Jeremiah 39

Jer 39:1-18.

JERUSALEM

TAKEN.

ZEDEKIAH'S

FATE.

JEREMIAH

CARED FOR.

EBED-MELECH

ASSURED.

This chapter consists of two parts: the first describes the capture of

Jerusalem, the removal of the people to Babylon, and the fate of

Zedekiah, and that of Jeremiah. The second tells of the assurance of

safety to Ebed-melech.

1. ninth year . . . tenth month--and on the tenth day of it

(Jer 52:4;

2Ki 25:1-4).

From

Jer 39:2,

"eleventh year . . . fourth month . . . ninth day,"

we know the siege lasted one and a half years, excepting the suspension

of it caused by Pharaoh. Nebuchadnezzar was present in the beginning of

the siege, but was at Riblah at its close

(Jer 39:3, 6;

compare

Jer 38:17).

3. sat--expressing military occupation or encampment.

middle gate--the gate from the upper city (comprehending Mount Zion)

to the lower city (north of the former and much lower); it was into

the latter (the north side) that the Chaldeans forced an entry and

took up their position opposite the gate of the "middle" wall, between

the lower and upper city. Zedekiah fled in the opposite, that is, the

south direction

(Jer 39:4).

Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo--proper names formed from those of the

idols, Nergal and Nebo

(2Ki 17:30;

Isa 46:1).

Rab-saris--meaning "chief of the eunuchs."

Rab-mag--chief of the magi; brought with the expedition in order that

its issue might be foreknown through his astrological skill. Mag is

a Persian word, meaning "great," "powerful." The magi were a sacerdotal

caste among the Medes, and supported the Zoroastrian religion.

4. the king's garden--The "gate" to it from the upper, city above was

appropriated to the kings alone; stairs" led down from Mount Zion and

the palace to the king's garden below

(Ne 3:15).

two walls--Zedekiah might have held the upper city longer, but want of

provisions drove him to flee by the double wall south of Zion, towards

the plains of Jericho

(Jer 39:5),

in order to escape beyond Jordan to Arabia-Deserta. He broke an opening

in the wall to get out

(Eze 12:12).

5. Riblah--north of Palestine (see

Jer 1:14;

Nu 34:11).

Hamath is identified by commentators with Antioch, in Syria, on the

Orontes, called Epiphania, from Antiochus Epiphanes.

gave judgment upon him--literally, "spake judgments with him," that

is, brought him to trial as a common criminal, not as a king. He had

violated his oath

(Eze 17:13-19;

2Ch 36:13).

6. slew . . . sons . . . before his

eyes--previous to his eyes being "put out"

(Jer 39:7);

literally, "dug out." The Assyrian sculptures depict the delight with

which the kings struck out, often with their own hands, the eyes of

captive princes. This passage reconciles

Jer 32:4,

"his eyes shall behold his eyes"; with

Eze 12:13,

"he shall not see Babylon, though he shall die there."

slew all . . . nobles--

(Jer 27:20).

8. burned . . . the houses--

(Jer 52:12, 13).

Not immediately after the taking of the city, but in the month after,

namely, the fifth month (compare

Jer 39:2).

The delay was probably caused by the princes having to send to Riblah

to know the king's pleasure as to the city.

9. remnant--excepting the poorest

(Jer 39:10),

who caused Nebuchadnezzar no apprehensions.

those . . . that fell to him--the deserters were distrusted; or

they may have been removed at their own request, lest the people should

vent their rage on them as traitors, after the departure of the

Chaldeans.

rest . . . that remained--distinct from the previous

"remnant"; there he means the remnant of those besieged in the

city, whom Nebuchadnezzar spared; here, those scattered through

various districts of the country which had not been besieged

[CALVIN].

10. left . . . the poor . . . which had nothing--The poor have least

to lose; one of the providential compensations of their lot. They who

before had been stripped of their possessions by the wealthier Jews

obtain, not only their own, but those of others.

11. Jeremiah's prophecies were known to Nebuchadnezzar through

deserters

(Jer 39:9;

Jer 38:19),

also through the Jews carried to Babylon with Jeconiah (compare

Jer 40:2).

Hence the king's kindness to him.

12. look well to him--Hebrew, "set thine eyes upon him"; provide

for his well-being.

13. Nebuzara-dan . . . sent--He was then at Ramah

(Jer 40:1).

14. Gedaliah--son of Ahikam, the former supporter of Jeremiah

(Jer 26:24).

Gedaliah was the chief of the deserters to the Chaldeans, and was set

over the remnant in Judea as one likely to remain faithful to

Nebuchadnezzar. His residence was at Mizpah

(Jer 40:5).

home--the house of Gedaliah, wherein Jeremiah might remain as in a

safe asylum. As in

Jer 40:1

Jeremiah is represented as "bound in chains" when he came to Ramah

among the captives to be carried to Babylon, this release of Jeremiah

is thought by MAURER to be distinct from that in

Jer 40:5, 6.

But he seems first to have been released from the court of the prison

and to have been taken to Ramah, still in chains, and then committed in

freedom to Gedaliah.

dwelt among the people--that is, was made free.

15-18. Belonging to the time when the city was not yet taken,

and when Jeremiah was still in the court of the prison

(Jer 38:13).

This passage is inserted here because it was now that Ebed-melech's

good act

(Jer 38:7-12;

Mt 25:43)

was to be rewarded in his deliverance.

16. Go--not literally, for he was in confinement, but figuratively.

before thee--in thy sight.

17. the men of whom thou art afraid--

(Jer 38:1, 4-6).

The courtiers and princes hostile to thee for having delivered Jeremiah

shall have a danger coming so home to themselves as to have no power to

hurt. Heretofore intrepid, he was now afraid; this prophecy was

therefore the more welcome to him.

18. life . . . for a

prey--(See on

Jer 21:9;

Jer 38:2;

Jer 45:5).

put . . . trust in me--

(Jer 38:7-9).

Trust in God was the root of his fearlessness of the wrath of men, in

his humanity to the prophet

(1Ch 5:20;

Ps 37:40).

The "life" he thus risked was to be his reward, being spared beyond all

hope, when the lives of his enemies should be forfeited ("for a

prey").