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2 Kings · Bible in Basic English

2 Kings 25 Bible in Basic English

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About BBE
  • Scholarly edition
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew (not verified)
  • NT: Critical text (not verified)
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Simplified language
  • 1965
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 Now in the ninth year of his rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came against Jerusalem with all his army and took up his position before it, building earthworks all round the town.
1 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 around it.
2 And the town was shut in by their forces till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
2 So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
3 Now on the ninth day of the fourth month, the store of food in the town was almost gone, so that there was no food for the people of the land.
3 On the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine was severe in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.
4 So an opening was made in the wall of the town, and all the men of war went in flight by night through the doorway between the two walls which was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldaeans were stationed round the town:) and the king went by the way of the Arabah.
4 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled 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 around it); and the king went by the way of the Arabah.
5 But the Chaldaean army went after the king, and overtook him in the lowlands of Jericho, and all his army went in flight from him in every direction.
5 But the Chaldean army pursued the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.
6 And they made the king a prisoner and took him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah to be judged.
6 Then they captured the king and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they passed judgment on him.
7 And they put the sons of Zedekiah to death before his eyes, and then they put out his eyes, and chaining him with iron bands, took him to Babylon.
7 They killed Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
8 Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem;
8 Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.
9 And he had the house of the Lord and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house, burned with fire;
9 He burned Yahweh’s house, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He burned every great house with fire.
10 And the walls round Jerusalem were broken down by the Chaldaean army which was with the captain.
10 All the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem.
11 And the rest of the people who were still in the town, and all those who had given themselves up to the king of Babylon, and all the rest of the workmen, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, took away as prisoners;
11 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who were left in the city and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon—all the rest of the multitude.
12 But he let the poorest of the land go on living there, to take care of the vines and the fields.
12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to work the vineyards and fields.
13 And the brass pillars in the house of the Lord, and the wheeled bases, and the great brass water-vessel in the house of the Lord, were broken up by the Chaldaeans, who took the brass to Babylon.
13 The Chaldeans broke up the pillars of bronze that were in Yahweh’s house and the bases and the bronze sea that were in Yahweh’s house, and carried the bronze pieces to Babylon.
14 And the pots and the spades and the scissors for the lights and the spoons, and all the brass vessels used in the Lord's house, they took away.
14 They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the spoons, and all the vessels of bronze with which they ministered.
15 And the fire-trays and the basins; the gold of the gold vessels and the silver of the silver vessels, were all taken away by the captain of the armed men.
15 The captain of the guard took away the fire pans, the basins, that which was of gold, for gold, and that which was of silver, for silver.
16 The two pillars, the great water-vessel and the wheeled bases, which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
16 The two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for Yahweh’s house, the bronze of all these vessels was not weighed.
17 One of the pillars was eighteen cubits high, with a crown of brass on it; the crown was three cubits high, circled with a network and apples all of brass; and the second pillar had the same.
17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a capital of bronze was on it. The height of the capital was three cubits, with network and pomegranates on the capital around it, all of bronze; and the second pillar with its network was like these.
18 And the captain of the armed men took Seraiah, the chief priest, and Zephaniah, the second priest, and the three door-keepers;
18 The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold;
19 And from the town he took the unsexed servant who was over the men of war, and five of the king's near friends who were in the town, and the scribe of the captain of the army, who was responsible for getting the people of the land together in military order, and sixty men of the people of the land who were in the town.
19 and out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men of war; and five men of those who saw the king’s face, who were found in the city; and the scribe, 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 city.
20 These Nebuzaradan, the captain of the armed men, took with him to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
20 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.
21 And the king of Babylon put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken away prisoner from his land.
21 The king of Babylon attacked them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land.
22 As for the people who were still living in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, did not take away, he made Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler over them.
22 As for the people who were left in the land of Judah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, governor.
23 Now the captains of the armed forces, hearing that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah ruler, came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah; Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, the son of Kareah, and Seraiah, the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah, the son of the Maacathite, came with all their men.
23 Now when all the captains of the forces, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan the son of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.
24 Then Gedaliah gave his oath to them and their men, saying, Have no fear because of the servants of the Chaldaeans; go on living in the land under the rule of the king of Babylon, and all will be well.
24 Gedaliah swore to them and to their men, and said to them, “Don’t be afraid because of the servants of the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.”
25 But in the seventh month, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the king's seed, came with ten men and made an attack on Gedaliah, causing his death and the death of the Jews and the Chaldaeans who were with him at Mizpah.
25 But in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal offspring came, and ten men with him, and struck Gedaliah so that he died, with the Jews and the Chaldeans that were with him at Mizpah.
26 Then all the people, small and great, and the captains of the forces, got up and went away to Egypt, for fear of the Chaldaeans.
26 All the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and came to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
27 And in the thirty-seventh year after Jehoiachin, king of Judah, had been taken prisoner, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, Evil-merodach, king of Babylon, in the first year of his rule, took Jehoiachin, king of Judah, out of prison;
27 In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison,
28 And said kind words to him, and put his seat higher than the seats of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.
28 and he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon,
29 And his prison clothing was changed, and he was a guest at the king's table every day for the rest of his life.
29 and changed his prison garments. Jehoiachin ate bread before him continually all the days of his life;
30 And for his food, the king gave him a regular amount every day for the rest of his life.
30 and for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him from the king, every day a portion, all the days of his life.

People & places in this chapter

From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.

People

  • Ahikam

    Official, father of Gedaliah

    Son of Shaphan, sent by Josiah with Hilkiah to inquire of the LORD, and named as the father of Gedaliah.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 22:12; 2 Kings 22:14; 2 Kings 25:22

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  • Elishama

    Grandfather of Ishmael

    Named as the father of Nethaniah, said to be of the royal family, and so grandfather of Ishmael who killed Gedaliah.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:25; Jeremiah 41:1

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  • Evil-merodach

    King of Babylon who freed Jehoiachin

    King of Babylon who, in the year he became king, released Jehoiachin from prison, spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the other kings in Babylon.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:27; Jeremiah 52:31

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  • Gedaliah

    Governor over those left behind

    Son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, appointed by Nebuchadnezzar over the people left in Judah, who took an oath at Mizpah and was killed there by Ishmael son of Nethaniah.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:22; 2 Kings 25:23; 2 Kings 25:24

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  • Ishmael

    Royal family member who killed Gedaliah

    Son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, a member of the royal family, who came with ten men and killed Gedaliah and those with him at Mizpah.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:23; 2 Kings 25:25; Jeremiah 40:8

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  • Jaazaniah

    Army commander who came to Gedaliah

    Called 'son of the Maacathite', one of the army commanders who came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:8

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  • Johanan

    Army commander who came to Gedaliah

    Son of Kareah, one of the army commanders who came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:8; Jeremiah 41:11

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  • Kareah

    Father of Johanan

    Named as the father of Johanan and Jonathan.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:8; Jeremiah 41:11

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  • Nebuchadnezzar

    King of Babylon who destroyed Jerusalem

    King of Babylon who made Jehoiakim his vassal, took Jehoiachin captive, placed Zedekiah on the throne, besieged Jerusalem, and appointed Gedaliah over those left in the land.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 24:1; 2 Kings 24:11; 2 Kings 25:1

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  • Nebuzaradan

    Babylonian captain of the guard

    The captain of the guard who entered Jerusalem in Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year, burned the temple, palace and houses, broke down the walls, and carried the people into exile.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:8; 2 Kings 25:11; 2 Kings 25:20

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  • Nethaniah

    Father of Ishmael

    Son of Elishama and father of Ishmael, who killed Gedaliah.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:23; 2 Kings 25:25; Jeremiah 40:8

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  • Seraiah

    Priest, son of Azariah

    Chief priest when Jerusalem fell, taken to Riblah and put to death by the king of Babylon; 1 Chronicles 6:14 lists him as son of Azariah and father of Jehozadak, and Ezra traced…

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:18; 1 Chronicles 6:14; Ezra 7:1–5

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  • Seraiah

    Army commander who came to Gedaliah

    Son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, one of the army commanders who came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:8

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  • Tanhumeth

    Father of Seraiah

    Named as the father of Seraiah, a commander who came to Gedaliah.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:23; Jeremiah 40:8

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  • Zephaniah

    Priest sent to Jeremiah

    The priest, son of Maaseiah, whom Zedekiah sent to ask Jeremiah to pray and to whom a letter from Shemaiah was addressed. When Jerusalem fell he was taken as 'the second priest'…

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:18; Jeremiah 21:1; Jeremiah 29:25

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Places

  • Babylon

    Today: Iraq (on the Euphrates)

    Capital of Nebuchadnezzar's empire on the Euphrates. It destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC and carried Judah into exile, where Daniel and the people kept their faith.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Kings 25:1; Daniel 1:1; Psalm 137:1

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Cross references (29)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 Jeremiah 52:4–11; Isaiah 29:3; Jeremiah 43:10; Jeremiah 34:1–6; 1 Chronicles 6:15
  2. 3 Jeremiah 38:2; Deuteronomy 28:52–53; Ezekiel 5:12; Lamentations 4:4–10; Leviticus 26:26
  3. 4 Ezekiel 33:21; Jeremiah 5:10; Deuteronomy 32:24–25; 2 Kings 25:5; Deuteronomy 32:30
  4. 5 Amos 2:14–16; Jeremiah 39:5; Jeremiah 52:8; Isaiah 30:16; Jeremiah 24:8
  5. 6 2 Kings 23:33; Jeremiah 34:21–22; Ezekiel 17:20–21; 2 Chronicles 33:11; Jeremiah 21:7
  6. 7 Jeremiah 32:4–5; Genesis 44:34; Psalm 149:8; 2 Chronicles 33:11; Judges 16:21
  7. 8 Jeremiah 52:12–16; Jeremiah 40:1–4; Jeremiah 39:8–14; Lamentations 4:12; 2 Kings 25:27
  8. 9 Psalm 74:3–7; Amos 2:5; Psalm 79:1; 1 Kings 9:8; 2 Chronicles 36:19
  9. 10 Nehemiah 1:3; Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 39:8; Jeremiah 52:14–23
  10. 11 2 Chronicles 36:20; Jeremiah 39:9; Jeremiah 52:12; Jeremiah 15:1–2; Ezekiel 5:2
  11. 12 Jeremiah 40:7; 2 Kings 24:14; Ezekiel 33:24; Jeremiah 52:16; Jeremiah 39:10
  12. 13 2 Chronicles 36:18; Lamentations 1:10; Jeremiah 52:17–20; 2 Kings 20:17; 1 Kings 7:15
  13. 14 Exodus 27:3; 1 Kings 7:47–50; 2 Chronicles 24:14; Exodus 38:3; 2 Chronicles 4:20–22
  14. 15 Daniel 5:2–3; 2 Chronicles 24:14; 1 Kings 7:48–51; Exodus 37:23; Numbers 7:13–14
  15. 16 1 Kings 7:47
  16. 17 1 Kings 7:15–22; Jeremiah 52:21–23
  17. 18 Jeremiah 29:25; Jeremiah 21:1; 1 Chronicles 6:14; Ezra 7:1; Jeremiah 29:29
  18. 19 Esther 1:14
  19. 20 Lamentations 4:16; Jeremiah 52:26–27; 2 Kings 23:33
  20. 21 Deuteronomy 28:64; 2 Kings 23:27; Ezekiel 24:14; Deuteronomy 28:36; Jeremiah 24:9–10
  21. 22 Jeremiah 39:14; Jeremiah 26:24; 2 Kings 22:12; 2 Chronicles 34:20; Jeremiah 41:2
  22. 23 Jeremiah 40:7–9; Jeremiah 40:11–12; Joshua 18:26
  23. 24 Jeremiah 40:9–10; Ezekiel 33:24–29; 2 Samuel 19:23; Jeremiah 43:6; 2 Samuel 14:11
  24. 25 Zechariah 8:19; Zechariah 7:5; Jeremiah 40:15–41:15; 2 Kings 11:1
  25. 26 Jeremiah 43:4–7; Jeremiah 41:16–18; Jeremiah 42:14–22
  26. 27 Genesis 40:20; Jeremiah 52:31–34; Genesis 40:13; 2 Kings 24:12; Proverbs 21:1
  27. 28 Daniel 2:37; Jeremiah 27:6–11; Daniel 5:18–19
  28. 29 2 Samuel 9:7; Isaiah 61:3; Genesis 41:42; Luke 15:22; 2 Kings 24:12
  29. 30 Luke 11:3; Matthew 6:11; Nehemiah 11:23; Nehemiah 12:47; Daniel 1:5

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences