Jeremiah 32:5

5 He will take Zedekiah to Babylon where he will stay until I attend to him'-[this is] the Lord's declaration. 'You will fight the Chaldeans, but you will not succeed'?"[a]

Jeremiah 32:5 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 32:5

And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon
As he did in chains, from Riblah, where he was brought unto him after he was taken, endeavouring to make his escape, ( Jeremiah 52:8 Jeremiah 52:9 Jeremiah 52:11 ) ; and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the Lord;
in taking him away by death; for he continued in Babylon to the time of his death, which was not violent, but natural; and, considering his circumstances, his captivity, imprisonment, and loss of sight, might be reckoned a visitation in mercy: though some understand this of God's visiting the people at the return of them from their seventy years' captivity; if Zedekiah lived till then, he must be a very old man; but of this we have no account, nor is it probable: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper;
though they should sally out upon them, in order to beat them out of their trenches, and drive them from the walls of the city, yet without success.

Jeremiah 32:5 In-Context

3 Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying: "Why are you prophesying, 'This is what the Lord says: Look, I am about to hand this city over to Babylon's king, and he will capture it.
4 Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the Chaldeans; indeed, he will certainly be handed over to Babylon's king. They will speak face to face and meet eye to eye.
5 He will take Zedekiah to Babylon where he will stay until I attend to him'-[this is] the Lord's declaration. 'You will fight the Chaldeans, but you will not succeed'?"
6 Jeremiah replied, "The word of the Lord came to me:
7 'Watch! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say: Buy my field in Anathoth for yourself, for you own the right of redemption to buy it.'

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Jr 21:3-7; 27:22; 34:2-3
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