0. Maoz Tzur:
the first stanza to recall the Chanukah holiday that just ended,
and the third stanza as a review of the twilight of Judah in 586 BCE.
(א) מָעוֹז צוּר יְשׁוּעָתִי לְךָ נָאֶה לְשַׁבֵּחַ.
(ב) תִּכּוֹן בֵּית תְּפִלָּתִי וְשָׁם תּוֹדָה נְזַבֵּחַ.
(ג) לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְבֵּחַ מִצָּר הַמְנַבֵּחַ.
(ד) אָז אֶגְמוֹר בְּשִׁיר מִזְמוֹר חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.
Maoz tzur ye'shu'ati, lecha na'eh leshabei'ach
Tikkon beit tefilati, vesham todah ne-zabe'ach
Le'eit tachin matbei'ach, mi-tzar ham'nabe'ach
Az egmor be'shir mizmor, Chanukaht ha'mizbei'ach...
(1) O Fortress, Rock of my salvation, unto thee it is becoming to give praise:
(2) let my house of prayer be restored, and I will there offer thee thanksgivings
(3) when thou shalt have prepared a slaughter of the blaspheming foe,
(4) I will complete with song and psalm the dedication of the altar.
(יא) דְּבִיר קָדְשׁוֹ הֱבִיאַנִי וְגַם שָׁם לֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי.
(יב) וּבָא נוֹגֵשׂ וְהִגְלַנִי. כִּי זָרִים עָבַדְתִּי.
(יג) וְיֵין רַעַל מָסַכְתִּי כִּמְעַט שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי.
(יד) קֵץ בָּבֶל, זְרֻבָּבֶל, לְקֵץ שִׁבְעִים נוֹשָׁעְתִּי.
(11) To his holy [shrine] he brought me, yet there also I found no peace,
(12) for the oppressor came and led me captive, because I had served strange gods:
(13) I had to quaff the wine of bewilderment; well nigh had I perished,
(14) when Babylon's end drew near; through Zerubbabel I was saved after seventy years.
Jeremiah experiences the siege of Jerusalem
1. Question: What Makes a Person's Legacy?
In our passage, we will consider the legacies of Jeremiah and a number of people.
Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem. Jeremiah mourning below, Miscellaneous texts, Add MS 11695. Artist: Petrus of Santo Domingo de Silos, c. 10th century. British Library
Found at https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-babylonian-officials-who-oversaw-the-siege-of-jerusalem. Visited 12/2021
2. Introduction to our Texts
(א) וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע שְׁפַטְיָ֣ה בֶן־מַתָּ֗ן וּגְדַלְיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּן־פַּשְׁח֔וּר וְיוּכַל֙ בֶּן־שֶׁ֣לֶמְיָ֔הוּ וּפַשְׁח֖וּר בֶּן־מַלְכִּיָּ֑ה אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר יִרְמְיָ֛הוּ מְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) כֹּה֮ אָמַ֣ר ה' הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את יָמ֕וּת בַּחֶ֖רֶב בָּרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְהַיֹּצֵ֤א אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים֙ (יחיה) [וְחָיָ֔ה] וְהָיְתָה־לּ֥וֹ נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לְשָׁלָ֖ל וָחָֽי׃ {ס} (ג) כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר ה' הִנָּתֹ֨ן תִּנָּתֵ֜ן הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֗את בְּיַ֛ד חֵ֥יל מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל וּלְכָדָֽהּ׃
(ד) וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ הַשָּׂרִ֜ים אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ י֣וּמַת נָא֮ אֶת־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּה֒ כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֡ן הֽוּא־מְרַפֵּ֡א אֶת־יְדֵי֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים ׀ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֗את וְאֵת֙ יְדֵ֣י כׇל־הָעָ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֣י ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֗ה אֵינֶ֨נּוּ דֹרֵ֧שׁ לְשָׁל֛וֹם לָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כִּ֥י אִם־לְרָעָֽה׃ (ה) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ הִנֵּה־ה֖וּא בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יוּכַ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם דָּבָֽר׃
Palace officials receive King Zedekiah's consent to throw Jeremiah into a cistern
(1) Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah heard what Jeremiah was saying to all the people: (2) “Thus said the LORD: Whoever remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans shall live; he shall at least gain his life-a and shall live. (3) Thus said the LORD: This city shall be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon’s army, and he shall capture it.”
(4) Then the officials said to the king, “Let that man be put to death, for he disheartens the soldiers, and all the people who are left in this city, by speaking such things to them. That man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm!” (5) King Zedekiah replied, “He is in your hands; the king cannot oppose you in anything!”
Chronology of the siege and capture of Jerusalem
(1) In the ninth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the tenth month, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon moved against Jerusalem with his whole army, and they laid siege to it. (2) And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the fourth month, the [walls of] the city were breached.
Jeremiah describes the destruction: Many things are left out, including the destruction of the Temple!
(8) The Chaldeans burned down the king’s palace and the houses of the people by fire, and they tore down the walls of Jerusalem. (9) The remnant of the people that was left in the city, and the defectors who had gone over to him—the remnant of the people that was left—were exiled by Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, to Babylon. (10) But some of the poorest people who owned nothing were left in the land of Judah by Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, and he gave them vineyards and fields at that time.
3. A Chronology of Destruction
Year 9, Month 10, Day 10 acc. to 52:4]: The Babylonians begin their siege of Jerusalem in Tevet (January) ~588 BCE [39:1, 52:4]
Year 11, Month 4, Day 9: The Babylonians breach the walls of Jerusalem in Tammuz (July) 586 BCE [39:2]
Year 11, Month 5, Day 10: Babylonians burned the Temple in Av [52:12]
[Year 11], Month 7, [Day ?]: Gedaliah son Ahikam, Judean Governor, is assassinated in Tishri [41:1]
4. Our Texts
38:6-13, 14-21; 39:11-12, 15-18; 40:1-6
(ו) וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֨כוּ אֹת֜וֹ אֶל־הַבּ֣וֹר ׀ מַלְכִּיָּ֣הוּ בֶן־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּחֲצַ֣ר הַמַּטָּרָ֔ה וַיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּחֲבָלִ֑ים וּבַבּ֤וֹר אֵֽין־מַ֙יִם֙ כִּ֣י אִם־טִ֔יט וַיִּטְבַּ֥ע יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּטִּֽיט׃ {ס}
(ז) וַיִּשְׁמַ֡ע עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י אִ֣ישׁ סָרִ֗יס וְהוּא֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־נָתְנ֥וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּשַׁ֥עַר בִּנְיָמִֽן׃ (ח) וַיֵּצֵ֥א עֶבֶד־מֶ֖לֶךְ מִבֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ט) אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הֵרֵ֜עוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ אֵ֣ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ לְיִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיָּ֤מׇת תַּחְתָּיו֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָרָעָ֔ב כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין הַלֶּ֛חֶם ע֖וֹד בָּעִֽיר׃
(י) וַיְצַוֶּ֣ה הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֛ת עֶבֶד־מֶ֥לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר קַ֣ח בְּיָדְךָ֤ מִזֶּה֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְֽהַעֲלִ֜יתָ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֧הוּ הַנָּבִ֛יא מִן־הַבּ֖וֹר בְּטֶ֥רֶם יָמֽוּת׃
(יא) וַיִּקַּ֣ח ׀ עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֗וֹ וַיָּבֹ֤א בֵית־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־תַּ֣חַת הָאוֹצָ֔ר וַיִּקַּ֤ח מִשָּׁם֙ בְּלוֹיֵ֣ (הסחבות) [סְחָב֔וֹת] וּבְלוֹיֵ֖ מְלָחִ֑ים וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֧ם אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֛הוּ אֶל־הַבּ֖וֹר בַּחֲבָלִֽים׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֡אמֶר עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ שִׂ֣ים נָ֠א בְּלוֹאֵ֨י הַסְּחָב֤וֹת וְהַמְּלָחִים֙ תַּ֚חַת אַצִּל֣וֹת יָדֶ֔יךָ מִתַּ֖חַת לַחֲבָלִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ כֵּֽן׃ (יג) וַיִּמְשְׁכ֤וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ בַּחֲבָלִ֔ים וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ בַּחֲצַ֖ר הַמַּטָּרָֽה׃ {ס}
Eved-Melech the Cushite saves Jeremiah
(6) So they took Jeremiah and put him down in the pit of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the prison compound; they let Jeremiah down by ropes. There was no water in the pit, only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud.
(7) Ebed-melech the Cushite, a eunuch who was in the king’s palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the pit. The king was then sitting at the Benjamin Gate; (8) so Ebed-melech left the king’s palace, and spoke to the king: (9) “O lord king, those men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah; they have put him down in the pit, to die there of hunger.” For there was no more bread in the city.
(10) Then the king instructed Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take with you thirty men from here, and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the pit before he dies.”
(11) So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went to the king’s palace, to a place below-d the treasury. There they got worn cloths and rags, which they let down to Jeremiah in the pit by ropes. (12) And Ebed-melech the Cushite called to Jeremiah, “Put the worn cloths and rags under your armpits, inside the ropes.” Jeremiah did so, (13) and they pulled Jeremiah up by the ropes and got him out of the pit. And Jeremiah remained in the prison compound.
(יד) וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֗הוּ וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֤הוּ הַנָּבִיא֙ אֵלָ֔יו אֶל־מָבוֹא֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית ה' וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ שֹׁאֵ֨ל אֲנִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ דָּבָ֔ר אַל־תְּכַחֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נִּי דָּבָֽר׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ כִּ֚י אַגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔ הֲל֖וֹא הָמֵ֣ת תְּמִיתֵ֑נִי וְכִי֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ לֹ֥א תִשְׁמַ֖ע אֵלָֽי׃ (טז) וַיִּשָּׁבַ֞ע הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֛הוּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּסֵּ֣תֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר חַי־ה' (את) אֲשֶׁר֩ עָשָׂה־לָ֨נוּ אֶת־הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ הַזֹּאת֙ אִם־אֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְאִם־אֶתֶּנְךָ֗ בְּיַד֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ {ס} (יז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ אֶל־צִדְקִיָּ֡הוּ {ס} כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר ה' אֱלֹקֵ֨י צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אִם־יָצֹ֨א תֵצֵ֜א אֶל־שָׂרֵ֤י מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ וְחָיְתָ֣ה נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ וְהָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את לֹ֥א תִשָּׂרֵ֖ף בָּאֵ֑שׁ וְחָיִ֖תָה אַתָּ֥ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃ (יח) וְאִ֣ם לֹֽא־תֵצֵ֗א אֶל־שָׂרֵי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וְנִתְּנָ֞ה הָעִ֤יר הַזֹּאת֙ בְּיַ֣ד הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים וּשְׂרָפ֖וּהָ בָּאֵ֑שׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹא־תִמָּלֵ֥ט מִיָּדָֽם׃ {ס}
(יט) וַיֹּ֛אמֶר הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ אֲנִ֧י דֹאֵ֣ג אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽפְלוּ֙ אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים פֶּֽן־יִתְּנ֥וּ אֹתִ֛י בְּיָדָ֖ם וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־בִֽי׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ לֹ֣א יִתֵּ֑נוּ שְֽׁמַֽע־נָ֣א ׀ בְּק֣וֹל ה' לַאֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ דֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיִ֥יטַב לְךָ֖ וּתְחִ֥י נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (כא) וְאִם־מָאֵ֥ן אַתָּ֖ה לָצֵ֑את זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִרְאַ֖נִי ה'׃
King Zedekiah meets with Jeremiah in secret
(14) King Zedekiah sent for the prophet Jeremiah, and had him brought to him at the third entrance of the House of the LORD. And the king said to Jeremiah, “I want to ask you something; don’t conceal anything from me.” (15) Jeremiah answered the king, “If I tell you, you’ll surely kill me; and if I give you advice, you won’t listen to me.” (16) Thereupon King Zedekiah secretly promised Jeremiah on oath: “As the LORD lives who has given us this life,-e I will not put you to death or leave you in the hands of those men who seek your life.” (17) Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus said the LORD, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel: If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down. You and your household will live. (18) But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans, who will burn it down; and you will not escape from them.”
(19) King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am worried about the Judeans who have defected to the Chaldeans; that they [the Chaldeans] might hand me over to them to abuse me.” (20) “They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Listen to the voice of the LORD, to what I tell you, that it may go well with you and your life be spared. (21) For this is what the LORD has shown me if you refuse to surrender:
Nevuchadrezzar and Nebuzaran: Treat Jeremiah well
(11) King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon had given orders to Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, concerning Jeremiah: (12) “Take him and look after him; do him no harm, but grant whatever he asks of you.”
Ebed-Melech the Cushite: a prophecy of hope
(15) The word of the LORD had come to Jeremiah while he was still confined in the prison compound: (16) Go and say to Ebed-melech the Cushite: “Thus said the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to fulfill My words concerning this city—for disaster, not for good—and they shall come true on that day in your presence. (17) But I will save you on that day—declares the LORD; you shall not be delivered into the hands of the men you dread. (18) I will rescue you, and you shall not fall by the sword. You shall escape with your life,-e because you trusted Me—declares the LORD.”
Nebuzaradan offers Jeremiah safety; Gedaliah son of Achikam
(1) The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, set him free at Ramah, to which he had taken him, chained in fetters, among those from Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. (2) The chief of the guards took charge of Jeremiah, and he said to him, “The LORD your God threatened this place with this disaster; (3) and now the LORD has brought it about. He has acted as He threatened, because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey Him. That is why this has happened to you. (4) Now, I release you this day from the fetters which were on your hands. If you would like to go with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. And if you don’t want to come with me to Babylon, you need not. See, the whole land is before you: go wherever seems good and right to you.”— (5) But [Jeremiah] still did not turn back.-a—“Or go to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has put in charge of the towns of Judah, and stay with him among the people, or go wherever you want to go.”
The chief of the guards gave him an allowance of food, and dismissed him. (6) So Jeremiah came to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.
5. Enemy Leader(s) Enthroned at the Gate
Sennacherib on his throne overseeing the siege of Lachish in 701 BCE. Source: British Museum, BM 124911
Viewed at https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-babylonian-officials-who-oversaw-the-siege-of-jerusalem, 12/2021
Of the kingdoms of the north
—declares the LORD.
They shall come, and shall each set up a throne
Before the gates of Jerusalem,
Against its walls round about,
And against all the towns of Judah.
Jack R. Lundbom, Jeremiah 37-52 (Anchor Bible Commentary), Note to 39:3 (p. 84)
The city gate is where judgment takes place, and now instead of Judah's elders occupying the benches, it is ranking officers of the Babylonian army.
6. Ebed-Melech the Cushite
(38:7ff; 39:16ff)
From the Paraleipomena of Jeremiah ("Supplement of Jeremiah", also know as 4th Baruch)
Written by a Jew in the land of Israel ca. 136 CE, according to Jack R. Lundbom (p. 73)
Source: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rak/publics/pseudepig/ParJer-Eng.html
~3.12. And Jeremiah spoke again, saying: I beseech you, Lord, what should I do for Abimelech the Ethiopian [i.e. Ebed-Melech the Cushite], for he has done many kindnesses to your servant?
~3.13. For he drew me up out of the miry pit where they threw me, and I do not wish that he should see the destruction and spoiling of the city because he is little-souled.
~3.14. And the Lord said to Jeremiah: Send him to the vineyard of Agrippa, and I will hide him in the shadow of the mountain until the people are about to return from the captivity.
7. Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards
(39:11-12; 40:1-6)
(יא) וַיְצַ֛ו נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל עַֽל־יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ בְּיַ֛ד נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֥ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃
(11) King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon had given orders to Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guards, [rav-tabbahim] concerning Jeremiah:
(א) וְיוֹסֵ֖ף הוּרַ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּקְנֵ֡הוּ פּוֹטִיפַר֩ סְרִ֨יס פַּרְעֹ֜ה שַׂ֤ר הַטַּבָּחִים֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מִיַּד֙ הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹרִדֻ֖הוּ שָֽׁמָּה׃
(1) When Joseph was taken down to Egypt, a certain Egyptian, Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh and his chief steward [sar ha-tabahim], bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there.
(יא) וּפַקֵיד נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַר מַלְכָּא דְבָבֶל עַל יִרְמְיָה בְּיַד נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב קָטוֹלַיָא לְמֵימָר:
Traditional Aramaic translation of the Prophets
King Nebuchadrezzar had given orders concerning Jeremiah to Nevuzaradan, chief of the executioners/killers, as follows:
Dalit Rom-Shiloni, Jewish Study Bible, comment to Jeremiah 40:1-6
This Babylonian commander [Nebuzaradan] has a correct theological understanding of the events (Deut. 29:23-27), and knows other important biblical literature (Josh. 2:9; 2 Kings 18:25). According to [Talmud] Gittin 57b, Nebuzaradan's statements indicate that he converted to Judaism in remorse for the suffering he caused.
אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אָבִין אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה סָח לִי זָקֵן אֶחָד מֵאַנְשֵׁי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בְּבִקְעָה זוֹ הָרַג נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב טַבָּחִים מָאתַיִם וְאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה רִבּוֹא וּבִירוּשָׁלַיִם הָרַג תִּשְׁעִים וְאַרְבַּע רִבּוֹא עַל אֶבֶן אַחַת עַד שֶׁהָלַךְ דָּמָן וְנָגַע בְּדָמוֹ שֶׁל זְכַרְיָה לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר וְדָמִים בְּדָמִים נָגְעוּ