2 Kings 25 - Contemporary English Version (Anglicised) 2012（CEVUK）

Jerusalem is destroyed and the people are taken to BabyloniaJerusalem is captured and destroyed(2 Chronicles 36.17-21; Jeremiah 52.3-30)

1In 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.

2-3After a year and a half, all the food in Jerusalem was gone. Then on the ninth day of the fourth month,

4the 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 towards the desert,

8About a month later, in Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king, Nebuzaradan, who was his official in charge of the guards, arrived in Jerusalem.

9Nebuzaradan burnt down the LORD's temple, the king's palace, and every important building in the city, as well as all the houses.

18Next, Nebuzaradan arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah his assistant, and three temple officials.

19Then he arrested one of the army commanders, the king's five personal advisers, and the officer in charge of gathering the troops for battle. He also found sixty more soldiers who were still in Jerusalem.

20Nebuzaradan led them all to Riblah

21near Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar had them killed.

The people of Judah no longer lived in their own country.

Gedaliah is made ruler and King Jehoiachin is released from prisonGedaliah is made ruler of the people left in Judah(Jeremiah 40.7-9; 41.1-3)

22King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam to rule the few people still living in Judah. 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.Jehoiachin is set free(Jeremiah 52.31-34)

27Jehoiachin was a prisoner in Babylon for thirty-seven 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.

28Evil-Merodach was kind to Jehoiachin and honoured him more than any of the other kings held prisoner there.

29Jehoiachin was even allowed to wear his own clothes, and he ate at the king's table every day.

30As long as Jehoiachin lived, he was paid a daily allowance to buy whatever he needed.