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18 Zedekiah was twenty and one Years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven Years in Jerufalem. 19 And he did that which was evil in the Sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

20 For through the Anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerufalem and Judah, until he had caft them out from his Prefence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babylon.

CHAP. XXV.

Jerufalem is besieged. 4 Zedekiah taken, his Sons flain, and bis Eyes put out. 8 Nebuzaradan defaceth the City, carrieth the Remnant, except a few poor Labourers, into Captivity: 13, Spoileth and carrieth away the Treafures. 18 The Nobles are flain at Riblah. 22 Gedaliah, who was fet over them that remained, being flain, the reft flee into Egypt. 27 Evil-merodach advanceth Jehoiachin in his Court,

Ver.1

AND it came to pafs in the ninth Year of his Reign,

in the tenth Day of the tenth Month, that Nebuchadnezzar came, and all his Hoft, against Jerufalem. 2 And the City was befieged unto the eleventh Year of King Zedekiah.

3 And on the ninth Day of the fourth Month, the Famine prevailed in the City, and there was no Bread for the People of the Land.

4 And the City was broken up, and all the Men of War fled by Night, by the Way of the Gate between two Walls which is by the King's Garden (now the Chaldees were against the City round about) and the King went away toward the Plain.

5 And the Army of the Chaldees purfued after the King, and overtook him in the Plains of Jericho and all his Army was scattered from him.

6 So they took the King, and brought him up to the King of Babylon, to Riblah, and they gave Judgment upon

him.

7 And they flew the Sons of Zedekiah before his Eyes, and put out the Eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with Fetters of Brafs, and carried him to Babylon.

8 And in the fifth Month, on the feventh Day of the Month which is the nineteenth Year of King Nebuchad

nezzar)

nezzar) came Nebuzaradan, Captain of the Guard of the King of Babylon unto Jerufalem:

9 And he burnt the House of the LORD, and the King's Houfe, and all the Houfes of Jerufalem.

10 And all the Army of the Chaldees that were with the Captain of the Guard, brake down the Walls of Jerufa

lem.

11 Now the reft of the People that were left in the City, and the Fugitives that fell away to the King of Babylon, with the Remnant of the Multitude, did Nebuzaradan the Captain carry away.

12 But the Captain of the Guard left of the Poor of the Land, to be Vine-dreffers, and Husbandmen.

15 And the Fire-pans, and the Bowls, and fuch Things as were of Gold, in Gold, and of Silver, in Silver, the Captain of the Guard took away.

16 The two Pillars, one Sea, and the Bafes which Solomon had made, for the Houfe of the LORD, the Brafs of all thefe Veffels was without Weight.

18 And the Captain of the Guard took Seraiah the Chief Prieft, and Zephaniah the fécond Prieft, and the three Keepers of the Door.

19 And out of the City he took an Officer that was fet over the Men of War, and five Men of them that were in the King's Prefence, which were found in the City, and the principal Scribe of the Hoft, which muftered the People of the Land, and threefcore Men of the People of the Land that were found in the City.

zo And Nebuzaradan Captain of the Guard took thefe, and brought them to the King of Babylon, to Riblah.

21 And the King of Babylon fmote them, and flew them at Riblah in the Land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their Land.

22 And as for the People that remained in the Land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar had left, over them he made Gedeliah Ruler.

23 And when all the Captains of the Armies, they and their Men, heard that the King of Babylon had made Gedaliah Governour, there came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael, and Johanan and Seraiah and Jaazaniah, they, and their Men.

24 And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their Men, and

faid unto them, Fear not to be the Servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the Land, and ferve the King of Babylon, and it hall be well with you.

25 But it came to pafs in the feventh Month, that Ifhmael, of the Seed-royal, came, and ten Men with him, and fmote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.

26 And all the People, and the Captains of the Armies arofe, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees.

27 And it came to pafs in the feven and twentieth Year of the Captivity of Jehoiachin King of Judah, in the twelfth Month, on the seven and twentieth Day of the Month, that Evil-merodach King of Babylon, in the Year that he began to reign, did lift up the Head of Jehoiachin King of Judah out of Prison.

28 And he spake kindly to him, and fet his Throne above the throne of the Kings that were with him in Babylon, 29 And changed his Prifon-garments: and he did eat Bread continually before him all the Days of his Life.

30 And his Allowance was a continual Allowance given him of the King, a daily Rate for every Day, all the Days of his Life.

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T is conceived it may not be improper to add the following Chapters out of the Book of Jeremiah, which contains feveral Circumstances relating to the Captivity, that are not found either in the Books of Kings or Chronicles.

Ver. 1

JER. XXXVII.

edekiah reigned instead of Coniah the Son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar made King in the Land of Judah.

2 But neither HE, nor his SERVANTS, nor the PEOPLE of the Land, did HEARKEN unto the WORDS of the LORD, which he fpake by the Prophet Jeremiah.

3 And Zedekiah fent Jehucal and Zephaniah the Priest to the Prophet Jeremiah, faying, Pray now unto the LORD our GOD for us.

4 Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the People: for they had not put him into Prison.

5 Then Pharaoh's Army was come forth out of Egypt, and when the Chaldeans that befieged Jerufalem heard Tidings of them, they departed from Jerufalem.

6 Then came the WORD of the LORD unto the Prophet Jeremiah, faying,

7 Thus faith the LORD, the GOD of Ifrael, Thus fhall ye fay to the King of Judah, that fent you unto me to enquire of me, Behold, Pharaoh's Army which is come forth to help you, fhall return to Egypt into their own Land.

8 And the Chaldeans fhall come again, and fight against this City, and take it, and burn it with Fire.

9 Thus faith the LORD, Deceive not yourselves, faying, The Chaldeans fhall furely depart for they fhall not depart.

10 For though ye had fmitten the whole Army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but WOUNDED MEN among them, yet fhould they rife up every Man in his Tent, and burn this City with Fire.

11 And it came to pafs that when the Army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerufalem for fear of Pharaoh's Army,

12 Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerufalem to go into the Land of Benjamin.

13 And when he was in the Gate of Benjamin, a Captain of the Ward was there, and he took Jeremiah, saying, Thou falleft away to the Chaldeans.

14 Then faid Jeremiah, It is falfe, I fall not away to the Chaldeans but he hearkned not to him: fo Irijah took Jeremiah and brought him to the Princes.

15 Wherefore the Princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and fmote him, and put him in Prison.

16 When Jeremiah was entred into the Dungeon, and into the Cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many Days.

17 Then Zedekiah fent, and took him out; and the *King asked him fecretly in his House, and faid, Is there any WORD from the LORD? and Jeremiah faid, There is for, faid he, thou fhalt be delivered into the Hand of the King of Babylon.

18 Moreover, Jeremiah faid unto King Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy Servants, or a gainst this People, that ye have put me in Prifon?

19 Where

19 Where are now your Prophets which prophefied unto you, faying, The King of Babylon fhall not come against you, nor against this Land?

20 Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my Lord the King, let my Supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou caufe me not to return to the House of Jonathan the Scribe, left I die there.

21 Then Zedekiah the King commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the Court of the Prison, and that they should give him daily a Piece of Bread out of the Ba ker's Street, until all the Bread in the City were spent, Thus Jeremiah remained in the Court of the Prifon.

CHAP. XXXVIII.

Jeremiah is put into the Dungeon: 7 Ebed-melech getteth him fome Enlargements; 14 His Counsel to the King.

Ver. 1 Pathur, heard the Words that Jeremiah had fpoTHE

HEN Shephatiah, and Gedaliah, and Suca, and

ken unto all the People, faying,

2 Thus faith the LORD, He that remaineth in this City fhall die by the Sword, by the Famine, and by the Pestilence but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans fhall live; for he fhall have his Life for a Prey, and fhall live.

3 Thus faith the LORD, This City fhall furely be given into the Hand of the King of Babylon's Army, which fhall take it.

4 Therefore the Princes faid unto the King, We befeech thee, let this Man be put to Death: for thus he weakeneth the Hands of the Men of War that remain in this City, and the Hands of all the People, in fpeaking fuch Words unto them for this Man feeketh not the Welfare of this People, but the Hurt.

5 Then Zedekiah faid, Behold, he is in your Hand: for the King is not he that can do any thing against you.

6 Then took they Jeremiah, and caft him into the Dungeon of Malchiah: and they let down Jeremiah with Cords. and in the Dungeon there was no Water, but MIRE: fo Jeremiah funk in the Mire.

7 Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, one of the Eunuchs which was in the King's Houfe, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the Dungeon,

8 Ebed-melech went forth out of the King's Houfe, and fpake to the King, faying, 9 My

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