Jeremiah 39:1-14 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

The Fall of Jerusalem: Jeremiah Spared. This paragraph well illustrates the growth of the OT text; cf. 2 Kings 25:1-12 (also reproduced in Jeremiah 52:4-16, from which Jeremiah 39:1 f. and Jeremiah 39:4-10; Jeremiah 39:13 have been here interpolated. The former verses (Jeremiah 39:1 f., bracketed in RV) break the Hebrew connexion, and refer back to the time prior to the capture of the city; the latter (Jeremiah 39:4-13 are omitted in LXX) include events connected with Nebuzaradan, who arrived a month later than the capture (2 Kings 25:8; Jeremiah 52:12). Jeremiah 39:14 properly connects with Jeremiah 39:3. For the interpolated verses, see on 2 Kings. The special instructions as to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 39:11 f.; not in 2 Kings or Jeremiah 52) would be due to his known policy of surrender. The closing words of Jeremiah 38, as continued in Jeremiah 39:3; Jeremiah 39:14, describe what happened to Jeremiah on the fall of the city. The Babylonian officers held a court (sat in the middle gate, Jeremiah 39:3), and directed Gedaliah (son of Jeremiah's friend Ahikam, Jeremiah 26:24) to take the prophet home, where he was set at liberty.

Jeremiah 39:3. The personal names (note mg.) are probably a corrupt expansion of the two names correctly given in Jeremiah 39:13. [On the meaning of Rab-mag, see J. H. Moulton, Early Zoroastrianism, pp. 187f., 430. He argues for the view that it means chief of the Magi; if this is correct there was apparently a priestly caste of Magi in Babylonia at this date. For the presence of Magi at Jerusalem cf. Ezekiel 8:17 *. A. S. P.]

Related Commentaries of Jeremiah 39:1

Jeremiah 39:1-14

1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.

2 And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.

3 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.

4 And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

5 But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gavea judgment upon him.

6 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.

7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.

8 And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.

9 Then Nebuzaradan the captainb of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.

10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah toc Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,

12 Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.

13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's princes;

14 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.