7. Zedekiah's sons were killed right in front of him. His eyes were then put out, and he was put in chains and dragged off to Babylon.
8. About a month later, in Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king, Nebuzaradan, who was his official in charge of the guards, arrived in Jerusalem.
9. Nebuzaradan burnt down the Lord's temple, the king's palace, and every important building in the city, as well as all the houses.
10. Then he ordered the Babylonian soldiers to break down the walls around Jerusalem.
11. He led away as prisoners the people left in the city, including those who had become loyal to Nebuchadnezzar.
12. Only some of the poorest people were left behind to work the vineyards and the fields.
13. The Babylonian soldiers took the two bronze columns that stood in front of the temple, the ten moveable bronze stands, and the large bronze bowl called the Sea. They broke them into pieces so they could take the bronze to Babylonia.
14. They carried off the bronze things used for worship at the temple, including the pans for hot ashes, and the shovels, snuffers, and also the dishes for incense,
15. as well as the fire pans and the sprinkling bowls. Nebuzaradan ordered his soldiers to take everything made of gold or silver.
16. The pile of bronze from the columns, the stands, and the large bowl that Solomon had made for the temple was too large to be weighed.
17. Each column had been eight metres tall with a bronze cap over one metre high. These caps were decorated with bronze designs—some of them like chains and others like pomegranates.
18. Next, Nebuzaradan arrested Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah his assistant, and three temple officials.
19. Then he arrested one of the army commanders, the king's five personal advisers, and the officer in charge of gathering the troops for battle. He also found sixty more soldiers who were still in Jerusalem.
20. Nebuzaradan led them all to Riblah
21. near Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar had them killed.The people of Judah no longer lived in their own country.
22. King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam to rule the few people still living in Judah.
23. When the army officers and troops heard that Gedaliah was their ruler, the officers met with him at Mizpah. These men were Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth from Netophah, and Jaazaniah from Maacah.
24. Gedaliah said to them, “Everything will be fine, I promise. We don't need to be afraid of the Babylonian rulers, if we live here peacefully and do what Nebuchadnezzar says.”