And afterwards, saith the Lord God
After there should be so great a mortality among men and beasts: I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants;
the king himself shall not escape; though he shall not die by the pestilence, or famine, or sword, yet he shall fall into the hands of the Chaldeans, and also "his servants", his courtiers, and counsellors: and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence,
from the sword, and from the famine;
such of the inhabitants of the city, as well as those at court, that died not by the sword, famine, and pestilence: these should be delivered into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon;
who was now with his army without the walls of the city besieging it: and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that
seek their life;
the Chaldeans, who were their implacable enemies, and cruel, and whom nothing would satisfy but their lives: he shall smite them with the edge of the sword;
that is, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, or, however, the army under his command; for what was done by the one is ascribed to the other: this is to be understood of such that fell into their hands upon taking the city, and who endeavoured to make their escape; see ( Jeremiah 39:4-6 ) ; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy;
they had no regard to rank or figure, to age or sex; the sons of the king were slain before his eyes, and then his eyes were put out; princes were hanged up by the hand; and no compassion shown to old or young, man or maiden; see ( Jeremiah 52:10 Jeremiah 52:11 ) ( Lamentations 5:12 Lamentations 5:13 ) ( 2 Chronicles 36:17 ) . This verse is remarkably long.