Old Testament
Jeremiah 39
Jerusalem Falls, Mercy Remains
Overview
Babylon's armies breach Jerusalem's walls and reduce the city to ruin, Zedekiah is overtaken in flight, blinded, and exiled, Jeremiah is released to live freely among the remnant, the poor receive the fields of the dispossessed elite, and Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian receives a personal divine promise of protection — each outcome a distinct expression of God's judgment on covenant infidelity and his faithfulness toward those who trusted him.
Passages
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Jeremiah 39
1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. 3All the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate: Nergal Sharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim the Rabsaris, Nergal Sharezer the Rabmag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. 4When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled and went out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.
5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. When they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; and he pronounced judgment on him. 6Then the king of Babylon killed Zedekiah’s sons in Riblah before his eyes. The king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.
8The Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the people’s houses with fire and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, the deserters also who fell away to him, and the rest of the people who remained. 10But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, who had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon commanded Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard concerning Jeremiah, saying, 12“Take him and take care of him. Do him no harm; but do to him even as he tells you.”
13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban, Rabsaris, and Nergal Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon 14sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should bring him home. So he lived among the people.
15Now Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying, 16“Go, and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will bring my words on this city for evil, and not for good; and they will be accomplished before you in that day. 17But I will deliver you in that day,” says Yahweh; “and you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18For I will surely save you. You won’t fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me,” says Yahweh.’”