Jeremiah 52:7

7 Then the Babylonians broke through the city walls. Under cover of the night darkness, the entire Judean army fled through an opening in the wall (it was the gate between the two walls above the King's Garden). They slipped through the lines of the Babylonians who surrounded the city and headed for the Jordan into the Arabah Valley,

Jeremiah 52:7 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 52:7

Then the city was broken up
Either its gates were broke open, some one or other of them; or a breach was made in the walls of it, through which the Chaldean army entered: and all the men of war fled;
the soldiers, with their officers, not being able to stand before the army of the king of Babylon: and went forth out of the city by night;
at which time, very probably, the attack was made, and the gates of the city forced open, or the walls broke down; Josephus ^F16 says it was taken in the middle of the night: by the way of the gate between the two walls, which [was] by the king's
garden; (See Gill on Jeremiah 39:4); now the Chaldeans [were] by the city round about;
as part of their army entered into it, the other part surrounded it; or, however, were placed at the gates and avenues all around, that none might escape: and they went by the way of the plain;
that is, the men of war or soldiers that fled, together with King Zedekiah, his family and princes; see ( Jeremiah 39:4 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 8. sect. 2. Ed. Hudson.

Jeremiah 52:7 In-Context

5 He arrived on the ninth year and tenth month of Zedekiah's reign. The city was under siege for nineteen months (until the eleventh year of Zedekiah).

6 By the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year, on the ninth day of the month, the famine was so bad that there wasn't so much as a crumb of bread for anyone.

7 Then the Babylonians broke through the city walls. Under cover of the night darkness, the entire Judean army fled through an opening in the wall (it was the gate between the two walls above the King's Garden). They slipped through the lines of the Babylonians who surrounded the city and headed for the Jordan into the Arabah Valley,

8 but the Babylonians were in full pursuit. They caught up with them in the Plains of Jericho. But by then Zedekiah's army had deserted and was scattered.

9 The Babylonians captured Zedekiah and marched him off to the king of Babylon at Riblah in Hamath, who tried and sentenced him on the spot.