The Fall of Jerusalem// 2 Kings 25:1–12; 2 Chronicles 36:15–21
1In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city. 2And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city was breached.
3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon entered and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.
- JER 39:3[ARCHAEOLOGY]The Nebo Sarsekim Tablet, a Babylonian receipt of 595 BC naming Nebuchadnezzar's chief officer, see the Field Notes page
- JER 39:3[FULFILLS]Kings from the north would set their thrones at the gates of Jerusalem ← JER 1:15
- JER 39:3[NOTE]NEBO SARSEKIM. A clay tablet in the British Museum names a chief officer of Nebuchadnezzar with the same name and title. See The Nebo Sarsekim Tablet.
4When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and they went out along the route to the Arabah. 5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.
- JER 39:4[FULFILLS]The prince would leave at dusk through a hole in the wall with his face covered ← EZK 12:12
- JER 39:5[FULFILLS]Zedekiah and the survivors would be handed over to Nebuchadnezzar ← JER 21:7
- JER 39:5[FULFILLS]Zedekiah would see the king of Babylon eye to eye and go to Babylon ← JER 34:3
6There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze chains to take him to Babylon.
8The Chaldeans set fire to the palace of the king and to the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
- JER 39:8[FULFILLS]Pharaoh's army would go home and the Chaldeans would return and burn Jerusalem ← JER 37:7-8
9Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away to Babylon the remnant of the people who had remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to him. 10But Nebuzaradan left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people who had no property, and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.
Jeremiah Delivered
11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, saying, 12“Take him, look after him, and do not let any harm come to him; do for him whatever he says.”
13So Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the captains of the king of Babylon 14had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guard, and they turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So Jeremiah remained among his own people.
15And while Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of Yahweh had come to him: 16“Go and tell Ebed-melech the Cushite that this is what Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to fulfill My words against this city for harm and not for good, and on that day they will be fulfilled before your eyes. 17But I will deliver you on that day, declares Yahweh, and you will not be delivered into the hands of the men whom you fear. 18For I will surely rescue you so that you do not fall by the sword. Because you have trusted in Me, you will escape with your life like a spoil of war, declares Yahweh.’”
- JER 39:15[PROPHECY]Ebed-melech the Ethiopian would be spared because of his trust in God during Jerusalem's fall → JER 39:15-18MEDIUM
- JER 39:15[FULFILLS]Ebed-melech the Ethiopian would be spared because of his trust in God during Jerusalem's fall ← JER 39:15-18MEDIUM