« | 2 Kings 25 |
1 So King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and all his army came to fight against Jerusalem. This happened on the 10 day of the tenth month of Zedekiah's ninth year as king. Nebuchadnezzar put his army around Jerusalem to stop people from going in and out of the city. Then he built a wall of dirt around the city.
2 His army stayed around Jerusalem until Zedekiah's eleventh year as king of Judah.
3 The famine was getting worse and worse in the city. By the 9 day of the fourth month there was no more food for the common people in the city.
4 Nebuchadnezzar's army finally broke through the city wall. That night King Zedekiah and all his soldiers ran away. They used the secret gate that went through the double walls. It was by the king's garden. The enemy soldiers were all around the city, but Zedekiah and his men escaped on the road to the desert.
5 The Babylonian army chased King Zedekiah and caught him near Jericho. All of Zedekiah's soldiers left him and ran away.
6 The Babylonians took King Zedekiah to the king of Babylon at Riblah. The Babylonians decided to punish Zedekiah.
7 They killed Zedekiah's sons in front of him. Then they put out Zedekiah's eyes. They put chains on him and took him to Babylon.
8 Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem on the 7 day of the fifth month of his nineteenth year as king of Babylon. The captain of Nebuchadnezzar's best soldiers was Nebuzaradan.
9 Nebuzaradan burned the Lord's Temple, the king's palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem. He destroyed even the largest houses.
10 Then the Babylonian army that was with Nebuzaradan pulled down the walls around Jerusalem.
11 Nebuzaradan captured all the people who were still left in the city. He took all the people as prisoners, even those who had tried to surrender.
12 He let only the poorest of the common people stay there. He let them stay so that they could take care of the grapes and other crops.
13 The Babylonian soldiers broke into pieces all the bronze things in the Lord's Temple. They broke the bronze columns, the bronze carts, and the large bronze tank. Then they took all of that bronze to Babylon.
14 The Babylonians also took the pots, the shovels, the tools for trimming the lamps, the spoons, and all the bronze dishes that were used in the Lord's Temple.
15 Nebuzaradan took all the firepans and bowls. He took all the things made of gold for the gold. And he took everything made of silver for the silver.
16 So Nebuzaradan took the large bronze tank and the 2 bronze columns. (Each column was about 31 feet tall. The capitals on the columns were over 5 feet tall. They were made from bronze and had a design like a net and pomegranates. Both columns had the same kind of design.) He also took the carts that Solomon made for the Lord's Temple. The bronze from these things was too heavy to be weighed.
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18 {From the Temple} Nebuzaradan took Seraiah the high priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three men who guarded the entrance.
19 From the city Nebuzaradan took one official who was in charge of the army and five of the king's advisors who were still in the city. He took one secretary of the commander of the army who was in charge of counting the common people and choosing some of them to be soldiers and 60 people who just happened to be in the city.
20 Then Nebuzaradan took all these people to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the area of Hamath. The king of Babylon killed them there at Riblah. And the people of Judah were led away as prisoners from their land.
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22 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon left some people in the land of Judah. There was a man named Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan. Nebuchadnezzar made Gedaliah governor over the people in Judah.
23 The army captains were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth from Netophah, and Jaazaniah son of the Maachathite. These army captains and their men heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, so they went to Mizpah to meet with him.
24 Gedaliah made promises to these officers and their men. He said to them, "Don't be afraid of the Babylonian officers. Stay here and serve the king of Babylon. Then everything will be all right with you."
25 Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama was from the king's family. In the seventh month Ishmael and ten of his men attacked Gedaliah and killed all the men of Judah and Babylonians who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah.
26 Then the army officers and all the people ran away to Egypt. Everyone, from the least important to the most important, ran away because they were afraid of the Babylonians.
27 Later, Evil Merodach became the king of Babylon. He let King Jehoiachin of Judah out of prison. This happened in the 37 year after Jehoiachin was captured. This was on the 27 day of the twelfth month from the time that Evil Merodach began to rule.
28 Evil Merodach was kind to Jehoiachin. He gave Jehoiachin a more important place to sit than the other kings who were with him in Babylon.
29 Evil Merodach let Jehoiachin stop wearing prison clothes. And every day for the rest of his life Jehoiachin ate at the same table with the king.
30 And each day, for as long as Jehoiachin lived, the king gave him enough money to pay for whatever he needed.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.