Jeremiah 39:6 NIV

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:1-18

The fall of Jerusalem (39:1-18)After eighteen months of siege, the Babylonian armies finally broke through the walls of Jerusalem (39:1-2). Zedekiah tried to escape by night, but was quickly captured and brought face to face with the king of Babylon, as Jeremiah foretold. Although he was not executed, Zedekiah suffered cruel treatment before being taken captive to Babylon (3-7; cf. 34:2-3). The Babylonians then burnt Jerusalem, destroyed the city walls and took the citizens into captivity. They... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Jeremiah 39:6

before his eyes. A specimen of the inhumanity of those days. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Jeremiah 39:6

ZEDEKIAH'S PUNISHMENTAfter the ancient custom of terrible and inhumane punishment of defeated enemies, Nebuchadnezzar imposed his ruthless sentence upon Zedekiah and his nobles, sons, and friends."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. Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon.""He put out Zedekiah's eyes ..." (Jeremiah 39:7). Feinberg tells us that ancient... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 39:6

6. slew . . . sons . . . before his eyes—previous to his eyes being "put out" ( :-); literally, "dug out." The Assyrian sculptures depict the delight with which the kings struck out, often with their own hands, the eyes of captive princes. This passage reconciles :-, "his eyes shall behold his eyes"; with :-, "he shall not see Babylon, though he shall die there." slew all . . . nobles— (Jeremiah 27:20). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Jeremiah 39:1-10

The fall of Jerusalem 39:1-10What Jeremiah had predicted for so long finally became a reality for Judah. There are four chapters in the Bible that record the fall of Jerusalem, reflecting the importance of this event (39; 52; 2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 36). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Jeremiah 39:6-7

Nebuchadnezzar then slew Zedekiah’s sons as their father watched, as well as the Judean nobles. He also blinded Zedekiah and sent him bound in strong chains to Babylon, where he died (cf. Jeremiah 52:11; Judges 16:21). The last sight Zedekiah saw was the execution of his own children. Truly this last king of David’s line was a pathetic figure. He was similar to King Saul, who also received a warning from a prophet, Samuel, but disregarded it and suffered a terrible fate (1 Samuel 28:15-19; 1... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 39:1-7

Jeremiah’s History from the Fall of Jerusalem till he goes down to Egypt. See Introduction read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 39:1-18

The Capture of Jerusalem (11th year of Zedekiah)The narrative in this c., with some varieties in detail, coincides with that of Jeremiah 52 and with 2 Kings 25.1-7. The city taken. Zedekiah’s fate.3. From the Eng. it would appear that there are six persons named. But Rab-saris (chief of the eunuchs) and Rab-mag (chief of the sorcerers) are only the titles of those whose names they follow. 4. The way of the plain] so as to escape to the eastern bank of Jordan. 5. Riblah] on the high road between... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Jeremiah 39:6

(6) The sons of Zedekiah.—The history of Eastern monarchies presents us with many examples of this refinement of cruelty, notably in the case of (Eobazus under Darius (Herod. Iv. 84), and Pythius under Xerxes (Herod, vii. 39). The slaughter of the “nobles” probably included most of those whom we have seen in Jeremiah 36:12, and elsewhere. read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:1-18

CHAPTER XIIIGEDALIAHJeremiah 39:1-18; Jeremiah 40:1-16; Jeremiah 41:1-18; Jeremiah 52:1-34"Then arose Ishmael ben Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote with the sword and slewGedaliah ben Ahikam ben Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon had made king over the land." Jeremiah 41:2WE now pass to the concluding period of Jeremiah’s ministry. His last interview with Zedekiah was speedily followed by the capture of Jerusalem. With that catastrophe the curtain falls upon another act in... read more