and all his fugitives with all his bands fall by the sword, and those who are left be scattered to every wind. And you shall know that I, יהוה, have spoken.”
And Neḇuzaraḏan the chief of the guard took into exile the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who deserted to the sovereign of Baḇel, with the rest of the multitude.
“He who flees from the fear falls into the pit, and he who gets out of the pit is caught in the snare. For I am bringing upon Mo’aḇ the year of their punishment,” declares יהוה.
But the army of the Kasdim pursued the sovereign, and they overtook Tsiḏqiyahu in the desert plains of Yeriḥo, and his entire army was scattered from him.
“And I shall throw down the wall you have coated with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, and its foundation shall be uncovered. And it shall fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. And you shall know that I am יהוה.
“Therefore you shall no longer see false visions, nor practise divination. And I shall deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am יהוה.” ’ ”
And I shall set My face against them. They shall go out from fire, but fire consumes them. And you shall know that I am יהוה, when I set My face against them.
Therefore fathers are going to eat their sons in your midst, and sons eat their fathers. And I shall execute judgments among you and scatter all your remnant to all the winds.
One-third of you shall die of pestilence, and be consumed with scarcity of food in your midst. And one-third shall fall by the sword all around you. And I shall scatter another third to all the winds, and draw out a sword after them.
And My displeasure shall be completed. And I shall bring My wrath to rest upon them, and I shall be eased. And they shall know that I, יהוה, have spoken it in My ardour, when I have completed My wrath upon them.
“Burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city when the days of the siege are completed. And you shall take one-third and strike around it with the sword, and scatter one-third in the wind. And I shall draw out a sword after them.
I saw יהוה standing by the slaughter-place, and He said, “Strike the column head, so that the thresholds shake, and break them off by the head, all of them. And the last of them I kill with the sword. Not one of them fleeing gets away, and not one fugitive of them escapes.