# Jeremiah 39 📖: The Fall of Jerusalem [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Jeremiah Overview]] | [[Jeremiah 38]] | [[Jeremiah 40]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) [[#Verse 01.]] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. The siege began in the tenth month of the ninth year that Zedekiah ruled over Judah.  [[#Verse 02.]] It lasted until the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year. On that day they broke through the city walls.  [[#Verse 03.]] Then Nergal Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo Sarsekim (who was a chief officer), Nergal Sharezer (who was a high official), and all the other officers of the king of Babylon came and set up quarters in the Middle Gate.  [[#Verse 04.]] When King Zedekiah of Judah and all his soldiers saw them, they tried to escape. They departed from the city during the night. They took a path through the king’s garden and passed out through the gate between the two walls. Then they headed for the rift valley. [[#Verse 05.]] But the Babylonian army chased after them. They caught up with Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho and captured him. They took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon at Riblah in the territory of Hamath and Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him there. [[#Verse 06.]] There at Riblah the king of Babylon had Zedekiah’s sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon also had all the nobles of Judah put to death.  [[#Verse 07.]] Then he had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and had him bound in chains to be led off to Babylon.  [[#Verse 08.]] The Babylonians burned down the royal palace, the temple of the Lord, and the people’s homes, and they tore down the wall of Jerusalem. [[#Verse 09.]] Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, took captive the rest of the people who were left in the city. He carried them off to Babylon along with the people who had deserted to him.  [[#Verse 10.]] But he left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing. He gave them fields and vineyards at that time. [[#Verse 11.]] Now King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had issued orders concerning Jeremiah. He had passed them on through Nebuzaradan, the captain of his royal guard, [[#Verse 12.]] “Find Jeremiah and look out for him. Do not do anything to harm him, but do with him whatever he tells you.”  [[#Verse 13.]] So Nebuzaradan (the captain of the royal guard), Nebushazban (who was a chief officer), Nergal Sharezer (who was a high official), and all the other officers of the king of Babylon  [[#Verse 14.]] sent and had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guardhouse. They turned him over to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and the grandson of Shaphan, to take him home with him. But Jeremiah stayed among the people. ### Ebed Melech Is Promised Deliverance because of His Faith [[#Verse 15.]] Now the Lord’s message had come to Jeremiah while he was still confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse,  [[#Verse 16.]] “Go and tell Ebed Melech the Nubian, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, has said, “I will carry out against this city what I promised. It will mean disaster and not good fortune for it. When that disaster happens, you will be there to see it.  [[#Verse 17.]] But I will rescue you when it happens. I, the Lord, affirm it! You will not be handed over to those whom you fear.  [[#Verse 18.]] I will certainly save you. You will not fall victim to violence. You will escape with your life because you trust in me. I, the Lord, affirm it!”’” ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. The siege began in the tenth month of Zedekiah's ninth year (39:1), around 588 BC. 2. The wall was breached on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year (39:2), in 586 BC. 3. Babylonian officials took their seats at the Middle Gate (39:3), showing they now controlled the city. 4. Nebo-sarsekim (39:3) has been connected by many scholars to a Babylonian official named on a cuneiform tablet in the British Museum. 5. Zedekiah fled toward the Arabah, the Jordan Valley, and was captured in the plains of Jericho (39:4-5). 6. Zedekiah was brought to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah in the land of Hamath (39:5), in modern Syria. 7. His sons were killed before his eyes, and then he was blinded (39:6-7). The last thing he saw was his sons' deaths. 8. Ezekiel had said Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon but would not see it (Ezekiel 12:13). Being blinded fulfilled that word. 9. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left the poorest people and gave them vineyards and fields (39:10). 10. Nebuchadnezzar ordered that Jeremiah be treated well (39:11-12), and he was entrusted to Gedaliah (39:14). ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the Rescuer of all who trust Him. Ebed-melech was spared "because you trusted in Me" (39:18), and all who believe in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. Jerusalem fell exactly as Jeremiah had warned (39:1-2). What does this teach about the reliability of God's Word? 2. Zedekiah tried to escape by night but was captured (39:4-5). Why is it impossible to outrun the consequences of rejecting God? 3. God remembered Ebed-melech's faith in the middle of national disaster (39:15-18). How does God see individual faithfulness when everything around us is collapsing? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 2: In Zedekiah's eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. - 📖 verse 7: Zedekiah's eyes were put out, and he was bound in bronze chains to be taken to Babylon. - 📖 verse 18: I will surely rescue you, because you have trusted in Me, declares the Lord. ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[John 03#Verse 16.|John 3:16]] - Whoever believes will not perish. - 🔗 [[2 Kings 25#Verse 01.|2 Kings 25:1-7]] - The fall of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's capture. - 🔗 [[Ezekiel 12#Verse 12.|Ezekiel 12:12-13]] - The prince will not see Babylon. - 🔗 [[Psalm 37#Verse 39.|Psalm 37:39-40]] - The Lord rescues those who take refuge in Him. - 🔗 [[Romans 10#Verse 11.|Romans 10:11]] - Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Jeremiah 39 - SOAP|You’ll Walk Out of There]] ## 📂 Internal Notes