Jeremiah 39

39:1-10 Just as Jeremiah had predicted (34:1-7), the Lord’s judgment fell on Zedekiah and the kingdom of Judah. For other accounts of this event, see 52:4-16; 2 Kgs 25:1-21; 2 Chr 36:11-21; Ezek 24:1-14.

39:2 The Babylonian siege took a long time because the stone walls of Jerusalem were thick and the people’s resistance was strong.

39:3 High-ranking officers came into the city to oversee its destruction and sat in triumph at the Middle Gate, showing how important this victory was to the Babylonians. According to custom, victorious officials positioned themselves at one of the gates, since judicial and administrative matters were controlled at gateways.

39:4 The steep slopes of the Kidron Valley on the east side and the Ben-Hinnom Valley on the west and south sides of Jerusalem forced the Babylonian army to concentrate their men to the north. This made it possible for Zedekiah, his family, and his officials to slip out of the south end of the city, cross the Kidron Valley, and travel up and over the Mount of Olives. Although they made this move after nightfall, the noise of their departure alerted Babylonian sentries, and soldiers were soon chasing them.

39:5 Zedekiah and his royal party fled on foot, so it was not difficult for strong and healthy soldiers to capture the group near Jericho. The enemy troops then forced their captives to walk more than 200 miles north to Riblah, where King Nebuchadnezzar had his field headquarters.

39:6 Zedekiah’s last sight was the slaughter of his sons and all the nobles of Judah. Their slaughter ensured that Zedekiah’s rule could never continue.

39:7 After Nebuchadnezzar gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes, Zedekiah had to walk 400 miles to Babylon, blinded, in great pain, and with his arms in bronze chains.

39:9 took as exiles to Babylon the rest of the people: The usual practice in that time was to tie a person’s hands together, and then tie him or her to the person in front, making a long line of grief-stricken captives.

39:11–44:30 These chapters describe the events that followed the destruction of Jerusalem, especially as they affected Jeremiah.39:11-14 It is not fully known how Jeremiah and his urging the king to surrender to Babylon came to Nebuchadnezzar’s attention. Perhaps it was through the messages that Jeremiah sent to the exiles (ch 29; see 40:2-3).

39:15-17 Ebed-melech had saved Jeremiah from death in the muddy cistern (38:7-13). This promise was a solemn decree (see study note on 2:2).