This chapter contains the history of the besieging, taking, and destroying of Jerusalem; the moving cause of it, the wicked reign of Zedekiah, Jer. 52:1–3; the instruments of it, the king of Babylon and his army, which besieged and took it, Jer.

Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, &c.] Whose name was Mattaniah; and who was set on the throne by the king of Babylon, in the room of his brother’s son Jehoiachin, (2 Kings 24:17, 2 Kings 24:18) ; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; so that he was thirty two years…

And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord Though we do not read of any idolatry he was guilty of; yet he was disobedient to the word of the Lord, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet of the Lord, that spoke in his name; and particularly he rebelled against the king of…

For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah Or, “besides the anger of the Lord that was in”, or “against Jerusalem and Judah” [[12]]; for their many sins and transgressions committed against him: till he had cast them out from his presence; out of the land of Judea; out…

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign Of Zedekiah’s reign: in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month; the month Tebet, which answers to part of December and part of January; hence the fast of the tenth month, on account of the siege of Jerusalem, ; that Nebuchadrezzar king of…

So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. ] The siege continued about eighteen months; from the tenth day of the tenth month, in the ninth of Zedekiah’s reign, to the ninth day of the fourth month, in the eleventh year of his reign; as follows:

And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month The month Tammuz [[13]], which answers to part of June and part of July; hence the fast of the fourth month, for the taking of the city, ; the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land; for the common…

Then the city was broken up Either its gates were broke open, some one or other of them; or a breach was made in the walls of it, through which the Chaldean army entered: and all the men of war fled; the soldiers, with their officers, not being able to stand before the army of the king of Babylon:…

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king Not finding him in his palace, and being informed of his flight, and which way he took: and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: (See Gill on Jer.

Then they took the king King Zedekiah, being left alone, excepting some few with him: and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; which is supposed to be Antioch in Syria: where he gave judgment upon him; or “spake with him judgments” [[16]]: chided and reproached…

And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes Or, however, ordered them to be slain; (See Gill on Jer. 39:6); he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah; who, together with the king’s sons, were taken with him; or, however, were taken in Jerusalem, and brought to Riblah;…

Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah After he had seen his children and princes executed, which must be very terrible to him; (See Gill on Jer. 39:7); and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon; in ; it is said, he bound him, “to carry him” there; here it is affirmed he…

Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month Hence the fast of the fifth month, for the burning of the city, which was the month Ab, and answers to part of July and part of August, ; which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; that is, the nineteenth year of his reign;…

And burnt the house of the Lord The temple built by Solomon, after it had stood four hundred and seventy years, six months, and ten days, according to Josephus [[24]]: but the Jews say it stood but four hundred ten years [[0]]: and the king’s house; the royal palace; probably that which was built…

And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard Which he brought with him from Riblah, or were left at Jerusalem by those that pursued after Zedekiah when the city was taken, which the captain of the guard now had the command of: broke down all the walls of Jerusalem…

Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the poor of the people That is, of the city, as distinct from the poor of the land of Judea he left, afterwards observed: and the residue of the people that remained in the city; that died not by the sword or famine, and fled…

But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land Of the land of Judea, who lived in the country, and had not been concerned in defending the city against the Chaldeans: for vinedressers, and for husbandmen; to look after the vineyards and fields, and dress and manure…

Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord The two pillars in the temple, called Jachin and Boaz, which were made of cast brass, ; and the bases; which were in number ten, and which were also made of cast brass, and were all of one measure and size; and on which the ten lavers of…

The cauldrons also Or “pots”, as it is rendered, ; which were made of bright brass, ; these were used to boil the flesh of the sacrifices in: and the shovels; used to remove the ashes from off the altar of burnt offerings, and were of brass also: the Targum renders them “besoms”, whose handles…

And the basins Or “bowls”; these are omitted, ; they were of gold, ; and the firepans; or “censers”; these were those of gold, which belonged to the golden altar, ; and the bowls; or “basins”; there were a hundred of them made of gold, ; and the cauldrons; or “pots”; these are not mentioned, ; what…

The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls The two pillars of Jachin and Boaz before mentioned, and the molten or brasen sea, with the twelve bulls or oxen the sea stood upon, ; that were under the bases; or “by the bases”, as Jarchi; or rather, “that were instead of bases” [[3]]; for the…

And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits As in ; said to be thirty five, ; of the reconciliation of which, (See Gill on 2 Chron.

And a chapiter of brass was upon it Or a coronet of brass, of molten brass, was set upon the top of the pillar: and the height of one chapiter was five cubits; as in ; but in ; the height is said to be but three cubits; which is reconciled by the Jewish Rabbins thus, the three superior cubits of it…

And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side Or, “to the wind” [[4]]; to the four winds; towards every corner or wind twenty four, which make up ninety six: and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about; four, standing upon the four angles, made the ninety six a…

And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, &c.] That is, out of the temple, where he was ministering, or fled for safety; this is supposed to be the father of Ezra, ; and Zephaniah the second priest: or deputy priest: the “sagan” of the priests, as the Targum calls him, who was…

He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war The master-master-general of the army: and seven men of them which were near the king’s person which were found in the city; or, “saw the face of the king”: or rather, “made to see his face” [[7]]; these were ministers…

So Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them In the city, and made them captives: and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah; to knew his mind concerning them; how they should be disposed of; and for him to pass sentence on them: as he had done on the king of Judah, his sons, and his…

And the king of Babylon smote them Or ordered them to be smitten with the sword; to have their heads cut off, according to Josephus [[10]]: and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath; these being such, no doubt, who obstinately defended the city, and persuaded the prince and people not…

This is the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive in the seventh year That is, of his reign: in ; it is said to be in the eighth year of his reign; it being at the latter end of the seventh, and the beginning of the eighth, as Kimchi observes; this was the captivity of Jeconiah: the…

In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar Said to be the nineteenth, ; it was at the end of the eighteenth, and the beginning of the nineteenth, as Kimchi; or this was before the taking of the city, when he raised the siege, and departed to meet the king of Egypt, at which time he might carry…

In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadnezzar In this year of his reign, the Jews say [[11]], Tyre was delivered into his hands; and he carried off the Jews in Moab, Ammon, and the neighbouring nations, to the number after mentioned; though some think these were the poor people of the land he…

And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah He was eighteen years of age when he was carried captive; so that he must be now fifty five years old; see ; in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month; in the month Adar, which…

And spake kindly unto him Used him with great familiarity, treated him with great respect: or, “spake good things to him” [[17]]; comforted him in his captive state, and promised him many favours; and was as good as his word: and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in…

And changed his prison garments Which were filthy, and of an ill smell; and put on him raiment more comfortable, as well as more honourable, and suitable to his dignity, and more fit to appear in, in the presence of the king and his court: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of…

And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon This seems to design not food only, and for himself, which he had daily at the king’s table, but all necessary provisions for himself, family, and servants: every day a portion, until the day of his death, all the days of…