Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Jeremiah chapters 39 and 52, as well as 2 Kings
chapter 25. The book of Jeremiah chapter 39.
In the ninth year of Zedekiah, king of Judah,
in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged
it. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the
fourth month, on the ninth day of the month,
the city was penetrated. Then all the princes
of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the
middle gate. With the rest of the princes of
the king of Babylon. So it was when Zedekiah
the king of Judah and all the men of war saw
them, that they fled and went out of the city
by night by way of the king's garden, by the
gate between the two walls, and he went out by
way of the plain. But the Chaldean army pursued
them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho.
And when they had captured him, they brought
him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to
Riblah, in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced
judgment on him. Then the king of Babylon killed
the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah.
The king of Babylon also killed all the nobles
of Judah. Moreover, he put out Zedekiah's eyes
and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him
off to Babylon. And the Chaldeans burned the
king's house and houses of the people with fire
and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuchadnezzar,
the captain of the guard, carried away captive
to Babylon the remnant of the people who remained
in the city and those who defected to him. with
the rest of the people who remained. But Nebuchadnezzar,
the captain of the guard, left in the land of
Judah the poor people who had nothing, and gave
them vineyards and fields at the same time. Now
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, gave charge
concerning Jeremiah to Nebuchadnezzar, the captain
of the guard, saying, Take him and look after
him, and do him no harm, but do to him just as
he says to you. So Nebuchadnezzar, the captain
of the guard, sent Nebuchadnezzar Then they sent
someone to take Jeremiah from the court of the
prison and committed him to Gedaliah, the son
of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should
take him home. So he dwelt among the people.
Meanwhile, the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah
while he was shut up in the court of the prison,
saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God
of Israel, Behold, I will bring my words upon
this city for adversity and not for good, and
they shall be performed in that day before you.
But I will deliver you in that day, says the
Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand
of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will
surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by
the sword, but your life shall be as a prize
to you, because you have put your trust in me,
says the Lord. Zedekiah was 21 years old when
he became king and he reigned 11 years in Jerusalem.
His mother's name was Hamotel, the daughter of
Jeremiah of Libna. He also did evil in the sight
of the Lord according to all that Jehoiakim had
done. For because of the anger of the Lord, this
happened in Jerusalem and Judah till he finally
cast them out from his presence. Then Zedekiah
rebelled against the king of Babylon. Now it
came to pass in the ninth year of his reign In
the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month,
that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his
army came against Jerusalem and encamped against
it, and they built a siege wall against it all
around. So the city was besieged until the eleventh
year of king Zedekiah. By the fourth month, on
the ninth day of the month, the famine had become
so severe in the city that there was no food
for the people of the land. Then the city wall
was broken through, And all the men of war fled
and went out of the city at night by way of the
gate between the two walls, which was by the
king's garden, even though the Chaldeans were
near the city all around, and they went by way
of the plain. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued
the king, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains
of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him.
So they took the king and brought him up to the
king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamad,
and he pronounced judgment on him. Then the king
of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before
his eyes, and he killed all the princes of Judah
in Riblah. He also put out the eyes of Zedekiah,
and the king of Babylon bound him in bronze fetters,
took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till
the day of his death. Now in the fifth month,
on the tenth day of the month, which was the
nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, the captain of the guard,
who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.
He burned the house of the Lord and the king's
house, all the houses of Jerusalem, that is,
all the houses of the great, he burned with fire.
And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with
the captain of the guard, broke down all the
walls of Jerusalem all around. Then Nebuchadnezzar,
the captain of the guard, carried away captive
some of the poor people, the rest of the people
who remained in the city, the defectors who had
deserted to the king of Babylon, and the rest
of the craftsmen. But Nebuchadnezzar, the captain
of the guard, left some of the poor of the land
as vinedressers and farmers. The bronze pillars
that were in the house of the Lord, and the carts
and the bronze sea that were in the house of
the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried
all their bronze to Babylon. They also took away
the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the bowls,
the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with
which the priests ministered. The basins, the
firepans, the bowls, the pots, the lampstands,
the spoons, and the cups, whatever was solid
gold and whatever was solid silver, the captain
of the guard took away. The two pillars, one
sea, the twelve bronze bowls, which were under
it, and the carts, which King Solomon had made
for the house of the Lord, the bronze of all
these articles was beyond measure. now concerning
the pillars the height of one pillar was 18 cubits
a measuring line of 12 cubits could measure its
circumference and its thickness was four fingers
it was hollow a capital of bronze was on it and
the height of one capital was five cubits with
a network and pomegranates all around the capital
all of bronze the second pillar with pomegranates
was the same there were 96 pomegranates on the
sides All the pomegranates all around on the
network were 100. The captain of the guard took
Saria the chief priest, Zephaniah the second
priest, and the three doorkeepers. He also took
out of the city an officer who had charge of
the men of war, seven men of the king's close
associates who were found in the city. the principal
scribe of the army who mustered the people of
the land, and sixty men of the people of the
land who were found in the midst of the city.
And Nebuchadnezzar, the captain of the guard,
took these and brought them to the king of Babylon
at Riblah. Then the king of Babylon struck them
and put them to death at Riblah in the land of
Hamad. Thus Judah was carried away captive from
its own land. These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar
carried away captive. In the seventh year, three
thousand and twenty -three Jews. In the 18th
year of Nebuchadnezzar, he carried away captive
from Jerusalem 832 persons. In the 23rd year
of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebu Zaradan, the captain
of the guard, carried away captive of the Jews
745 persons. All the persons were 4 ,600. Now
it came to pass, in the thirty -seventh year
of the captivity of Jehoashin king of Judah,
in the twelfth month on the twenty -fifth day
of the month, that evil Merodach king of Babylon,
in the first year of his reign, lifted up the
head of Jehoakim king of Judah and brought him
out of prison. And he spoke kindly to him and
gave him a more prominent seat than those of
the kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiakim
changed from his prison garments, and he ate
bread regularly before the king all the days
of his life. And as for his provisions, there
was a regular ration given him by the king of
Babylon, a portion for each day until the day
of his death, all the days of his life. Now it
came to pass in the ninth year of his reign,
in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month,
that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his
army came against Jerusalem and encamped against
it, and they built a siege wall against it all
around. So the city was besieged until the eleventh
year of king Zedekiah. by the ninth day of the
fourth month the famine had become so severe
in the city that there was no food for the people
of the land then the city wall was broken through
and all the men of war fled at night by way of
the gate between the two walls which was by the
king's garden even though the chaldeans were
still encamped all around against the city and
the king went by way of the plain but the army
of the chaldeans pursued the king and they overtook
him in the plains of jericho All his army was
scattered from him. So they took the king and
brought him up to the king of Babylon at Ribla,
and they pronounced judgment on him. Then they
killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes,
put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with
bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon. And
in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the
month, which was the nineteenth year of King
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar,
the captain of the guard, a servant of the king
of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the
house of the Lord and the king's house, all the
houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses
of the great. He burned with fire, and all the
army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain
of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem
all around. Then Nebuchadnezzar, the captain
of the guard, carried away captive the rest of
the people who remained in the city, and the
defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon
with the rest of the multitude. But the captain
of the guard left some of the poor of the land
as vinedressers and farmers. The bronze pillars
that were in the house of the Lord and the carts
and the bronze sea that were in the house of
the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried
their bronze to Babylon. They also took away
the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the spoons,
and all the bronze utensils with which the priests
ministered, the firepans and the basins, the
things of solid gold and solid silver the captain
of the guard took away, the two pillars, one
sea, and the carts, which Solomon had made for
the house of the Lord. The bronze of all these
articles was beyond measure. The height of one
pillar was eighteen cubits, and the capital on
it was of bronze. The height of the capital was
three cubits, and the network and pomegranates
all around the capital were all of bronze. The
second pillar was the same, with a network. And
the captain of the guard took Soraya the chief
priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the
three doorkeepers. He also took out of the city
an officer who had charge of the men of war.
five men of the king's close associates who were
found in the city, the chief recruiting officer
of the army who mustered the people of the land,
and sixty men of the people of the land who were
found in the city. So Nebuchadnezzar, captain
of the guard, took these and brought them to
the king of Babylon at Riblah. Then the king
of Babylon struck them and put them to death
at Riblah in the land of Hamad. Thus Judah was
carried away captive from its own land. Then
he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of
Shaphan, governor over the people who remained
in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king
of Babylon, had left. Now when all the captains
of the armies, they and their men, heard that
the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor,
they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, Ishmael the
son of Nathania, Johanan the son of Kariah, Sariah
the son of Tenhumait, the Netophittite. and Jazania
the son of Amaketite, they and their men. And
Gedaliah took an oath before them and their men,
and said to them, Do not be afraid of the servants
of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land, and serve
the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with
you. But it happened in the seventh month, that
Ishmael the son of Nethania, the son of Elishama
of the royal family, came with ten men, and struck
and killed Gedaliah, the Jews as well as the
Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah, and all
the people small and great, and the captains
of the armies arose and went to Egypt, for they
were afraid of the Chaldeans. Now it came to
pass in the thirty -seventh year of the captivity
of Jehoashin king of Judah, in the twelfth month,
on the twenty -seventh day of the month, that
evil Merodach king of Babylon, in the year that
he began to reign, released Jehoashin king of
Judah from prison. He spoke kindly to him and
gave him a more prominent seat than those of
the kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoashin
changed from his prison garments and he ate bread
regularly before the king all the days of his
life. And as for his provisions, there was a
regular ration given him by the king, a portion
for each day, all the days of his life. I hope
you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did.
And I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow
to continue on our journey. God bless you and
have a great day.