Jeremiah 39:9

9 Nebuzaradan was commander of the royal guard. Some people still remained in the city. But he took them away to Babylon as prisoners. He also took along those who had gone over to his side. And he took the rest of the people.

Jeremiah 39:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 39:9

Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard
The Targum is,

``the captain of those that kill;''

of the soldiers, of the militia. Some render it, the captain of the "cooks"; others, of the "butchers" ^F12; but no doubt it was a military office he bore; he was captain of the forces that were left in Jerusalem, after the other part went in pursuit of the king and those with him; or the captain of a company, being sent by the king of Babylon to execute a commission of his: the same carried away into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in
the city;
that were left of the pestilence, famine, and sword; and who were found in it when it was taken: and those that fell away, that fell to him;
that fell to the Chaldean army during the siege of the city; and those that betook themselves to Nebuzaradan, and voluntarily surrendered themselves to him afterwards: with the rest of the people that remained;
in other cities in the land of Judah.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (Myxbj br) "praefectus coquorum"; so some in Vatablus; "magister laniorum", Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 39:9 In-Context

7 Then he poked out Zedekiah's eyes. He put him in bronze chains. And he took him to Babylon.

8 The Babylonians set the royal palace on fire. They also set fire to the houses of the people. And they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

9 Nebuzaradan was commander of the royal guard. Some people still remained in the city. But he took them away to Babylon as prisoners. He also took along those who had gone over to his side. And he took the rest of the people.

10 Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guard, left some of the poor people of Judah behind. They didn't own anything. So at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

11 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia, had given orders about me. He had given them to Nebuzaradan, the commander of the royal guard. Nebuchadnezzar had said,