67 Bible Verses about Jerusalem, History Of
Most Relevant Verses
When the man, his concubine, and the servant once more started to leave, the father said: It is almost evening. Please spend the night. It will be dark soon. Stay and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get up early for the trip and go home. The man did not want to spend another night there. He and his concubine started on their way, with their servant and two donkeys with packsaddles. It was late in the day when they came near Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). The servant said to his master: Why not stop and spend the night here in this Jebusite city?read more.
But his master said: We are not going to stop in a city where the people are not Israelites.
Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,
On that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram. He said: To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,read more.
the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Jehovah said: I have seen how my people are suffering as slaves in Egypt. I have heard them beg for my help because of the way they are being mistreated. I feel sorry for them. I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians. I will bring my people out of Egypt into a country where there is good land, rich with milk and honey. I will give them the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.
My messenger will go ahead of you. I will lead you to the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites. I will wipe them out.
I will force out the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. You must do what I command you today.
The Amalekites live in the Negev. The Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the mountain region. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and all along the Jordan River.
Jehovah your God will bring you into the land you are to possess. He will clear away many nations ahead of you. The nations he will clear: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites. These seven nations are larger and mightier than you. Jehovah your God will deliver them to you. You must crush them! Completely destroy them. You should make no covenant with them. Do not show them mercy.
Joshua said: By this you shall know the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
All the kings west of Jordan heard these things; the kings in the hills, and in the valleys, in all the coasts of the Great (Mediterraean) Sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite heard these things. They gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord (unanimously) (one purpose).
When Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king. The inhabitants of Gibeon made peace with Israel and were living near them. They were very afraid because Gibeon was a great royal city. It was larger than Ai and all the men there were great fighters. Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, and to Piram king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying:read more.
Come to me and help me, that we may strike Gibeon: for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon gathered together. They and all their hosts came before Gibeon and camped. Then they made war against it. The men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal saying: Do not abandon your servants. Come to us quickly and save us. Help us for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us. So Joshua and all the people of war, the mighty warriors, ascended from Gilgal.
The border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. Then the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh and came out at En-rogel: The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the Valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the Valley of the Giants northward:
And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out. The Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.
Judah went up and Jehovah delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand. They killed ten thousand men at Bezek. They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him. They killed the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Adoni-bezek fled and they chased him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.read more.
And Adoni-bezek said: Seventy kings with their big toes cut off have gathered food scrapes under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done. So they brought him to Jerusalem where he died. The children of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put it to the sword and set the city on fire.
The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem. The Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. Then the inhabitants of Jebus said to David: You shall not come in here! Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion that is, the City of David. David said: Whoever attacks the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and became chief.read more.
Then David dwelt in the stronghold. That is why they called it the City of David. He built the city around it, from the stronghold on the mound to the surrounding area. Joab repaired the rest of the city. David went on and became great, and Jehovah of Hosts was with him.
The king and his men went to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived in that region. The Jebusites told David: You will never get in here. Even the blind and the lame could turn you away. In other words he could not enter there. However, David captured the fortress Zion, that is, the City of David. That day David said: Whoever wants to defeat the Jebusites must reach the lame and the blind that hate me by using the water tunnel. So there is a saying: The blind and the lame will not get into the palace.read more.
David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built the city of Jerusalem around it from the stronghold (citadel) to the palace. David continued to grow more powerful because Jehovah God of Hosts was with him.
King David was told: Jehovah has blessed Obed Edom's home and everything he owns because of the Ark of God. Then David joyfully went to get the Ark of God from Obed Edom's house and bring it to the City of David. When those who carried the Ark of Jehovah walked six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David danced in Jehovah's presence with all his might.read more.
He and the entire nation of Israel brought the Ark of Jehovah with shouts of joy and the sounding of rams' horns. When the Ark of Jehovah came to the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked out of a window and saw King David leaping and dancing in Jehovah's presence. She despised him in her heart. The men carrying the Ark set it in its place inside the tent David put up for it. David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in Jehovah's presence. David finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings. Then he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of Hosts. He also distributed to all the people, to the whole crowd of Israelites, men and women, one loaf of bread, one date cake, and one raisin cake. Then all the people went home.
David was thirty years old when he became king. He ruled for forty years. In Hebron he ruled Judah for seven years and six months. In Jerusalem he ruled for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
In the spring, at the time of the year when kings usually go to war, David sent out Joab with his officers and the Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged the city of Rabbah. David stayed in Jerusalem.
David assembled the rest of the army and attacked Rabbah. He captured the city. He removed the crown of their god Milcom from off the head of their king. The crown was made of seventy-five pounds of gold. There was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his own crown. He also carried off everything else of value. David made the people of Rabbah tear down the city walls with iron picks and axes. He also put them to work making bricks. He did the same thing with all the other Ammonite cities. David went back to Jerusalem. The people of Israel returned to their homes.
In the spring, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led the army to war. They destroyed the Ammonites and came to Rabbah to attack it, while David stayed in Jerusalem. Joab defeated Rabbah and tore it down. David took the gold crown from the head of Rabbah's king. It was placed on David's head. The crown was found to weigh seventy-five pounds, and in it was a precious stone. David also took a lot of goods from the city. He took the troops who were there and put them to work with saws, hoes, and axes. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. After that David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem.
Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. The king said: Absalom should return to his own house. Do not let him see me. So Absalom returned to his house. He did not see the king.
A messenger told David: Absalom has the hearts of the people of Israel. David told all his men who were with him in Jerusalem: We must run away quickly, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave right away or he will catch up to us and bring ruin upon us when he massacres the city.
David died and was buried in David's City. He was king of Israel for forty years. He ruled seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. Solomon succeeded his father David as king. His royal power was firmly established.
Solomon made an alliance with the king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. He brought her to live in David's City until he finished building his palace, the Temple, and the wall around Jerusalem.
King Solomon summoned all the leaders of the tribes and clans of Israel to come to him in Jerusalem. They were to take Jehovah's Ark of the Covenant from Zion, David's City, to the Temple.
The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame. She traveled to Jerusalem to test him with difficult questions. So she came to Jerusalem with a very large caravan. The camels carried spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she approached Solomon, she talked about everything she had on her mind (heart). Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from the king that he did not explain to her.read more.
When the queen of Sheba perceived all the Wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of Jehovah, she was overwhelmed.
Everything else that Solomon did, his career, and his wisdom, are all recorded in The History of Solomon. He was king in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. He died and was buried in David's City. His son Rehoboam succeeded him as king.
Solomon's son Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king of Judah. He ruled seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city Jehovah chose from all the territory of Israel as the place where he was to be worshiped. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah from Ammon.
When all Israel realized that the king would not respond to their request, the people in answer said to the king: What share do we have in David? What is our heritage in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel; now see to your people, David. So Israel went away to their tents. Rehoboam was still king over those of the children of Israel who were living in the towns of Judah. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the overseer of the forced work. He was stoned to death by all Israel. King Rehoboam went quickly and got into his carriage to escape to Jerusalem.read more.
Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king: What share do we have in David's kingdom? We will not receive an inheritance from Jesse's son. Everyone to his own tent, Israel! Now look after your own house, David! So all Israel went home to their tents. Rehoboam ruled the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah. King Rehoboam sent Hadoram to the Israelites. He was in charge of forced labor, but they stoned him to death. So King Rehoboam got on his chariot as fast as he could and fled to Jerusalem.read more.
Israel has rebelled against David's dynasty to this day.
King Jeroboam of Israel fortified the town of Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there for a while. Then he left and fortified the town of Penuel. He thought to himself: The way things are my people will go to Jerusalem and offer sacrifices to Jehovah at the Temple there. They will transfer their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah and will kill me.
Jeroboam had been king of Israel twenty years. Asa became king of Judah. He was king for forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom.
He was thirty-five years old. He ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
Jehoshaphat ruled as king of Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to rule. He ruled for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi.
Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah. It was the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab as king of Israel. He was thirty-two years old. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years.
Jehoram became king at the age of thirty-two. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years.
Jehoash became king of Judah. It was the seventh year of Jehu's rule over Israel. Jehoash ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
Joash began to rule when he was seven years old. He ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba.
Azariah son of Amaziah became king of Judah. This was in the twenty-seventh year of the rule of Jeroboam, king of Israel. Azariah was sixteen years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to rule. He ruled for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem.
Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah. It was in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel. Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.
Hezekiah began to rule as king when he was twenty-five years old. He ruled for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah.
Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came up against all the walled towns of Judah and took them. Hezekiah sent a message to Sennacherib at Lachish: I have done wrong. Stop your attack and I will pay whatever you demand. The emperor's answer was that Hezekiah should send him ten tons of silver and one ton of gold. Hezekiah sent him all the silver in the Temple and in the palace treasury.read more.
Hezekiah had the gold from the doors of Jehovah's Temple and from the doorposts plated by him. He stripped it off and gave it to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria sent his commander-in-chief (Tartan), his quartermaster, and his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They stood at the channel for the Upper Pool on the road to the Laundryman's Field. They sent for the king, and Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to them. The Rabshakeh said to them: Say to Hezekiah: These are the words of the great king, the king of Assyria: In what are you placing your hope? You say you have counsel and [military] strength for war. These are only words. To whom are you looking for support that you rebel against me? You rely on Egypt that broken reed of a staff. If a man leans on it (relies on its power) his hand (strength) will be pierced (wounded) (diminished). So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who put their faith in him. If you say to me: We trust in Jehovah our God, is he not the one whose high places and altars have been taken away by Hezekiah. For he told Judah and Jerusalem that worship may only be given before this altar in Jerusalem? And now, make an agreement with my master, the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able to put horsemen on them. How then can you put to shame the least of my master's servants? You put your hope in Egypt for chariots and horsemen: Have I now come to destroy this place without Jehovah? It was Jehovah who said to me: 'Go up against this land and make it waste.' Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh (the commander): Will you kindly make use of the Aramaean language in talking to your servants. We are used to it. Do not use the Jews' language in the hearing of the people on the wall. He replied: Do you think you and the king are the only ones the king sent me to say these things? No, I am also talking to the people who are sitting on the wall. They will have to eat their excrement and drink their own urine, just as you will. The official stood up and shouted in Hebrew: Listen to what the king of Assyria is telling you! He warns you: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. Hezekiah cannot save you.' Do not let Hezekiah convince you to rely on Jehovah. Do not think that Jehovah will save you or that he will stop our Assyrian army from capturing you. Do not listen to Hezekiah. The king of Assyria commands you to come out of the city and surrender. Make peace with me and you will be allowed to eat grapes from your own vines and figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own wells (cisterns). The king will resettle you in a country much like your own. There are vineyards to give wine and there is grain for making bread there. It is a land of olives, olive oil, and honey. Do what he commands and you will not die. Do not let Hezekiah fool you into thinking Jehovah will rescue you. Did the gods of other nations save their countries from the king of Assyria? Where are they now? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did anyone save Samaria? When did any of the gods of all these countries ever save their country from our king? What makes you think Jehovah can save Jerusalem?
Sennacherib and his troops were camped at the town of Lachish. He sent a message to Hezekiah and the people in Jerusalem. It said: I am King Sennacherib of Assyria. I have Jerusalem surrounded. Do you think you can survive my attack? Hezekiah your king is telling you that Jehovah your God will save you from me. But he is lying! You will die of hunger and thirst.read more.
Did Hezekiah not tear down all except one of Jehovah's altars and places of worship? And did he not tell you people of Jerusalem and Judah to worship at that one place? You have heard what my ancestors and I have done to other nations. Were the gods of those nations able to defend their land against us? None of those gods kept their people safe from the kings of Assyria. Do you really think your God can do any better? Do not be fooled by Hezekiah! No god of any nation has been able to stand up to Assyria. Believe me, your God cannot keep you safe!' Sennacherib's officers said more against Jehovah God and his servant Hezekiah. Sennacherib wrote letters cursing Jehovah the God of Israel. These letters said: The gods of the nations in other countries could not rescue their people from me. Hezekiah's God cannot rescue his people from me. Sennacherib's officers shouted loudly in the Judean language to the troops who were on the wall of Jerusalem. They tried to frighten and terrify the troops so that they could capture the city. They spoke against the God of Jerusalem as if he were one of the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of the hands of man.
It was Hezekiah's fourteenth year as king. King Sennacherib of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. The king of Assyria sent his field commander with a large army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. He stood at the channel for the Upper Pool on the road to the Laundryman's Field. Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace and was the son of Hilkiah, Shebna the scribe, and Joah, who was the royal historian and the son of Asaph, went out to the field commander.read more.
He said to them: Tell Hezekiah, This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: 'What makes you so confident? You give useless advice about getting ready for war. Whom do you trust for support in your rebellion against me? When you trust Egypt, you trust a broken stick for a staff. If you lean on it, it stabs your hand and goes through it. This is what Pharaoh king of Egypt is like for everyone who trusts him. Suppose you say: 'We are trusting Jehovah our God. He is the god whose places of worship and altars Hezekiah got rid of. Hezekiah told Judah and Jerusalem: Worship at this altar.'' Now, make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses if you can put riders on them. How can you defeat my master's lowest-ranking officers when you trust Egypt for chariots and horses? Have I come to destroy this country without Jehovah on my side? Jehovah said to me: Attack this country, and destroy it.'' Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the field commander: Speak to us in Aramaic, since we understand it. Do not speak to us in the Judean language as long as there are people on the wall listening. However the field commander asked: Did my master send me to tell these things only to you and your master? Did he not send me to the men sitting on the wall who will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine with you? Then the field commander stood and shouted loudly in the Judean language: Listen to the great king, the king of Assyria. This is what the king says: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot rescue you. Do not let Hezekiah get you to trust Jehovah by saying: 'Jehovah will certainly rescue us, and this city will not be put under the control of the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah, because this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me! Come out, and give yourselves up to me! Everyone will eat from his own grapevine and fig tree and drink from his own cistern. Then I will come and take you away to a country like your own. It is a country with grain and new wine, a country with bread and vineyards. Do not let Hezekiah mislead you by saying to you: 'Jehovah will rescue us. Did any of the gods of the nations rescue their countries from the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Did they rescue Samaria from my control? Did the gods of these countries indeed rescue them from my control? Could Jehovah then rescue Jerusalem from my control?' They were silent and did not say anything to him because the king commanded them not to answer him. Then Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace and was son of Hilkiah, Shebna the scribe, and Joah, who was the royal historian and the son of Asaph, went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn in grief. They told him the message from the field commander.
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah.
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He ruled for fifty-five years in Jerusalem.
Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for three months. His mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as his fathers had done. And Pharaoh Necho put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So that he was not king in Jerusalem. Pharaoh Necho extracted from the land a tax of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king. He was king in Jerusalem for three months. The king of Egypt removed him from office in Jerusalem and fined the country seven thousand five hundred pounds of silver and seventy-five pounds of gold.
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He was king in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, as Jehoiakim had done. This happened in Jerusalem and Judah because of Jehovah's anger. It continued until he had sent them all away from before him. Then Zedekiah took up arms and rebelled against the king of Babylon.read more.
Now in the ninth year of his rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with all his army. He took his position and laid siege to it. They built earthworks all round the town. They surrounded the town and laid siege till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. On the ninth day of the fourth month, the store of food in the town was almost gone. There was no food for the people of the land. An opening was made in the wall of the town. All the men of war went in flight by night through the doorway between the two walls by the king's garden. The Chaldaeans were stationed around the town: and the king went by the way toward the plain of Arabah. But the Chaldaean army went after the king. They overtook him in the lowlands of Jericho. All his army went in flight from him in every direction.
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to rule. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah his God considered evil. He did not humble himself in front of the prophet Jeremiah, who spoke Jehovah's word. Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God's name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to Jehovah the God of Israel.read more.
All the officials, the priests, and the people became increasingly unfaithful and followed all the disgusting practices of the nations. Although Jehovah made the Temple in Jerusalem holy, they made the Temple unclean. Jehovah the God of their ancestors repeatedly sent messages through his prophets because he wanted to spare his people and his dwelling place. They mocked God's messengers. They despised his words, and made fun of his prophets until Jehovah became angry with his people. He could no longer heal them. So he had the Babylonian king attack them and execute their best young men in their holy temple. He did not spare the best men or the unmarried women, the old people or the sick people. God handed all of them over to him. He brought to Babylon each of the utensils from God's temple, the treasures from Jehovah's Temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall. The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners. They served as slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation.
In the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia came with his whole army and attacked Jerusalem. On the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year as king, the city walls were broken through. When Jerusalem was captured, all the high officials of the king of Babylon came and took their places at the Middle Gate, including Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Sarsechim, and another Nergal Sharezer.read more.
When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers saw what was happening, they tried to escape from the city during the night. They left by way of the royal garden, went through the gateway connecting the two walls, and escaped in the direction of the Jordan Valley. But the Babylonian army pursued them and captured Zedekiah in the plains near Jericho. Then they took him to King Nebuchadnezzar, who was in the city of Riblah in the territory of Hamath, and there Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him. At Riblah he put Zedekiah's sons to death while Zedekiah was looking on, and he also had the officials of Judah executed. After that, he had Zedekiah's eyes put out and had him placed in chains to be taken to Babylon. The Babylonians burned down the royal palace and the houses of the people and tore down the walls of Jerusalem. Finally Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners to Babylon the people who were left in the city, together with those who had deserted to him. He left in the land of Judah some of the poorest people, who owned no property, and he gave them vineyards and fields.
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to rule. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah. Zedekiah did what Jehovah considered evil, as Jehoiakim had done. Jehovah became angry at Jerusalem and Judah and threw the people out of his sight. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.read more.
On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with his entire army. They set up camp and built dirt ramps around the city walls. The blockade of the city lasted until Zedekiah's eleventh year as king. On the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city became so severe that the common people had no food. The enemy broke through the city walls, and all Judah's soldiers fled. They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls beside the king's garden. While the Babylonians were attacking the city from all sides, they took the road to the plain of Jericho. The Babylonian army pursued King Zedekiah and caught up with him in the plain of Jericho. His entire army had deserted him. The Babylonians captured the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah in Hamath. The king of Babylon passed sentence on him there. The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons as Zedekiah watched. He also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah. Then he blinded Zedekiah and put him in bronze shackles. The king of Babylon took him to Babylon and put him in a prison, where he stayed until he died. On the tenth day of the fifth month of Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, who was the captain of the guard and an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned down Jehovah's Temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem. Every important building was burned down. The entire Babylonian army that was with the captain of the guard tore down the walls around Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, captured the few people left in the city, those who surrendered to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the population. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left some of the poorest people in the land to work in the vineyards and on the farms.
Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: Jehovah, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may Jehovah his God be with him, and let him go up!
It was the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia. In order that the word of Jehovah (YHWH) given by the mouth of Jeremiah might come true, Jehovah moved the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia. He made a public statement through all his kingdom, and put it in writing, saying: These are the words of Cyrus, king of Persia: 'Jehovah the God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has made me responsible for building a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. May your God be with you and let you go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah. There you are to build the house of Jehovah the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem.read more.
If any of his people in exile need help to return, their neighbors should give them help. They are to provide them with silver and gold, supplies and pack animals, as well as offerings to present in the Temple of God in Jerusalem.'
In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him. I served the wine to the king. Never before had I been sad when the king was present. The king said to me: Why is your face sad, seeing that you are not ill? This is nothing but sorrow of heart. Then I was full of fear. I said to the king: May the king live a very long time. My face should look sad for the town where my fathers are buried is devastated. It has been destroyed by fire.read more.
The king asked: What is your desire? So I made prayer to the God of heaven. I said to the king: If it is the king's will, and if your servant has your approval, send me to Judah, to the town where the bodies of my fathers are buried, so that I may rebuild it. The queen sat by him when the king said: How long will your journey take? When will you come back? So the king was pleased to send me, and I gave him a fixed time.
The history of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. Now it came about, in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, when I was in Shushan, the castle, Hanani, one of my brothers, came with men from Judah. This was in answer to my request for news about the Jews who had been prisoners and escaped from captivity and about Jerusalem. They said to me: The small band of Jews now living there in the land is in deep trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem has been broken down, and its doorways burned with fire.
The people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and tried to make them afraid to go on building. They hired men to work against them and kept them from accomplishing their plans during the reign of Cyrus, king of Persia, till Darius became king. When Ahasuerus first became king, they put on record a statement against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
They made a public statement to all Judah and Jerusalem, to all those who came back, that they were to come together to Jerusalem.
I was not at Jerusalem all this time in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon. I went to the king; and after some days, I got the king to let me go. I went to Jerusalem. It was clear to me what evil Eliashib had done for Tobiah by making ready for him a room in the buildings of the house of God.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod. Astrologers arrived in Jerusalem from the east. They asked: Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and came to offer him praise. King Herod was troubled when he heard this. Jerusalem was also troubled.
John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. Isaiah spoke of John when he said: He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of Jehovah. Make his paths straight.' (Isaiah 40:3)read more.
John wore clothes made from camel's hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem, Judea, and the whole Jordan Valley went to him. They confessed their sins and were baptized by John in the Jordan River.
