Jeremiah 39:1-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 39:1-10

We were told, in the close of the foregoing chapter, that Jeremiah abode patiently in the court of the prison, until the day that Jerusalem was taken. He gave the princes no further disturbance by his prophesying, nor they him by their persecutions; for he had no more to say than what he had said, and, the siege being carried on briskly, God found them other work to do. See here what it came to. I. The city is at length taken by storm; for how could it hold out when God himself fought against... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 39:11-18

Here we must sing of mercy, as in the former part of the chapter we sang of judgment, and must sing unto God of both. We may observe here, I. A gracious providence concerning Jeremiah. When Jerusalem was laid in ruins, and all men's hearts failed them for fear, then might he lift up his head with comfort, knowing that his redemption drew nigh, as Christ's followers when the second destruction of Jerusalem was hastening on, Luke 21:28. Nebuchadnezzar had given particular orders that care should... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:1

In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month ,.... The month Tebet, which answers to part of our December, and part of January; so that it was in the winter season the siege of Jerusalem began: came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem , and they besieged it ; provoked by Zedekiah's breaking covenant with him, and rebelling against him, who had set him upon his throne, in the room of his nephew; so that here was a mixture of perfidy and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:2

And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month ,.... The month Tammuz, which answers to part of June, and part of July: the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up ; or taken by storm; the walls of it were broken by engines and battering rams, so that the Chaldeans could enter it, and take it. This was just a year and a half after it had been besieged, not being able to hold out any longer, because of the famine; see Jeremiah 52:6 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:3

And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in ,.... Into the city: a breach being made in the walls to take possession of it: and sat in the middle gate ; according to Jarchi, this was a gate of the temple; the gate Nicanor, the eastern gate, which was between the gate of the court of the women and the gate of the temple; who observes, that their Rabbins say, the middle gate was the gate in which the wise men made their decrees and constitutions: so that, in "the place of judgment,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:4

And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war ,.... That is, when Zedekiah and his soldiers saw the princes and generals of the Chaldean army enter the city through a breach made in the wall, and take possession of the middle gate; which they might see from some high tower where they were for safety, and to make their observation of the enemy: then they fled ; finding they were not able to keep their posts and resist the enemy: and went... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:5

But the Chaldean army pursued after them ,.... Being informed of the flight of them, by those who surrendered to them, as Josephus says; or not finding the king, his family, nobles, and guards, at the palace, where they expected them; and, knowing which way they must take, pursued after them; not the whole army, only a part of it; for some must remain at Jerusalem to demolish the city, and take the spoil of it: and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho ; not far from it, as Josephus... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:6

Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes ,.... Not with his own hands, but gave orders to do it: these must be very young, at least some of them; since Zedekiah at this time was but thirty two years of age. This must be a dreadful spectacle for him to behold; and the consideration must be cutting, that it was owing to his own obstinacy in not taking the advice of the Prophet Jeremiah to surrender to the Chaldeans, whereby he and his family would have been... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:7

Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes ,.... By what means is not certain; however, hereby the prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled, that his eyes should see the king of Babylon, as they did, before they were put out, and that he should not die by the sword, Jeremiah 34:3 ; and also the prophecy of Ezekiel, Ezekiel 12:13 ; that he should be brought to Babylon, and yet should not see it; for his eyes were put out before he was carried there: a full proof this of the prescience of God; of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 39:8

And the Chaldeans burnt the king's house ,.... His palace: this was a month after the city was taken, as appears from Jeremiah 52:12 ; and the houses of the people, with fire ; the houses of the common people, as distinct from the king's house, and the houses of the great men, Jeremiah 52:13 ; though Jarchi interprets of the synagogues. It is in the original text in the singular number, "the house of the people"; which Abarbinel understands of the temple, called, not the house of... read more

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