וַיְהִי בִשְׁנַת הַתְּשִׁיעִית לְמָלְכוֹ בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ בָּא נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל הוּא וְכָל־חֵילוֹ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם וַיִּחַן עָלֶיהָ וַיִּבְנוּ עָלֶיהָ דָּיֵק סָבִיב

It was during the ninth year of his, Tzidkiyahu’s, reign, during the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, the tenth of Tevet, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, he and his entire army, came against Jerusalem and encamped against it. It seems that Nebuchadnezzar himself did not camp near Jerusalem. He managed the battle from the Babylonian base in Rivla, which was closer to Babylon. However, his army, which was encamped near Jerusalem, besieged the city, and they built a rampart against it, around it. Since they were unable to breach the walls of Jerusalem with the tools at their disposal, the Babylonians built a wall, or elevated structure, or possibly a tower, which enabled them to tighten their closure around the city, watch movements inside, shoot into the city, and block the entrance of any supplies. They were also able to build additional war machines to aid in destroying the walls around Jerusalem.

וַתָּבֹא הָעִיר בַּמָּצוֹר עַד עַשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה לַמֶּלֶךְ צִדְקִיָּהוּ

The city remained under siege until the eleventh year of King Tzidkiyahu.

בְּתִשְׁעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ וַיֶּחֱזַק הָרָעָב בָּעִיר וְלֹא־הָיָה לֶחֶם לְעַם הָאָרֶץ

On the ninth day of the month of Tamuz, the famine intensified in the city, and although the wealthier people might still have had some stored provisions, there was no bread for the people of the land, the general populace.

וַתִּבָּקַע הָעִיר וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַלַּיְלָה דֶּרֶךְ שַׁעַר בֵּין הַחֹמֹתַיִם אֲשֶׁר עַל גַּן הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּים עַל־הָעִיר סָבִיב וַיֵּלֶךְ דֶּרֶךְ הָעֲרָבָה

The city was breached, and all the men of war fled by night via the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden. The Chaldeans were set around the city, and he, Tzidkiyahu, went with his men on the way of the Arava. This may refer to the general region of the Arava, or may refer to a specific place. A city known as Beit Arava, located in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea, is mentioned in the book of Joshua.

וַיִּרְדְּפוּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים אַחַר הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּשִּׂגוּ אֹתוֹ בְּעַרְבוֹת יְרֵחוֹ וְכָל־חֵילוֹ נָפֹצוּ מֵעָלָיו

The army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his forces, his soldiers, who were, of course, swifter than the king and his family, dispersed from him when he was discovered.

וַיִּתְפְּשׂוּ אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּעֲלוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל־מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל רִבְלָתָה וַיְדַבְּרוּ אִתּוֹ מִשְׁפָּט

They seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon, to Rivla; they issued a judgment upon him. Nebuchadnezzar claimed that Tzidkiyahu had betrayed the oath of loyalty that he had taken in the name of God not to rebel against the king of Babylon.

וְאֶת־בְּנֵי צִדְקִיָּהוּ שָׁחֲטוּ לְעֵינָיו וְאֶת־עֵינֵי צִדְקִיָּהוּ עִוֵּר וַיַּאַסְרֵהוּ בַּנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם וַיְבִאֵהוּ בָּבֶל

They slaughtered the sons of Tzidkiyahu before his eyes in order to torment him, and only afterward they blinded the eyes of Tzidkiyahu, shackled him in bronze chains, and brought him to Babylon.

וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִׁי בְּשִׁבְעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ הִיא שְׁנַת תְּשַׁע־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה לַמֶּלֶךְ נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל בָּא נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב־טַבָּחִים עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל יְרוּשָׁלִָם

In the fifth month, on the seventh of the month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nevuzaradan captain of the guards [tabbah·], servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. The term tabbaḥim literally means “slaughterers.” Some explain that Nevuzaradan commanded an army unit that specialized in executions.

וַיִּשְׂרֹף אֶת־בֵּית ה' וְאֶת־בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֵת כָּל־בָּתֵּי יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְאֶת־כָּל־בֵּית גָּדוֹל שָׂרַף בָּאֵשׁ

He burned the House of the Lord, the king’s palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned every great house, the house of every great man in Jerusalem, in fire.

וְאֶת־חוֹמֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם סָבִיב נָתְצוּ כָּל־חֵיל כַּשְׂדִּים אֲשֶׁר רַב־טַבָּחִים

All the Chaldean soldiers, the Babylonians, who were with the captain of the guards smashed the walls of Jerusalem all around.

וְאֵת יֶתֶר הָעָם הַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּעִיר וְאֶת־הַנֹּפְלִים אֲשֶׁר נָפְלוּ עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ בָּבֶל וְאֵת יֶתֶר הֶהָמוֹן הֶגְלָה נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב־טַבָּחִים

The rest of the people who remained in the city, and those who had exited the city and given themselves up to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude, Nevuzaradan captain of the guards exiled to Babylon.

וּמִדַּלַּת הָאָרֶץ הִשְׁאִיר רַב־טַבָּחִים לְכֹרְמִים וּלְיוֹגְבִים

The captain of the guards left some people behind from among the impoverished of the land to work as vine growers and farmers. He took with him all the nobles, leaving behind only the simplest folk to till the land so that it would not become entirely desolate.

וְאֶת עַמּוּדֵי הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר בֵּית־ה' וְאֶת־הַמְּכֹנוֹת וְאֶת־יָם הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית־ה' שִׁבְּרוּ כַשְׂדִּים וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־נְחֻשְׁתָּם בָּבֶלָה

The Chaldeans broke the huge bronze pillars that were situated in the House of the Lord, which King Solomon had called Yakhin and Boaz, and the bronze trolleys on which the basins rested, and the bronze sea, the large water container, that were in the House of the Lord, and carried their bronze to Babylon. They had no interest in the vessels themselves, as they had no use for them and did not consider them to be of any importance. Also, carrying them to Babylon would have been a difficult task, so they broke them into smaller, more manageable pieces, which they took with them back to their homeland for other uses.

וְאֶת־הַסִּירוֹת וְאֶת־הַיָּעִים וְאֶת־הַמְזַמְּרוֹת וְאֶת־הַכַּפּוֹת וְאֵת כָּל־כְּלֵי הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ־בָם לָקָחוּ

They took the pots, the shovels, the musical instruments, the ladles, and all the bronze vessels with which they served, with which the Temple service had been performed.

וְאֶת־הַמַּחְתּוֹת וְאֶת־הַמִּזְרָקוֹת אֲשֶׁר זָהָב זָהָב וַאֲשֶׁר־כֶּסֶף כָּסֶף לָקַח רַב־טַבָּחִים

Also the fire-pans and the bowls from which the blood of offerings was sprinkled against the wall of the altar, whatever was of gold, the gold, and whatever was of silver, the silver, the captain of the guards took.

הָעַמּוּדִים שְׁנַיִם הַיָּם הָאֶחָד וְהַמְּכֹנוֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה שְׁלֹמֹה לְבֵית ה'לֹא־הָיָה מִשְׁקָל לִנְחֹשֶׁת כָּל־הַכֵּלִים הָאֵלֶּה

The two pillars, the one sea, and the trolleys that Solomon had made for the House of the Lord; there was no weight for the bronze of all these vessels. These items, which contained an enormous amount of bronze, were taken solely for the metal from which they were fashioned.

שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה קוֹמַת הָעַמּוּד הָאֶחָד וְכֹתֶרֶת עָלָיו נְחֹשֶׁת וְקוֹמַת הַכֹּתֶרֶת שָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת וּשְׂבָכָה וְרִמֹּנִים עַל־הַכֹּתֶרֶת סָבִיב הַכֹּל נְחֹשֶׁת וְכָאֵלֶּה לָעַמּוּד הַשֵּׁנִי עַל־הַשְּׂבָכָה

Eighteen cubits was the height of a pillar, and there was a bronze capital upon it; the height of the capital was three cubits, with a screen and decorative pomegranates upon the capital around, all of bronze; like these, the same features, had been constructed for the second pillar on the screen, meaning that the two capitals were identical.

וַיִּקַּח רַב־טַבָּחִים אֶת־שְׂרָיָה כֹּהֵן הָרֹאשׁ וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָהוּ כֹּהֵן מִשְׁנֶה וְאֶת־שְׁלֹשֶׁת שֹׁמְרֵי הַסַּף

The captain of the guards took among the captives Seraya the chief priest, the High Priest, Tzefanyahu the deputy to the High Priest, and the three gatekeepers, the senior officers in the Temple, in whose possession the keys to the chambers and the treasuries were entrusted.

וּמִן־הָעִיר לָקַח סָרִיס אֶחָד אֲשֶׁר־הוּא פָקִיד עַל־אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים מֵרֹאֵי פְנֵי־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר נִמְצְאוּ בָעִיר וְאֵת הַסֹּפֵר שַׂר הַצָּבָא הַמַּצְבִּא אֶת־עַם הָאָרֶץ וְשִׁשִּׁים אִישׁ מֵעַם הָאָרֶץ הַנִּמְצְאִים בָּעִיר

From the city he took one official [saris], a term that generally refers to a eunuch in Hebrew but means an officer in Akkadian, who was appointed over the men of war, and five men of those who see the king’s face, dignitaries close to the king, who were found in the city at that time; the scribe of the commander of the army, who directs the people of the land in going out to war; and sixty men of the people of the land, important and distinguished individuals, perhaps members of the Great Sanhedrin, who were found inside the city.

וַיִּקַּח אֹתָם נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב־טַבָּחִים וַיֹּלֶךְ אֹתָם עַל מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל רִבְלָתָה

Nevuzaradan captain of the guards took them, and he led them to the king of Babylon, to Rivla.

וַיַּךְ אֹתָם מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וַיְמִיתֵם בְּרִבְלָה בְּאֶרֶץ חֲמָת וַיִּגֶל יְהוּדָה מֵעַל אַדְמָתוֹ

The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, smote them and put them to death in Rivla, in the land of Hamat. Since they were members of the government and advisers of King Tzidkiyahu, Nebuchadnezzar viewed them as accomplices to the rebellion. Thus Judah was exiled from upon its land.

וְהָעָם הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁאִיר נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וַיַּפְקֵד עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־גְּדַלְיָהוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָם בֶּן־שָׁפָן

As for the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed Gedalyahu, son of Ahikam, son of Shafan, over them. Shafan was a scribe, King Yoshiyahu’s minister for foreign affairs (see 22:3). For many generations this family maintained a conciliatory stance toward Babylon, which is perhaps why Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedalyahu as governor over the land.

וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כָל־שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים הֵמָּה וְהָאֲנָשִׁים כִּי־הִפְקִיד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל אֶת־גְּדַלְיָהוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־גְּדַלְיָהוּ הַמִּצְפָּה ויִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה וְיוֹחָנָן בֶּן־קָרֵחַ וּשְׂרָיָה בֶן־תַּנְחֻמֶת הַנְּטֹפָתִי וְיַאֲזַנְיָהוּ בֶּן־הַמַּעֲכָתִי הֵמָּה וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶם

All the commanders of the armies, the army officers who had fled from Jerusalem, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedalyahu; they came to Gedalyahu, to the Mitzpa, in the territory of Benjamin, north of Jerusalem. They gathered around Gedalyahu like a small army, in order to preserve some sort of Israelite presence there. Included in this group was Yishmael son of Netanya, Yohanan son of Kare’ah, Seraya son of Tanhumet the Netofatite, and Yaazanyahu son of the Maakhatite, they and their men.

וַיִּשָּׁבַע לָהֶם גְּדַלְיָהוּ וּלְאַנְשֵׁיהֶם וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אַל־תִּירְאוּ מֵעַבְדֵי הַכַּשְׂדִּים שְׁבוּ בָאָרֶץ וְעִבְדוּ אֶת־מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וְיִטַב לָכֶם

Gedalyahu took an oath to them and to their men, promising that no evil would befall them. He said to them: Do not fear the servants of the Chaldeans; settle in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well for you, as I have the authority to do as I see fit.

וַיְהִי בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בָּא יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה בֶּן־אֱלִישָׁמָע מִזֶּרַע הַמְּלוּכָה וַעֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים אִתּוֹ וַיַּכּוּ אֶת־גְּדַלְיָהוּ וַיָּמֹת וְאֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים וְאֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּים אֲשֶׁר־הָיוּ אִתּוֹ בַּמִּצְפָּה

It was during the seventh month, probably on the first day of the month, which is Rosh HaShana, and Yishmael, son of Netanya, son of Elishama, who was a descendant of royalty, came, and ten men with him, and they smote Gedalyahu and he died, and they also killed the Judeans and the Chaldeans who were with him at the Mitzpa.

וַיָּקֻמוּ כָל־הָעָם מִקָּטֹן וְעַד־גָּדוֹל וְשָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים וַיָּבֹאוּ מִצְרָיִם כִּי יָרְאוּ מִפְּנֵי כַשְׂדִּים

All the remaining people, from small to great, and the commanders of the armies, arose and came to Egypt, as they were afraid of the Chaldeans. They were scared that the Chaldeans, who had appointed Gedalyahu governor, would avenge his death. Although the prophet Jeremiah encouraged the people to stay in the land and told them not to be afraid, they refused to listen to him and took him with them, against his will, to Egypt.

וַיְהִי בִשְׁלֹשִׁים וָשֶׁבַע שָׁנָה לְגָלוּת יְהוֹיָכִין מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה בִּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁבְעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ נָשָׂא אֱוִיל מְרֹדַךְ מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל בִּשְׁנַת מָלְכוֹ אֶת־רֹאשׁ יְהוֹיָכִין מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה מִבֵּית כֶּלֶא

It was in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Yehoyakhin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar’s son Evil Merodakh king of Babylon, in the year of the onset of his reign, raised the head of Yehoyakhin king of Judah and took him out of prison.

וַיְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ טֹבוֹת וַיִּתֵּן אֶת־כִּסְאוֹ מֵעַל כִּסֵּא הַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ בְּבָבֶל

He spoke kindly to him, and moreover, he put his seat above the seat of the kings from other countries who had been conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and were with him in Babylon.

וְשִׁנָּא אֵת בִּגְדֵי כִלְאוֹ וְאָכַל לֶחֶם תָּמִיד לְפָנָיו כָּל־יְמֵי חַיָּיו

He changed his prison garments to those of a free man, and he ate bread before him always, all the rest of the days of his life.

וַאֲרֻחָתוֹ אֲרֻחַת תָּמִיד נִתְּנָה־לּוֹ מֵאֵת הַמֶּלֶךְ דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיָּו

His allotment, a regular allotment, was given to him from the king, each day’s portion on its day, all the days of his life. Yehoyakhin was the last surviving member of the Davidic dynasty, as Tzidkiyahu’s sons had been executed at Nebuchadnezzar’s order. The conclusion of the book thus teaches that the house of David did not disappear. Indeed, all the leaders of the Babylonian exile in later generations, the Exilarchs, traced their lineage to David and were descendants of Yehoyakhin. These last verses describe how a ray of hope already shone upon the Jews during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar’s son, as their former king was raised to a dignified state.