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Jeremia 39:2
And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. (niv)
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2 Könige 23 34
Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, and there he died. (niv)
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2 Chronik 36 5-2 Chronik 36 8
Jehoiakim was twenty- five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God.Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked him and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon articles from the temple of the Lord and put them in his temple there.The other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, the detestable things he did and all that was found against him, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king. (niv)
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2 Könige 24 17-2 Könige 25 30
He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.Zedekiah was twenty- one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim had done.It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it.The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat.Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah,but the Babylonian army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,and he was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where sentence was pronounced on him.They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down.The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.But the commander left behind some of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried the bronze to Babylon.They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service.The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls— all that were made of pure gold or silver.The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed.Each pillar was eighteen cubits high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was three cubits high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar.The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and five royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land and sixty of the conscripts who were found in the city.Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed. So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to be over the people he had left behind in Judah.When all the army officers and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah— Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men.Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men.“ Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said.“ Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.At this, all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt for fear of the Babylonians.In the thirty- seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel- Marduk became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. He did this on the twenty- seventh day of the twelfth month.He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived. (niv)
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Jeremia 28:1-17
In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people:“ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:‘ I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon.I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord,‘ for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord.He said,“ Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people:From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms.But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.”Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it,and he said before all the people,“ This is what the Lord says:‘ In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:“ Go and tell Hananiah,‘ This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron.This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.’”Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet,“ Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.Therefore this is what the Lord says:‘ I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’”In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died. (niv)
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Sacharja 8:19
This is what the Lord Almighty says:“ The fasts of the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months will become joyful and glad occasions and happy festivals for Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.” (niv)
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Jeremia 37:1-21
Zedekiah son of Josiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he reigned in place of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim.Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.King Zedekiah, however, sent Jehukal son of Shelemiah with the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah the prophet with this message:“ Please pray to the Lord our God for us.”Now Jeremiah was free to come and go among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison.Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt, and when the Babylonians who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet:“ This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of me,‘ Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to support you, will go back to its own land, to Egypt.Then the Babylonians will return and attack this city; they will capture it and burn it down.’“ This is what the Lord says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking,‘ The Babylonians will surely leave us.’ They will not!Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down.”After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army,Jeremiah started to leave the city to go to the territory of Benjamin to get his share of the property among the people there.But when he reached the Benjamin Gate, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, arrested him and said,“ You are deserting to the Babylonians!”“ That’s not true!” Jeremiah said.“ I am not deserting to the Babylonians.” But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.They were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had made into a prison.Jeremiah was put into a vaulted cell in a dungeon, where he remained a long time.Then King Zedekiah sent for him and had him brought to the palace, where he asked him privately,“ Is there any word from the Lord?”“ Yes,” Jeremiah replied,“ you will be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon.”Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah,“ What crime have I committed against you or your attendants or this people, that you have put me in prison?Where are your prophets who prophesied to you,‘ The king of Babylon will not attack you or this land’?But now, my lord the king, please listen. Let me bring my petition before you: Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, or I will die there.”King Zedekiah then gave orders for Jeremiah to be placed in the courtyard of the guard and given a loaf of bread from the street of the bakers each day until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard. (niv)
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Jeremia 25:1-3
The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah and to all those living in Jerusalem:For twenty-three years— from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day— the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. (niv)
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Sacharja 7:5
“ Ask all the people of the land and the priests,‘ When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? (niv)
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Jeremia 26:1-24
Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord:“ This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord. Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word.Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.Say to them,‘ This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you,and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again( though you have not listened),then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city a curse among all the nations of the earth.’”The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord.But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said,“ You must die!Why do you prophesy in the Lord’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?” And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people,“ This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people:“ The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard.Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right.Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets,“ This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people,“ Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah,‘ This is what the Lord Almighty says:“‘ Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.’“ Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the Lord and seek his favor? And did not the Lord relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!”( Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did.When King Jehoiakim and all his officers and officials heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death. But Uriah heard of it and fled in fear to Egypt.King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men.They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)Furthermore, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death. (niv)
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2 Könige 24 1-2 Könige 24 9
During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded the land, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. But then he turned against Nebuchadnezzar and rebelled.The Lord sent Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by his servants the prophets.Surely these things happened to Judah according to the Lord’s command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done,including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to forgive.As for the other events of Jehoiakim’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?Jehoiakim rested with his ancestors. And Jehoiachin his son succeeded him as king.The king of Egypt did not march out from his own country again, because the king of Babylon had taken all his territory, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River.Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem.He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father had done. (niv)
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1 Chronik 3 15
The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second son, Zedekiah the third, Shallum the fourth. (niv)
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2 Chronik 36 11-2 Chronik 36 21
Zedekiah was twenty- one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years.He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke the word of the Lord.He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath in God’s name. He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel.Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place.But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials.They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power.The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah. (niv)
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Jeremia 21:1-14
The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said:“ Inquire now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.”But Jeremiah answered them,“ Tell Zedekiah,‘ This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians who are outside the wall besieging you. And I will gather them inside this city.I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in furious anger and in great wrath.I will strike down those who live in this city— both man and beast— and they will die of a terrible plague.After that, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague, sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will put them to the sword; he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’“ Furthermore, tell the people,‘ This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’“ Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah,‘ Hear the word of the Lord.This is what the Lord says to you, house of David:“‘ Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done— burn with no one to quench it.I am against you, Jerusalem, you who live above this valley on the rocky plateau, declares the Lord— you who say,“ Who can come against us? Who can enter our refuge?”I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the Lord. I will kindle a fire in your forests that will consume everything around you.’” (niv)
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Jeremia 52:1-34
Zedekiah was twenty- one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim had done.It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it.The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat.Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled. They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah,but the Babylonian army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,and he was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him.There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah.Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down.The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem.Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.But Nebuzaradan left behind the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried all the bronze to Babylon.They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service.The commander of the imperial guard took away the basins, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, dishes and bowls used for drink offerings— all that were made of pure gold or silver.The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed.Each pillar was eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference; each was four fingers thick, and hollow.The bronze capital on top of one pillar was five cubits high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar.There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; the total number of pomegranates above the surrounding network was a hundred.The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land, sixty of whom were found in the city.Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed. So Judah went into captivity, away from her land.This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem;in his twenty-third year, 745 Jews taken into exile by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard. There were 4,600 people in all.In the thirty- seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel- Marduk became king of Babylon, on the twenty- fifth day of the twelfth month, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah and freed him from prison.He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived, till the day of his death. (niv)
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Jeremia 34:1-35:19
While Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms and peoples in the empire he ruled were fighting against Jerusalem and all its surrounding towns, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord:“ This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him,‘ This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down.You will not escape from his grasp but will surely be captured and given into his hands. You will see the king of Babylon with your own eyes, and he will speak with you face to face. And you will go to Babylon.“‘ Yet hear the Lord’s promise to you, Zedekiah king of Judah. This is what the Lord says concerning you: You will not die by the sword;you will die peacefully. As people made a funeral fire in honor of your predecessors, the kings who ruled before you, so they will make a fire in your honor and lament,“ Alas, master!” I myself make this promise, declares the Lord.’”Then Jeremiah the prophet told all this to Zedekiah king of Judah, in Jerusalem,while the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah that were still holding out— Lachish and Azekah. These were the only fortified cities left in Judah.The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom for the slaves.Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage.So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free.But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:“ This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I said,‘ Every seventh year each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you six years, you must let them go free.’ Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay attention to me.Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people. You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name.But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.“ Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim‘ freedom’ for you, declares the Lord—‘ freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.Those who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces.The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf,I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.“ I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon, which has withdrawn from you.I am going to give the order, declares the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, take it and burn it down. And I will lay waste the towns of Judah so no one can live there.”This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:“ Go to the Rekabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.”So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons— the whole family of the Rekabites.I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God. It was next to the room of the officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper.Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them,“ Drink some wine.”But they replied,“ We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab gave us this command:‘ Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.’We have obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wineor built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops.We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us.But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded this land, we said,‘ Come, we must go to Jerusalem to escape the Babylonian and Aramean armies.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying:“ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem,‘ Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?’ declares the Lord.‘ Jehonadab son of Rekab ordered his descendants not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me.Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said,“ Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened to me.The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.’“ Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says:‘ Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.’”Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites,“ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:‘ You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:‘ Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.’” (niv)
