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.
34. Every day the king of Babylon paid Jehoiachin enough to take care of his needs until the day Jehoiachin died.