The Destruction of Jerusalem

Title ideas:God uses an evil nation to punish his disobedient people.Babylon destroys Jerusalem. God keeps his promise to punish his people when they continually failed to obey [rebelled against] him.

The Lord was very angry because many kings over Judah had done much evil along with the people. So the Lord promised to reject [abandon / destroy / remove his protection from] Jerusalem and the temple [there in Judah]. The Lord caused Nebuchadnezzar to become king over Babylon [nation]. Then he send the Babylonian army to invade Judah.

Young [18 year old] Jehoiachin became king over Judah during that time. He did evil things like many kings before him. After reigning for three months, the Lord sent the Babylonian army again to attack and destroy Jerusalem. Jehoiachin soon surrendered to the Babylonians.

[Babylon’s] King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his army to capture king Jehoiachin, his family, all important men, and all skilled workers. Also, to seize all treasures in the temple and in Jehoiachin’s palace and carry them to Babylon.

Then Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah Judah’s king instead of Jehoiachin. After nine years, Zedekiah rebelled [against Nebuchadnezzar], so the Babylonian army came again and attacked Jerusalem.

The Babylonian army surrounded Jerusalem for two years, until the people in Jerusalem had no more food.

When the Babylonian army broke through Jerusalem’s high walls, King Zedekiah and some soldiers escaped out another way, and fled to the Jordan River.

But at the Jordan River, King Zedekiah’s soldiers abandoned him and ran away. Then Babylonian soldiers capture him.

The Babylonians made Zedekiah watch while they killed his sons. Then they gouged [cut or burned] out his [Zedekiah’s] eyes, bound him with chains, and led him away as a prisoner to Babylon.

When the Babylonian army entered into Jerusalem, they burned down the Lord’s temple, the king’s palace, and many other houses. Lastly, they carried away to Babylon everything made from gold, silver and bronze.

The Babylonian army commander led the important priests and officials to the Babylonian king, who promptly ordered his soldiers, “Kill them all!”[They killed them all.]

Finally, the Babylonian army took captive most people in Jerusalem, and led them away to Babylon. They left [in Judah] only the poorest Judeans who had to work as farmers in fields and vineyards.

The Lord’s prophet Jeremiah had said, “The people from Judah will remain [as captives] in Babylon seventy years!” [Thus] In this way, the Lord’s warning [words] from his prophet [about the rebellious people from Judah] came true.