23. There were 96 pomegranates on the sides of the pillars. All together, there were 100 pomegranates above the net design that went around the pillars.
24. The commander of the king’s special guards took Seraiah the high priest and Zephaniah the next highest priest as prisoners. The three doorkeepers were also taken as prisoners.
25. The commander of the king’s special guards also took the officer in charge of the fighting men. He also took seven of the king’s advisors as prisoners. They were still there in Jerusalem. He also took the scribe who was in charge of putting people in the army. And he took 60 of the ordinary people who were there in the city.
26-27. Nebuzaradan, the commander, took all these officials and brought them to the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon was at the city of Riblah. Riblah is in the country of Hamath. There at the city of Riblah, the king ordered all of them to be killed. So the people of Judah were taken from their country.
28. This is how many people Nebuchadnezzar carried into captivity: In Nebuchadnezzar’s 7th year as king of Babylon, 3023 people were taken from Judah.
29. In Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th year as king of Babylon, 832 people were taken from Jerusalem.
30. In Nebuchadnezzar’s 23rd year as king, Nebuzaradan took 745 people of Judah into captivity. Nebuzaradan was the commander of the king’s special guards. In all, 4600 people were taken captive.
31. King Jehoiachin of Judah was in prison in Babylon for 37 years. In the 37th year of his imprisonment, King Evil Merodach of Babylon was very kind to Jehoiachin. He let Jehoiachin out of prison in that year. This was the same year that Evil Merodach became king of Babylon. He set Jehoiachin free from prison on the 25th day of the 12th month.
32. Evil Merodach spoke kindly to Jehoiachin. He gave Jehoiachin a place of honor higher than the other kings who were with him in Babylon.
33. So Jehoiachin took his prison clothes off. For the rest of his life, he ate regularly at the king’s table.