“The Chaldeans burned
The king’s house
With the houses of the people.
They broke down
The walls of Jerusalem.
Then Nebuzaradan,
The captain of the guard,
Exiled to Babylon
The rest of the people
Who were left in the city.
This included
Those who had deserted to him,
As well as the people who remained.
Nebuzaradan,
The captain of the guard,
Left in the land of Judah
Some of the poor people
Who owned nothing.
He gave them vineyards.
He gave them fields
At the same time.”
Once again, this is similar to 2 Kings, chapter 25. However, here there is no mention of an exact date. The Chaldean fighters burned the palace of the king and other houses in Jerusalem. There is no mention about the burning of the Temple as in 2 Kings. They also broke down the walls of Jerusalem. The king of Babylon did not come himself, but he sent the captain of his bodyguard, Nebuzaradan, to take all the people as captives. This included those who had deserted to the Chaldeans as well as those left in the city. However, he gave the poor people the vineyards and fields. This might be a problem when the exiles return. Thus, the Judean kingdom lasted 134 years after the fall of the northern Israelite kingdom at Samaria.