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Jeremiah 39

Jerusalem falls under the judgment God announced, while Jeremiah receives protection and Ebedmelech receives God’s promise of survival.

Babylon’s army breaks into Jerusalem after a long siege, and King Zedekiah flees by night. He is captured near Jericho, forced to witness his sons’ deaths, blinded, and bound for Babylon. The conquerors burn Jerusalem’s houses, destroy its walls, and deport its remaining people, though some poor people receive land. Jeremiah is released under Nebuchadnezzar’s orders. The account then returns to a word God had spoken during Jeremiah’s confinement: Ebedmelech will survive the disaster because he has trusted YHWH.

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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.”
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 the LORD’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, ‘The LORD 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 the LORD; “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 the LORD.’”
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Jeremiah 39:1The dated arrival of Babylon’s army anchors Jerusalem’s downfall in history and begins the account of its siege.
Jeremiah 39:5Zedekiah’s capture ends his escape and places Judah’s king before the foreign ruler who will determine his fate.
Jeremiah 39:8The burning of homes and destruction of walls show the ruin that reaches beyond the king to Jerusalem’s people.
Where this chapter reaches

2 Kings recounts the same siege and fall of Jerusalem, including Zedekiah’s capture, his blinding, and the burning of the city. Ezekiel shares the image of a ruler caught while fleeing and brought to Babylon, a land he will not see.

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After reading the whole chapter

What stands out in the contrast between Zedekiah’s fate and the poor receiving vineyards and fields?

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How does God’s promise to Ebedmelech shape your reading of the destruction that comes before it?

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Questions people ask about Jeremiah 39

What happened to King Zedekiah in Jeremiah 39?

Zedekiah fled Jerusalem at night after Babylonian officials entered the city. The Chaldean army captured him near Jericho and took him to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah. There his sons were killed before his eyes. He was then blinded and bound in fetters to be taken to Babylon.

Why did Nebuchadnezzar protect Jeremiah?

The chapter records Nebuchadnezzar’s order to care for Jeremiah, do him no harm, and follow his requests. It does not explain the king’s motive. Babylonian officers removed Jeremiah from the court of the guard and entrusted him to Gedaliah, after which Jeremiah lived among the people.

Who is Ebedmelech, and why does God promise to save him?

Jeremiah 39 identifies Ebedmelech as an Ethiopian and records a message addressed to him while Jeremiah was confined. God promises that he will escape with his life when disaster strikes Jerusalem. The stated reason is his trust in God. This chapter does not recount his earlier actions.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).