Jeremiah 39King James Version
The eleventh year of Zedekiah, the ninth day of the fourth month, the city is broken up. Zedekiah tries to escape by night. He is caught in the plains of Jericho. His sons are killed in front of him. Then his eyes are put out, the last thing he ever sees. Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian captain, takes away the rest of the people but shows kindness to Jeremiah at Nebuchadnezzar's command.
The city falls. Nebuchadnezzar's army breaches Jerusalem's walls in 586 BC. Zedekiah flees by night, is caught in the plains of Jericho, watches his sons killed, then has his eyes put out. He is chained and taken to Babylon. Jerusalem burns. Jeremiah is released by Nebuchadnezzar's specific order. Ebed-melech is promised survival because he trusted in God.
The fall Jeremiah predicted for forty years arrives in a single chapter, almost without drama. The city falls, the king's eyes are the last thing he sees, and God's word is vindicated.
18: "For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD." Said to Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian who pulled Jeremiah from the mud with rags.
July 586 BC. The siege began in January 588. The city held for eighteen months. When the wall was breached, Zedekiah ran southeast toward the Jordan valley at night. He got to the plains of Jericho, twenty miles from Jerusalem, before he was caught. The Babylonian army killed his sons, then took his sight. Then they took him to Babylon in chains, where he died.
Nebuchadnezzar, whose officials come first and take their seats in the Middle Gate. Zedekiah, who flees and is caught, blinded, and taken to Babylon. Jeremiah, released by specific command of Nebuchadnezzar. Ebed-melech, promised survival.
Chapter 39 is the pivot of the entire book. Everything before it has been anticipating this moment; everything after deals with its aftermath. Zedekiah's end, eyes put out after watching his sons die, was the last image burned into his memory, which is the kind of detail that ancient narrators preserved deliberately.
For when the thing you feared most happens and the world continues and you have to figure out what comes next. Jeremiah is not triumphant. He is released into ruins.
1In 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.
2And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.
3And 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.
4And 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.
5But 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 gave judgment upon him.
6Then 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.
7Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.
8And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.
9Then Nebuzaradan the captain 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.
10But 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.
11Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,
12Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.
13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's princes;
14Even 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.
15Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
16Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.
17But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.
18For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.