiah to watch it with his own eyes. He also killed all the nobles of Judah.Then he poked out Zedekiah’s eyes. He put him in bronze chains. And he took him to Babylon.

I will spread out my net to catch him. He will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylon. It is the land where the Chaldeans live. But he will not see it. He will die there.

That includes all of you who walked between the pieces of the calf. It includes the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials and the priests. It also includes some of the people of the land.So I will hand over all those people to their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.“ I will hand over King Zedekiah and his officials to their enemies. I will hand them over to those who want to kill them. I will hand them over to the armies of the king of Babylon. They have now pulled back from you.But I am going to give an order,” announces the Lord.“ I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it. They will capture it and burn it down. And I will completely destroy the towns of Judah. No one will be able to live there.”