Bilingual reading

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign. He reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

For through the LORD’s anger this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

In the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it round about.

So the city was besieged to the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

In the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was severe in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled, and went out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden. Now the Chaldeans were against the city all around. The men of war went toward the Arabah,

but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.

Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he pronounced judgment on him.

The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. He also killed all the princes of Judah in Riblah.

He put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison until the day of his death.

Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, who stood before the king of Babylon, came into Jerusalem.

He burned the LORD’s house, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, he burned with fire.

All the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls of Jerusalem all around.

Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the poorest of the people, and the rest of the people who were left in the city, and those who fell away, who defected to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude.

But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to be vineyard keepers and farmers.

The Chaldeans broke the pillars of bronze that were in the LORD’s house and the bases and the bronze sea that were in the LORD’s house in pieces, and carried all of their bronze to Babylon.

They also took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and all the vessels of bronze with which they ministered.

The captain of the guard took away the cups, the fire pans, the basins, the pots, the lamp stands, the spoons, and the bowls; that which was of gold, as gold, and that which was of silver, as silver.

They took the two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were under the bases, which King Solomon had made for the LORD’s house. The bronze of all these vessels was without weight.

As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a line of twelve cubits encircled it; and its thickness was four fingers. It was hollow.

A capital of bronze was on it; and the height of the one capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. The second pillar also had the same, with pomegranates.

There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were one hundred on the network all around.

The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold,

and out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men of war; and seven men of those who saw the king’s face, who were found in the city; and the scribe of the captain of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the middle of the city.

Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.

The king of Babylon struck them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land.

This is the number of the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year, three thousand twenty-three Jews;

in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty-two persons;

in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty-five people. All the people numbered four thousand six hundred.

In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and released him from prison.

He spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon,

and changed his prison garments. Jehoiachin ate bread before him continually all the days of his life.

For his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

وكان صِدقِيَّا ٱبنَ إِحْدى وعِشْرينَ سَنَةً حين ملكَ، ومَلَكَ إِحْدى عَشَرَةَ سَنَةً في أُورَشَليم، وٱسمُ أُمِّه حَموطال، بِنتُ إِرمِيا، مِن لِبنَة

وصَنَعَ الشَّرَّ في عَينَيِ الرَّبِّ، بِحَسَبِ كُلِّ ما صَنَعَ يوياقيم

وكانَ ذٰلك بِسَبَبِ غَضَبِ الرَّبّ على أُورَشَليمَ وعلى يَهوذا، حتَّى نَبذَهم مِن وَجهِه. وتَمَرَّدَ صِدقِيَّا على مَلِكِ بابِل

وفي السَّنَةِ التَّاسِعَةِ لِمُلكِهِ، في اليَومِ العاشِرِ مِنَ الشَّهْر العاشِر، زَحَفَ نَبوكَدنَصَّر، مَلِكُ بابِل، هو وجَميعُ جُيوشِه على أُورَشَليم، وعَسكَروا عِندَها وبَنَوا حَولَها تَحْصينات

فصارَتِ المَدينَةُ تَحتَ الحِصارِ إِلى السَّنَةِ الحادِيَةَ عَشرَةَ لِلمَلِكِ صِدقِيَّا

وفي اليَومِ التَّاسِعِ مِنَ الشَّهرِ الرَّابِع، اِشتَدَّ الجوعُ في المَدينَة، ولم يَبْقَ خُبزٌ لِشَعبِ تِلكَ الأَرض

فثَغَروا المَدينَة، وهَرَبَ جَميعُ رِجالِ الحَرْب، وخَرَجوا مِنَ المَدينَة، لَيلًا في طَريقِ البابِ الَّذي بَينَ السُّورَين، بِالقُربِ مِن بُستانِ المَلِك، بَينَما كان الكَلْدانِيُّونَ يُحيطونَ بِالمَدينة، وذَهَبوا في طَريقِ العَرَبَة

فجَرى جَيشُ الكَلْدانِيِّينَ في إِثرِ المَلِك، فأَدرَكوا صِدقِيَّا في بَرِّيَّةِ أَريحا، وقد تَفَرَّقَ عنه كُلُّ جَيشِه

فقَبَضوا علَيه، وأَصعَدوه إِلى مَلِكِ بابِلَ في رِبلَةَ بِأَرضِ حَماة، وتَلا علَيه الحُكْم

وذَبَحَ مَلِكُ بابِلَ بَني صِدقِيَّا أَمامَ عَينَيه، وذَبَحَ أَيضًا جَميعَ رُؤَساءِ يَهوذا في رِبلَة

وفَقَأَ عَينَي صِدقِيَّا وأَوثَقَه بِسِلسِلَتَينِ مِن نُحاس، وجاءَ بِه مَلِكُ بابِل إِلى بابِل، وجَعَلَه في بَيتِ الحَرَسِ إِلى يَومِ مَوتِه

وفي الشَّهرِ الخامِس، في اليَومِ العاشِرِ مِنَ الشَّهْر، في السَّنَةِ التَّاسِعَةَ عَشرَةَ لِلمَلِكِ نَبوكَدنَصَّر، مَلِكِ بابِل، قَدِمَ إِلى أُورَشَليمَ نَبوزَرادان، رَئيسُ الحَرَس، الواقِفُ أَمامَ مَلِكِ بابِل

وأَحرَقَ بَيتَ الرَّبِّ وبَيتَ المَلِكِ وجَميعَ بُيوتِ أُورَشَليمَ، وأَحرَقَ بِالنَّارِ كُلَّ بَيتٍ لِلْعُظَماء

وهَدَمَ كُلُّ جَيشِ الكَلْدانِيِّينَ الَّذينَ مع رَئيسِ الحَرَسِ جَميعَ أَسْوارِ أُورَشَليمَ مِمَّا حَولَها

وجَلا نَبوزَرادانُ، رَئيسُ الحَرَس، (بَعضًا مِن مَساكينِ الشَّعب) وسائِرَ الشَّعبِ الَّذي بَقِيَ في المَدينَةِ والهارِبينَ الَّذينَ هَرَبوا إِلى مَلِكِ بابِل، وسائِرَ الصُّنَّاع

وتَرَكَ رَئيسُ الحَرَسِ مِن فُقَراءِ الأَرضِ الكَرَّامينَ والفَلَّاحين

وحَطَّمَ الكَلْدانِيُّونَ أَعمِدَةَ النُّحاسِ الَّتي في بَيتِ الرَّبِّ والقَواعِدَ وبَحرَ النُّحاسِ الَّذي في بَيتِ الرَّبّ، وحَمَلوا كُلَّ نُحاسِها إِلى بابِل

وأَخَذوا القُدورَ والمَجارفَ والمَقاريضَ والكُؤُوسَ والقِصاعَ وجَميعَ أَدَواتِ النُّحاسِ الَّتي كانوا يَخدُمونَ بِها

وأَخَذَ رَئيسُ الحَرَسِ الطُّسوتَ والمَجامِرَ والكُؤُوسَ والقُدورَ والمَناراتِ والقِصاعَ والأَقْداح، ما كانَ مِنها ذَهَبًا فالذَّهَب، وما كانَ مِنها فِضَّةً فالفِضَّة

وأَمَّا العَمودانِ والبَحرُ والٱثْنا عَشَرَ ثَورًا مِن نُحاس، الَّتي تَحتَ القَواعِدِ الَّتي صَنَعَها المَلِكُ سُلَيمانُ لِبَيتِ الرَّبّ، فلَم يَكُنْ لِنُحاسِ هٰذه الأَواني مِن وَزْنٍ يُقَدَّر

وكانَ العَمودانِ طولُ الواحِدِ ثَمانِيَ عَشرَةَ ذِراعًا ومُحيطُه خَيطًا ٱثنَتَي عَشرَةَ ذِراعًا وسُمكُه أَربَعَ أَصابِع، وهو أَجوَف

وعلَيه تاجٌ مِن نُحاس، وعُلُوُّ التَّاجِ الواحِدِ خَمسُ أَذرُع، وعلى التَّاجِ حَبيكَةٌ ورُمَّانٌ مِن حَولِها، الكُلُّ مِن نُحاس، وكذٰلك كانَ العَمودُ الثَّاني والرُّمَّانات

وكانَتِ الرُّمَّاناتُ سِتًّا وتِسْعين على الجَوانِب، وجُملَةُ الرُّمَّاناتِ مِئَةً على الحَبيكَةِ مِن حَولِها

وأَخَذَ رَئيسُ الحَرَسِ سَرايا الكاهِنَ الأَوَّلَ، وصَفَنْيا الكاهِنَ الثَّانِيَ، وحُرَّاسَ الأَعْتابِ الثَّلاثَة

وأَخَذَ مِنَ المَدينَةِ خَصِيًّا واحِدًا، وهو الَّذي كانَ مُوَلًّى على رِجالِ الحَرْب، وسَبعَةَ رِجالٍ مِمَّن يُشاهِدونَ وَجهَ المَلِك والَّذينَ وُجِدوا في المَدينَة، وكاتِبَ قائِدِ الجَيشِ الَّذي كانَ يُجَنِّدُ شَعبَ تِلكَ الأَرض، وسِتِّينَ رَجُلًا مِن شَعبِ تِلكَ الأَرضِ الَّذينَ وُجِدوا في داخِلِ المَدينة

أَخَذَهم نَبوزَرادان، رَئيسَ الحَرَس، وساقَهم إِلى مَلِكِ بابِلَ في رِبلَة

فضَرَبَهم مَلِكُ بابِلَ وقَتَلَهم في رِبلَةَ في أَرضِ حَماة. وجُلِيَ يَهوذا مِن أَرضِه

هٰذا عَدَدُ السُّكَّانِ الَّذينَ جَلاهم نَبوكَدنَصَّر: في السَّنَةِ السَّابِعَةِ ثَلاثَةُ آلافٍ وثَلاثَةٌ وعِشْرونَ مِن بَني يَهوذا

وفي السَّنَةِ الثَّامِنَةَ عَشرَةَ لِنَبوكَدنَصَّر: مِن أُورَشَليم: ثَماني مِئَةٍ وٱثْنَانِ وثَلاثونَ نَفْسًا

وفي السَّنَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ والعِشْرينَ لِنَبوكَدنَصَّر، جَلا نَبوزَرادان، رَئيسُ الحَرَس، مِن بَني يَهوذا سَبعَ مِئَةٍ وخَمسَةً وأَربَعين. فيَكونُ مَجْموعُ النُّفوسِ أَربَعَةَ آلافٍ وسِتَّ مِئَة

وكانَ في السَّنَةِ السَّابِعَةِ والثَّلاثينَ لِجَلاءِ يوياكين، مَلِكِ يَهوذا، في الشَّهرِ الثَّاني عَشَر، في الخامِسِ والعِشْرينَ مِنه، أَنَّ أَويلَ مروداك، مَلِكَ بابِل، عَفا عن يوياكين، مَلِكِ يَهوذا، وأَخرَجَه مِنَ السِّجْن

وكَلَّمَه بِكَلامٍ طَيِّب، وجَعَلَ عَرشَه أَعْلى مِن عُروشِ المُلوكِ الَّذينَ معَه في بابِل

وغَيَّرَ ثِيابَ سِجنِه، وبَقِيَ يَتَناوَلُ الطَّعامَ دائمًا أَمامَه كُلَّ أَيَّامِ حَياتِه

وكانَت لَه مَعيشَةٌ دائِمَةٌ تُعْطى لَه مِن عِندِ مَلِكِ بابِل، أَمرُ كُلِّ يَومٍ في يَومِه إِلى يَومِ مَماتِه، كُلَّ أَيَّامِ حَياتِه