Jeremiah 39
39
The Fall of Jerusalem
This is how Jerusalem was captured. # 38:28 This sentence is missing in some modern translations, the Septuagint, the Syriac, and some Hebrew manuscripts. Some manuscripts connect this sentence to 38:28.
1It was in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign. In the tenth month of that year, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with his entire army, laying siege to it. # 39:1 Jerusalem fell in July of 586 BC. Since the months of the year would have been counted from spring (March/April), the siege of Jerusalem began in January two years before. 2After the city had been surrounded for two years, # 39:2 Or “In Zedekiah’s eleventh year as king, on the ninth day of the fourth month,” which was equal to about a two-year siege of Jerusalem. they broke through the city walls. # 39:2 Chapter 39 gives a detailed account of the fall of Jerusalem. After the fall of the city (see vv. 1–3), Zedekiah was captured and punished (see vv. 4–10). See also 2 Kings 25:1–12; Jer. 52:4–16.
3When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, the king’s leading officials took their seats in the Middle Gate to form their military government: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sar-Sechim a high dignitary of state, # 39:3 Or “the Rab-Saris.” There is a notable difference among English versions and commentaries as to the number of officials mentioned here, the exact spelling of their names, and their titles. See F. B. Huey, Jr., Jeremiah, Lamentations, The New American Commentary, vol. 16 (Nashville: B&H, 1993), 341n71; and John Bright, Jeremiah, Anchor Yale Bible Commentary, vol. 21 (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1965), 243. Nergal-Sharezer the king’s chief adviser, and all the other officials of the king of Babylon.
Zedekiah Is Blinded
4Upon seeing them at the Middle Gate, Zedekiah and all his soldiers tried to escape the city under cover of darkness. They went by way of the king’s garden and slipped through the gate # 39:4 This gate was likely the Fountain Gate. The “king’s garden” was near the pool of Siloam. See Neh. 3:15; 12:37. between the two city walls and headed toward the Jordan River Valley. # 39:4 Or “the Arabah.” 5But the Babylonians pursued them and caught up with Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was at the town of Riblah in the territory of Hamath, # 39:5 Riblah was on the Orontes River north of Israel in Syria. Hamath was an important town located on the Orontes River. See 2 Kings 23:33. where he passed sentence on him there. 6Nebuchadnezzar had Zedekiah’s sons slaughtered at Riblah and forced him to watch their execution. The king of Babylon also executed all the leading men of Judah. 7Then, he ordered that Zedekiah be bound with chains and have his eyes gouged out. Blinded, King Zedekiah was dragged off to distant Babylon.
8Meanwhile in Jerusalem, the Babylonians demolished the city walls, and burned down the temple of Yahweh # 39:8 Or “the house of the people.” See 52:13. and the king’s royal palace. 9Nebuzaradan the field general # 39:9 Or “the chief executioner.” held captive anyone left behind in Jerusalem and the deserters who had gone over to him and took them all away to distant Babylon. 10But he left behind some of the extremely poor people in the land of Judah. They owned nothing, so he gave them fields and vineyards to possess as their own.
Jeremiah Is Spared
11Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders to Nebuzaradan, the field general: 12“Find Jeremiah, look after him well, and don’t harm him. Do for him whatever he asks.” # 39:12 It is possible that Daniel used his influence with Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan. 2:49) to spare Jeremiah’s life.
13Nebuzaradan the field general, Nebushazban the chief palace official, and Nergal-Sharezer a high official, along with the other officers of King Nebuchadnezzar, 14dispatched some men to bring me from the courtyard of the guardhouse. They entrusted me to the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam, grandson of Shaphan, and told him to make sure I get home safely. And so, I stayed with the people who remained in Judah.
Yahweh’s Promise to Protect Ebed-Melech
15While I was still confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse, Yahweh spoke to me and said, 16“Go and prophesy to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian and tell him what I, Yahweh, God of Israel, Commander of Angel Armies have to say: ‘I am going to do what I promised to do to this city, and it will not be good but disastrous. And you will see it come true before your eyes. 17But I will rescue you that day, declares Yahweh, and you will not be handed over to the people you fear. 18I will certainly protect you so that no one will kill you. Yes, your life will be your reward because you have put your trust in me, declares Yahweh.’ ”
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Jeremiah 39: TPT
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