Jeremiah 52

Jer 52:1-34.

WRITTEN BY

SOME

OTHER THAN

JEREMIAH

(PROBABLY

EZRA)

AS AN

HISTORICAL

SUPPLEMENT TO THE

PROPHECIES

(See on

Jer 51:64).

Jeremiah, having already (thirty-ninth and fortieth chapters) given the

history in the proper place, was not likely to repeat it here. Its

canonical authority as inspired is shown by its being in the

Septuagint version. It contains the capture and burning of

Jerusalem, &c., Zedekiah's punishment, and the better treatment of

Jehoiachin under Evil-merodach, down to his death. These last events

were probably subsequent to Jeremiah's time.

3. through . . . anger of . . . Lord . . . Zedekiah rebelled--His

"anger" against Jerusalem, determining Him to "cast out" His people

"from His presence" heretofore manifested there, led Him to permit

Zedekiah to rebel

(2Ki 23:26, 27;

compare

Ex 9:12; 10:1;

Ro 9:18).

That rebellion, being in violation of his oath "by God," was sure to

bring down God's vengeance

(2Ch 36:13;

Eze 17:15, 16, 18).

4. forts--rather, towers of wood

[KIMCHI], for watching the

movements of the besieged from the height and annoying them with

missiles.

7. (See on

Jer 39:4).

9. gave judgment upon him--as guilty of rebellion and perjury

(Jer 52:3;

compare

Eze 23:24).

11.

Eze 12:13:

"I will bring him to Babylon . . . yet shall he not see

it."

prison--literally, "the house of visitations," or "punishments," that

is, where there was penal work enforced on the prisoners, such as

grinding. Hence the Septuagint renders it "the house of the mill."

So Samson, after his eyes were put out, "ground" in the Philistine

prison-house

(Jud 16:21).

12. tenth day--But in

2Ki 25:8,

it is said "the seventh day." Nebuzara-dan started from

Riblah on the "seventh" day and arrived in Jerusalem on the

"tenth" day. Seeming discrepancies, when cleared up, confirm the

genuineness of Scripture; for they show there was no collusion between

the writers; as in all God's works there is latent harmony under

outward varieties.

13. all the houses . . . and all the houses of the great--the "and"

defines what houses especially are meant, namely, the houses of the

great men.

15. poor of . . . people--added to the account in

2Ki 25:11.

"The poor of the people" are of the city, as distinguished from

"the poor of the land," that is, of the country.

17. brake--that they might be more portable. Fulfilling the prophecy

(Jer 27:19).

See

1Ki 7:15, 23, 27, 50.

Nothing is so particularly related here as the carrying away of the

articles in the temple. The remembrance of their beauty and

preciousness heightens the bitterness of their loss and the evil of sin

which caused it.

brass . . . brazen--rather "copper . . . of copper."

18.

(Ex 27:3).

19. of gold in gold--implying that the articles were of solid gold

and silver respectively, not of a different metal inside, or alloyed

[GROTIUS]. Whole: not breaking them as was done to the "brass"

(Jer 52:17).

20. bulls . . . under the bases--But the bulls were not "under the bases," but under the sea

(1Ki 7:25, 27, 38);

the ten bases were not under the sea, but under the ten lavers. In

English Version, "bases," therefore, must mean the lower

parts of the sea under which the bulls were. Rather, translate,

"the bulls were in the place of (that is, 'by way of'; so the

Hebrew,

1Sa 14:9),

bases," or supports to the sea [BUXTORF]. So the

Septuagint.

2Ki 25:16

omits the "bulls," and has "and the bases"; so GROTIUS here reads "the bulls (which were) under (the

sea) and the bases."

21. eighteen cubits--but in

2Ch 3:15,

it is "thirty-five cubits." The discrepancy is thus removed.

Each pillar was eighteen common cubits. The two together,

deducting the base, were thirty-five, as stated in

2Ch 3:15

[GROTIUS]. Other ways (for example, by reference

to the difference between the common and the sacred cubit) are proposed:

though we are not able positively to decide now which is the true way,

at least those proposed do show that

the discrepancies are not irreconcilable.

22. five cubits--so

1Ki 7:16.

But

2Ki 25:17

has "three cubits." There were two parts in the chapiter: the one lower

and plain, of two cubits; the other, higher and curiously carved, of

three cubits. The former is omitted in

2Ki 25:17,

as belonging to the shaft of the pillar; the latter alone is there

mentioned. Here the whole chapiter of five cubits is referred

to.

23. on a side--literally, (on the side) towards the air or

wind, that is, the outside of the capitals of the pillars conspicuous

to the eye, opposed to the four remaining pomegranates which were not

seen from the outside. The pomegranates here are ninety-six; but in

1Ki 7:20

they are two hundred on each chapiter, and four hundred on the two

(2Ch 4:13).

It seems there were two rows of them, one above the other, and

in each row a hundred. They are here said to be ninety-six, but

immediately following one hundred, and so in

1Ki 7:20.

Four seem to have been unseen to one looking from one point; and

the ninety-six are only those that could be seen [VATABLUS]; or, the four omitted here are those

separating the four sides, one pomegranate at each point of separation

(or at the four corners) between the four sides [GROTIUS].

24. Seraiah--different from the Seraiah

(Jer 51:59),

son of Neriah; probably son of Azariah

(1Ch 6:14).

Zephaniah--son of Maaseiah

(see on

Jer 21:1;

Jer 29:25).

25. seven men--but in

2Ki 25:19

it is "five." Perhaps two were less illustrious persons and are

therefore omitted.

principal scribe of the host--

(Isa 33:18).

His office was to preside over the levy and enroll recruits. RAWLINSON observes that the Assyrian records are free

from the exaggerated expressions found in the Egyptian. A minute

account was taken of the spoil. Two "scribes of the host" are seen in

every bas-relief, writing down the various objects brought to them: the

heads of the slain, the prisoners, cattle, sheep, &c.

28. seventh year--in

2Ki 24:12, 14, 16,

it is said "the eighth year" of Nebuchadnezzar. No doubt it was

in part about the end of the seventh year, in part about the beginning

of the eighth. Also in

2Ki 24:1-20,

ten thousand

(Jer 52:14),

and seven thousand men of might, and a thousand craftsmen

(Jer 52:16),

are said to have been carried away, But here three thousand

twenty-three. Probably the latter three thousand twenty-three were of

the tribe of Judah, the remaining seven thousand out of the ten

thousand were of the other tribes, out of which many Israelites still

had been left in the land. The thousand "craftsmen" were exclusive of

the ten thousand, as appears, by comparing

2Ki 24:14

with Jer 52:16.

Probably the three thousand twenty-three of Judah were first removed in

the end of "the seventh year"; the seven thousand and a thousand

craftsmen in the "eighth year." This was at the first captivity under

Jehoiachin.

29. eighteenth year--when Jerusalem was taken. But in

Jer 52:15,

and 2Ki 25:8,

"the nineteenth year." Probably it was at the end of the eighteenth and

the beginning of the nineteenth [LYRA].

eight hundred and thirty and two--The most illustrious persons are

meant, who no doubt were carried away first, at the end of the

eighteenth year.

30. Not recorded in Kings or Chronicles. Probably it took place

during the commotions that followed the death of Gedaliah

(Jer 41:18;

2Ki 25:26).

four thousand and six hundred--The exact sum-total of the numbers

specified here, namely, three thousand twenty-three, eight hundred

thirty-two, seven hundred forty-five, not including the general

multitude and the women and children

(Jer 52:15;

Jer 39:9;

2Ki 25:11).

31.

(2Ki 25:27-30).

five and twentieth day--but in

2Ki 25:27,

it is "the twenty-seventh day." Probably on the twenty-fifth the decree

for his elevation was given, and the preparations for it made by

releasing him from prison; and on the twenty-seventh day it was carried

into effect.

Evil-merodach--son and successor of Nebuchadnezzar [LYRA]; and the Hebrew writers say that during

Nebuchadnezzar's exclusion from men among beasts, Evil-merodach

administered the government. When Nebuchadnezzar at the end of seven

years was restored, hearing of his son's misconduct and that he had

exulted in his father's calamity, he threw him into prison, where the

latter met Jeconiah and contracted a friendship with him, whence arose

the favor which subsequently he showed him. God, in his elevation,

rewarded his having surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar (compare

Jer 38:17

with 2Ki 24:12).

lifted up . . . head--(Compare

Ge 40:13, 20;

Ps 3:3; 27:6).

32. set his throne above--a mark of respect.

the kings--The Hebrew text reads (the other) "kings."

"The kings" is a Masoretic correction.

33. changed . . . garments--gave him garments suitable to a king.

did . . . eat bread before him--

(2Sa 9:13).

34. every day a portion--rather, "its portion," (compare

1Ki 8:59,

Margin).

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