Jeremiah 39:2-12

2 in the eleventh * year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city wall was ¹breached.

3 Then all the ²officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the ³Middle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

4 When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they ⁴fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate ⁵between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.

5 But the army of the ⁶Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the ⁷plains of Jericho; and they seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at ⁸Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him.

6 Then the ⁹king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah ¹⁰before his eyes at Riblah; the king of Babylon also slew all the ¹¹nobles of Judah.

7 He then ¹²blinded Zedekiah's eyes and bound him in ¹³fetters of bronze to bring him to ¹⁴Babylon.

8 The Chaldeans also ¹⁵burned with fire the king's palace and the houses of the people, and they ¹⁶broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

9 As for the rest of the people who were left in the city, the ¹⁷deserters who had gone over to him and ¹⁸the rest of the people who remained, ¹⁹Nebuzaradan the ²⁰captain of the bodyguard carried them into exile in Babylon.

10 But some of the ²¹poorest people who had nothing *, ²²Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at that time.

Jeremiah Spared

11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about ²³Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying,

12 "Take him and look * after him, and ²⁴do nothing * harmful to him, but rather * deal with him just as he tells you."

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Jeremiah 39:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 39

This chapter gives an account of the taking of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, according to the several prophecies of Jeremiah concerning it. The time of taking it, and by whom, after a siege of eighteen months, Jer 39:1-3; several things relating to King Zedekiah; his flight; the taking of him; the bringing him to the king of Babylon, and his sentence on him; the execution of that sentence, slaying his sons and nobles, putting out his eyes, and carrying him in chains to Babylon, Jer 39:4-7; the destruction of the city is described, by burning the houses in it, breaking down its walls, carrying the people captive, all, except a few poor persons left in the land, Jer 39:8-10; the preservation of Jeremiah, according to the king of Babylon's orders by his princes; and the committing him to the care of Gedaliah, the governor of the poor Jews, Jer 39:11-14; and the chapter is concluded with a promise of the protection of Ebedmelech, made by the Lord before the taking of the city, while the prophet was in prison; and which, no doubt, had its accomplishment, Jer 39:15-18.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 24

1. 2 Kings 25:4; Jeremiah 52:7
2. Jeremiah 38:17
3. Jeremiah 21:4
4. 2 Kings 25:4; Isaiah 30:16; Jeremiah 52:7; Amos 2:14
5. 2 Chronicles 32:5
6. Jeremiah 32:4, 5; Jeremiah 38:18, 23; Jeremiah 52:8
7. Joshua 4:13; Joshua 5:10
8. 2 Kings 23:33; Jer 52:9, 26, 27
9. 2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 52:10
10. Deuteronomy 28:34
11. Jeremiah 21:7; Jeremiah 24:8-10; Jeremiah 34:19-21
12. 2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 52:11; Ezekiel 12:13
13. Judges 16:21
14. Jeremiah 32:5
15. 2 Kings 25:9; Jeremiah 21:10; Jeremiah 38:18; Jeremiah 52:13
16. 2 Kings 25:10; Nehemiah 1:3; Jeremiah 52:14
17. Jeremiah 38:19; Jeremiah 52:15
18. Jeremiah 24:8
19. 2 Kings 25:11, 20; Jeremiah 39:13; Jeremiah 40:1; Jeremiah 52:12-16, 26
20. Genesis 37:36
21. 2 Kings 25:12; Jeremiah 52:16
22. 2 Kings 25:12; Jeremiah 52:16
23. Job 5:15, 16; Jeremiah 1:8; Jeremiah 15:20, 21; Acts 24:23
24. Psalms 105:14, 15; Proverbs 16:7; Proverbs 21:1; 1 Peter 3:13

Footnotes 6

[a]. I.e. chief official
[b]. I.e. title of a high official
[c]. I.e. Jordan valley
[d]. Lit "fallers who had fallen"
[e]. Lit "on that day"
[f]. Lit "set your eyes on"