Jeremiah 52 commentary

This fruit of sin we should pray against above any thing; Cast me not away from thy presence, Ps. 51:11. None are cast out of God's presence but those who by sin have first thrown themselves out. Zedekiah's flight was in vain, for there is no escaping the judgments of God; they come upon the sinner, and overtake him, let him flee where he will.

The Chaldean army made woful havoc. But nothing is so particularly related here, as the carrying away of the articles in the temple. The remembrance of their beauty and value shows us the more the evil of sin.

The leaders of the Jews caused them to err; but now they are, in particular, made monuments of Divine justice. Here is an account of two earlier captivities. This people often were wonders both of judgment and mercy.

See this history of king Jehoiachin in II Kin. 25:27-30. Those under oppression will find it is not in vain for them to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. Our times are in God's hand, for the hearts of all we have to deal with are so. May we be enabled, more and more, to rest on the Rock of Ages, and to look forward with holy faith to that hour, when the Lord will bring again Zion, and overthrow all the enemies of the church.

CHAPTER 52

Jr 52:1-34. Written by Some Other than Jeremiah (Probably Ezra) AS AN Historical Supplement to the Previous Prophecies

(See on Jr 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 Jr 39:4).

9. gave judgment upon him--as guilty of rebellion and perjury (Jr 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 (Jr 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" (Jr 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 (Jr 51:59), son of Neriah; probably son of Azariah (1Ch 6:14).

Zephaniah--son of Maaseiah (see on Jr 21:1; Jr 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--(Is 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 (Jr 52:14), and seven thousand men of might, and a thousand craftsmen (Jr 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 Jr 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 Jr 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 (Jr 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 (Jr 52:15; Jr 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 Jr 38:17 with 2Ki 24:12).

lifted up ... head--(Compare Ge 40:13, 20; Psa 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).

Zedekiah was one and twenty years old - See 2Kgs 24:18.

And he did - evil - This and the following verse are the same as 2Kgs 24:19.

Through the anger of the Lord - Here is a king given to a people in God's anger, and taken away in his displeasure.

Ninth year - tenth month - Answering nearly to our January.

So the city was besieged - It held out one year and six months.

And in the fourth month - See the notes on Jer 39:1, etc. The fourth month answers nearly to our July.

The army of the Chaldeans pursued - See on 2Kgs 25:5 (note).

King of Babylon to Riblah - See the note on Jer 39:5.

He put out the eyes of Zedekiah - See on Jer 39:7 (note).

Now in the fifth month - Answering nearly to our August.

And burned the house of the Lord - Thus perished this magnificent structure, after it had stood four hundred and twenty-four years three months and eight days. It was built A.M. 2992, and destroyed A.M. 3416.

Those that fell away - The deserters to the Chaldeans during the siege.

The poor of the land - See on Jer 39:1 (note).

Also the pillars - See on Jer 27:19 (note).

In reference to these verses see the parallel texts Exo 27:3 (note); 2Kgs 25:14-16 (note); 1Kgs 7:47 (note); 1Kgs 7:15 (note); 2Chr 3:15 (note); 1Kgs 7:20 (note), and the notes.

The second priest - See the note on 2Kgs 25:18.

The three keepers - The priests who stood at the door to receive the offerings of the people, see 2Kgs 20:9, and 2Kgs 23:4.

Seven men - that were near the king's person - These were privy counsellors.

On these verses Dr. Blayney has some sensible remarks; I will extract the substance. These verses are not inserted in 2 Kings 25. Are we to conclude from these verses that the whole number of the Jews which Nebuchadnezzar, in all his expeditions, carried away, was no more than four thousand six hundred? This cannot be true; for he carried away more than twice that number at one time and this is expressly said to have been in the eighth year of his reign, 2Kgs 24:12-16. Before that time he had carried off a number of captives from Jerusalem, in the first year of his reign, among whom were Daniel and his companions, Dan 1:3-6. These are confessedly not noticed here. And as the taking and burning of Jerusalem is in this very chapter said to have been in the fourth and fifth months of the nineteenth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, those who were carried into captivity at the date of those events cannot possibly be the same with those that are said to be carried away either in the eighteenth or twenty-third year of that prince. Nor, indeed, is it credible that the number carried away at the time that the city was taken, and the whole country reduced, could be so few as eight hundred and thirty-two, (see Jer 52:29); supposing a mistake in the date of the year, which some are willing to do without sufficient grounds.

Here then we have three deportations, and those the most considerable ones, in the first, in the eighth, and nineteenth years of Nebuchadnezzar, sufficiently distinguished from those in the seventh, eighteenth, and twenty-third years. So that it seems most reasonable to conclude with Abp. Usher, in Chronologia Sacra, that by the latter three the historian meant to point out deportations of a minor kind, not elsewhere noticed in direct terms in Scripture.

The first of these, said to have been in the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar, was one of those that had been picked up in several parts of Judah by the band of Chaldeans, Syrians, and others, whom the king of Babylon sent against the land previously to his own coming, 2Kgs 24:2.

That in the eighteenth year corresponds with the time when the Chaldean army broke off the siege before Jerusalem, and marched to meet the Egyptian army, at which time they might think it proper to send off the prisoners that were in camp, under a guard to Babylon.

And the last, in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, was when that monarch, being engaged in the siege of Tyre, sent off Nebuzaradan against the Moabites, Ammonites, and other neighboring nations, who at the same time carried away the gleanings of Jews that remained in their own land, amounting in all to no more than seven hundred and forty-five.

Josephus speaks of this expedition against the Moabites and Ammonites, which he places in the twenty-third year or Nebuchadnezzar; but mentions nothing done in the land of Israel at that time. Only he says that after the conquest of those nations, Nebuchadnezzar carried his victorious arms against Egypt, which he in some measure reduced, and carried the Jews whom he found there captives to Babylon. But the Egyptian expedition was not till the twenty-seventh year of Jehoiachin's captivity, i.e., the thirty-fifth of Nebuchadnezzar, as may be collected from Eze 29:17; so that those who were carried away in the twenty-third year were not from Egypt, but were, as before observed, the few Jews that remained in the land of Judah.

In the twelfth month - Answering nearly to our twenty-fifth of April, A.M. 3442.

Lifted up the head of Jehoiachin - This phrase is taken from Gen 40:13. It is founded on the observation that those who are in sorrow hold down their heads, and when they are comforted, or the cause of their sorrow removed, they lift up their heads. The Hebrew phrase, lift up the head, signifies to comfort, cheer, make happy.

Spake kindly - Conversed freely with him.

Set his throne - Gave him a more respectable seat than any of the captive princes, or better than even his own princes had, probably near his person.

And changed his prison garments - That is, Jehoiachin changed his own garments, that he might be suited in that respect to the state of his elevation. Kings also, in token of favor, gave caftans or robes to those whom they wish to honor.

And he did continually eat bread before him - Was a constant guest at the king's table.

And - there was a continual diet given him - This was probably a ration allowed by the king for the support of Jehoiachin's household. For other particulars, see the note on 2Kgs 25:30.

All the days of his life - I believe these words have been by mistake added from the preceding verse. There, they are proper; here, they are tautological. They are wanting in the Septuagint and in the Arabic.

The preceding words, עד יום מותו ad yom motho, "to the day of his death," are wanting in two of De Rossi's and one of Kennicott's MSS.

Coverdale ends thus: - All the days of his life until he died. This is better than the common Version.

Immediately after this verse my old MS. Bible adds the following words: And done is aftir that into caitifte is brougt Israel, and Jerusalem is bestroide, satte Jeremye the prophet weepund, and weiled with this lamentation Jerusalem; and with bitter inwit sighand and criand weilawai, seide. Then follows in red letters: Here beginneth the Lamentation of Jeremye, that is intitle Cenoth; with the sortynge out of Ebrue letters.

Aleph: How sitteth aloon the city, etc. See something of a similar kind from other authorities, at the beginning of Lamentations.

Masoretic notes

Number of verses in this Book, 1365.

Middle verse, Jer 28:11.

Masoretic sections, 31.

Zedekiah - It is generally thought that this chapter was not penned by Jeremiah, who, it is not probable, would have so largely repeated what he had related before; and could not historically relate what happened after his time, as some things did which are mentioned towards the end of the chapter. Probably it was penned by some of those in Babylon, and put in here as a preface to the book of Lamentations.

Three - It is probable there were more keepers of the door, but the captain of the guard took only three of the chief.

All the persons were four thousand and six hundred - How amazingly were the Jews diminished, that this handful was all who were carried captive!

All the days of his life - Here ends the history of the kingdom of Judah. I shall only observe the severe judgment of God upon this people, whose kingdom was made up of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and half the tribe of Manasseh. In the numbering of the persons belonging to these two tribes, Numb 1:27,35,37, (counting half of the number of the tribe of Manasseh) we find one hundred twenty - six thousand one hundred: Numb 26:22,34,41, we find of them one hundred forty - eight thousand four hundred and fifty. Here, ver.52:30, we find no more of them carried into captivity, than four thousand and six hundred. From whence we may judge what a multitude of them were slain by the sword, by the famine, and pestilence! It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, to mock his messengers, despise his words, and misuse his prophets, 'till there be no remedy, 2Chron 36:16.

3 For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon .

Here the wicked actings of Zedekiah, and particularly▪ his Rebellion against the King of Babylon who had made him King, as 2 Kings 24.17. and to whom he had given an Oath of Fealty, is ascribed to the wrath of the Lord; God not putting any such wickedness into his heart, but suffering him so to miscarry, having a design to send Iudah into captivity. Princes are often by God suffered to miscarry, for the sins of their People which should oblige us when we think we have cause to complain of the Errors of our Rulers, to consider whether we have not by some sinful courses provoked God, which hath made him leave our Rulers so to miscarry in order to our Ruine and punishment.

It is generally thought that what we have in this Chapter was not penned by the Prophet Ieremiah, who it is not probable would have so largely repeated what he had related before chapter 39. and could not Historically relate, what happened after his time as some things did which are mentioned towards the end of the Chapter, from ver. 31. to the end. They therefore rather think it penned by some or other of those in Babylon, and put in here as a Preface to the Book of Lamentations. What we have in the three first verses is intirely taken out of 2 Kings 24.18, 19, 20. See the Notes there.

11 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death .

This History is found, 2 King. 25.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. much in the same words. See the Annotations on that Chapter. Ieremiah also hath the substance of it, chap. 39.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. onely neither of those places have the last words, from whence we learn that Zedekiah died in Babylon a Prisoner.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word]; Or, [illegible: 1 word].; Heb. in the house of the Wards.

16 But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vine-dressers and for husbandmen .

See the Notes on 2 Kings 25. from ver. 8. to the 13. where all this is related, onely with a small difference as to the day of the moneth when Nebuzar-adan came to Ierusalem and burnt the Temple. In the Kings it is said he came the seventh day, here it is said he came the tenth day. See the solution of it in the Annotations on 2 Kings 25. probably he might come into Ierusalem the seventh day, and not burn the Temple till the Tenth. Much of it also is related by Ieremiah, chap. 39. The Provost Marshal about a moneth after the taking of the City, returned with a part of the Army, burnt the Temple, the great Mens houses in the City and many other Houses and carried away divers prisoners, but left some of the poorer sort of the people to dress the Vineyards, and Till the Grounds, which is a thing very usual with Conquerors, for their own advantage, that their conquests may yeild them some Revenue.

17 Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon .

The particular enumeration of the parts and Utensils of the Temple mentioned in this, and in the following Verses may be conceived to have been to justifie the Prophesie of Ieremiah, chapter 27.19. where there is a particular mention made of the pillars, the bases, and the Sea, that they should all with the residue of the Vessels of the Temple be carried into Babylon. Of these Pillars we read 1 Kings 7.15. they were of brass eighteen Cubits high, they were in the porch of the Temple, ver. 21. of the Bases we read there also largely from ver. 27. to ver. 38. they also were all of brass; and of the Sea from ver. 23. to ver. 27, These being all made of Brass were for conveniency of carriage broken by the Chaldeans.

18 The Caldrons also , and the shovels , and the snuffers , and the bowls , and the spoons , and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministred, took they away.

These were called Pots, 2 Kings 25.14.

Which were to remove the ashes from the Altar.

Some think that this word in this place were better translated Tongs, because he is speaking of Instruments of Brass, and that those Utensils are not here understood with which they snuffed the Lamps, because they were of Gold.

Or basons, it is uncertain which is here intended there being in the Temple, both Bowles to drink in, and also basons to receive the blood of the Sacrifices.

The word is such as may signifie Ladels, or Cups, or Dishes.

Marginal references: Exod. 27.3.; Or, Instruments to remove the [illegible: 2 letters]hes.; Or, basons.

10 And the basons, and the fire-pans, and the bowles, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away .

Some of these Utensils were onely of Brass; Others, were some of them Brass, some of Gold, the Captain of the guard carried away all, both those of Silver, and those of Gold, and those of Brass.

Marginal references: Or, Censers.

20 The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brazen bulls, that were under the bases which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight .

Solomon made two Pillars, 1 Kings 7.15. which ver. 21. he called Iachen and Boaz, ver. 23. a molten Sea, ten cubits broad, this ver. 25. stood upon twelve Oxen, and had ten bases, ver. 25, 27. the making of all these took a vast quantity of Brass, as any one will easily judge, who 1 Kings 7.27. readeth the dimensions of these things.

Marginal references: Heb. their brass.

21 And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it, and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow .

This agreeth with 1 Kings 7.15. where what is called here a fillet, is called a thred, concerning the height of the Pillars we read the same 2 Kings 25.17. 2 Chron. 3.15.

Marginal references: Heb. a thred.

23 And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side, and all the pomegranates upon the net-work, were an hundred round about .

There are some differences as to the measure of these Chapiters betwixt 2 Kings 25.17. and this Text, here the height of them is made to be five Cubits, there it is said to be three Cubits, that which is said to resolve this difficulty is, That there were three parts in the Chapiter, the square, the belly, and the crown, and that this Text gives an account of the whole; but that Text 2 Kings 25.17. gives an account onely of the belly and the crown which were no more than three Cubits. The like difference there is betwixt this Text, and 1 Kings 7.20. and 2 Chron. 4.13. about the number of the Pomegranates. In the book of Kings it is said the Pomegranates were in number two hundred, 2 Chron. 4.13. they are said to have been four hundred. The meaning is, There were an hundred in a row, in the two rows two hundred, in the four rows (two upon each pillar) four hundred. Some other difference also there is about the particular number of Pomegranates on a side, which are here said to be but ninety six, which make on the two sides but one hundred ninety two, on the four sides but three hundred eighty four, and comes up neither to the two hundred mentioned in the book of Kings, nor to the number of four hundred mentioned in the book of Chronicles. Vide the English Annotations, where the learned Author hath observed that in the Hebrew, what we translate of a side, is word for word Wind-ward, that is, toward the four Winds, so as the square Table was square, and also the bases, and there were twenty four on each side which made ninety six in all, to which four being added one at each corner this made an hundred. But these are niceties a satisfaction in which is of no great concernment to us, unless to satisfie such as would make use of these little things to question the authority of the Scriptures, because of these seeming contradictions of how little concernment so ever they be as to our Faith and Holiness.

Marginal references: See 1 Kin. 7.10.

24 ¶ And the captain of the guard took Soraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door .

See the notes on 2 Kings 25.18. where we have the same words. This Seraiah was not he mentioned chapter 51.59. but the son of Azariah, 1 Chron. 6.14. By the second Priest, Interpreters understand him that supplied the place of the High Priest in case he were sick, &c. he that was sent by Zedekiah to the Prophet, chapter 21.1. and whom Shemaiah chode by his Letters chapter 29.25. for not setting Ieremiah in the Stocks. It is probable there were more keepers of the door, but the Captain of the Guard took onely three of the Principal.

Marginal references: Heb. threshold.

25 He took also out of the city, an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war, and seven men of them that were near the kings person which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city .

See 2 Kings 25.19. onely there is mention but of five men, here there is mention of seven, but probably two of them were of less note.

Marginal references: Heb. saw the face of the king.; Or, the scribe of the captain of the host.

27 And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah, in the land of Hamah. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land .

See 2 Kings 25.20, 21.

28 This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive; in the seventh year, three thousand Jewes and three and twenty .

That is in the time of Iehoiachin, 2 Kings 24.12, 13, 14. here it is said to be in the seventh year, there in the eighth year, it might be in part of both. But there is a difference in the number of the captives which are here said to be 3023, and 2 Kings 24.14, 16. seven thousand, or eight. It is thought by some that the number here mentioned were such as properly belonged to Iudah, and the number mentioned 2 Kings 24. were the number of the Captives of Iudah and Benjamin.

29 In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons .

That was the year when the City was broken up.

Marginal references: Heb. Souls.

30 In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar, Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred, forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred .

Of this we read nothing in holy Writ, some judge it to have been upon occasion of Ishmaels killing Gedaliah, but this was four years after the taking of the City, and we are not certain what at this time brought again the Chaldean Forces.

31 ¶ And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah in the twelfth moneth, in the five and twentieth day of the moneth , that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison .

Iehoiachin began his reign at eighteen years of age, 2 Kings 24.8. and reigned but three Moneths, but that he yielded himself to the King of Babylon besieging him ver. 12. in the eighth year of the King of Babylons Reign. He was a prisoner in Babylon (as appeareth by this Text) in which circumstances he continued (as appears from this Text) about thirty years; which was during the whole reign of Nebuchadrezzar, sometimes called Nebuchadnezzar, sometimes Nebuchadonosor, Evil-Merodach was son to this Nebuchadrezzar, who in the twelfth Moneth of that year, the 25th. day of the Moneth (saith this Text, but 2 Kings 25.27. it is the twenty seventh day, but that difference may easily be reconciled, the Penman of this part of Holy Writ, might count precisely from the day of his Fathers death, and the penman of the book of Kings from the time of the Coronation of Evil-Merodach, or when he openly shewed himself as King; or the one might reckon from the day that Evil Merodach decreed the thing, the other from the day when he put it in Execution).

Iehoiachin began his reign at eighteen years of age, 2 Kings 24.8. and reigned but three Moneths, but that he yielded himself to the King of Babylon besieging him ver. 12. in the eighth year of the King of Babylons Reign. He was a prisoner in Babylon (as appeareth by this Text) in which circumstances he continued (as appears from this Text) about thirty years; which was during the whole reign of Nebuchadrezzar, sometimes called Nebuchadnezzar, sometimes Nebuchadonosor, Evil-Merodach was son to this Nebuchadrezzar, who in the twelfth Moneth of that year, the 25th. day of the Moneth (saith this Text, but 2 Kings 25.27. it is the twenty seventh day, but that difference may easily be reconciled, the Penman of this part of Holy Writ, might count precisely from the day of his Fathers death, and the penman of the book of Kings from the time of the Coronation of Evil-Merodach, or when he openly shewed himself as King; or the one might reckon from the day that Evil Merodach decreed the thing, the other from the day when he put it in Execution).

Lifting up the head signifies in Scripture the altering of ones estate that is in Misery, Gen. 40.20. which is all that is here meant, for his bringing him out of Prison is mentioned in the next words. The Reason of this favour is variously guessed at. The Reverend Author of our English Annotations fancieth, that Evil-Merodach, might be much of the same Age with him, and that Iehojachin got into the Acquaintance of this Evil-Merodach, during his thirty years Captivity, who considering his long imprisonment, and that now there was no danger of his heading the Iews (whose City had now been destroyed twenty five years and upward) this Prince out of his Humanity might shew him this favour, nor are such things unusual in Nations upon their changes of Princes and Counsellors.

32 And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the thrones of the kings that were with him in Babylon .

The King of Babylon might have other Kings his Prisoners, his Father having been so great a Conqueror, or he might have other Kings his Subjects, that might reside at his Court, either out of a particular kindness he had to Iehojachin, or in regard of the Fame of David and Solomon, from whom Iehoiachin lineally descended, he might do him this Honour.

Marginal references: Heb. good things with him.

34 And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the King of Babylon, every day a portion, until the day of his death, all the dayes of his life .

He treated him like a Prince with a respect becoming his former state, took care both for his Habit and Diet, for his Habit, that it should be decent, such as became a person of his quality, though a Captive: for his Diet, that he should have it in his Court, thereby learning others that Humanity which becometh all men to treat others with that are fallen under their power; that Decency, which becometh them as men, and as men whose circumstances have been better; doing to others, as we would they should do unto us. Thus Iehoiachin's Lot was different from that of his Father Iehoiachim, whose body was cast out as we heard before: as also from that of his Uncle Zedekiah, who did not onely dye in Babylon, but died a prisoner, his Nephew Iehoiachim died there, and a Captive, but not in durance. These four last verses are found also 2 Kings 25.27, 28, 29, 30. and being found here in a Narrative form, related as a piece of History relating a thing done: not in a prophetical stile, are an Argument (as was said before) that this whole Chapter, is no part of the Prophesie of Ieremiah, and probably not wrote by him, for he beginning his Prophesie in the thirteenth year of Iosiah, who reigned thirty one years, and continuing it three months during the reign of Iehoahaz, and eleven years during the reign of Iehoiachim, and three months during the reign of Jehoiachin (or Jeconiah) and eleven years during the reign of Zedekiah; and Je[illegible: 1 letter]oiachin, outliving the reign of Zedekiah twenty five years, it must needs be sixty five years and an half after the word of the Lord first came to Jeremiah before the death of Jehoiachin; so as the Prophet if he lived to that time must be near an hundred years old, which is not probable. Here now endeth the History of the Kingdom of Judah: I shall onely note the severe judgment of God upon this people, whose Kingdom was made up of the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and half the Tribe of Manasseh. In the numbering of the persons belonging to these two Tribes, Numb. 1. (counting half of the number of the tribe of Manasseh) we find One hundred twenty six thousand one hundred, Num. 26. we find of them One hundred forty eight thousand four hundred and fifty. Here v. 30. we find no more of them carried into Captivity, than four thousand and six hundred. From whence we may judge what a multitude of them were slain by the Sword or killed by the Famine and the Pestilence, though we make a great allowance for such as were left in the land to dress Vineyards, and to till the ground. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, to mock his messengers, despise his words, and misuse his Prophets, till there be no remedy, as this People did, 2 Chron. 36.16.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 span] of the [illegible: 1 word] his day.

Jer 52:1-11

Fate of King Zedekiah at the taking of Jerusalem; cf. 2Ki 24:18; 2Ki 25:7, and Jer 39:1-7. The statements regarding Zedekiah’s ascension and his government, Jer 52:1-3, agree word for word with 2Ki 24:18-20, even to the variation השׁליכו, Jer 52:3, for השׁליכו (Kings). The length of the siege of Jerusalem, Jer 52:4-7, and the flight, capture, and condemnation of King Zedekiah and the princes of Judah, Jer 52:7-11, not only agrees with 2Ki 25:1-7, but also with Jer 39:1-7, where it is merely the forcible entrance into the city by the Chaldeans that receives special detail; see on Jer 39:3. The variation ויּחנוּ, Jer 52:4, instead of ויּחן (2Ki 25:1), does not affect the sense. As to the account given of the flight, capture, and condemnation of the king, both Jer 39 and 2 Kings omit the notices given in Jer 52:10, "and also all the princes of Judah he caused to be slain (i.e., executed) at Riblah," and in Jer 52:11, "and he put him in the prison-house till the day of his death." בּית־הפּקדּות has been rendered οἰκία μυλῶνος by the lxx; on this fact Hitzig bases the opinion that the Hebrew words signify "the house of punishment," or "the house of correction," in which Zedekiah was obliged to turn the mill like other culprits, and as Samson was once obliged to do (Jdg 16:21). But this meaning of the words cannot be substantiated. פּקדּה means "oversight, mustering, or visitation (Heimsuchung), or vengeance," e.g., Isa 10:3, but not punishment (Strafe), and the plural, "watches" (Eze 9:1) and "custody," Ezek. 54:11; hence the expression used here signifies "the house of custody," or "the house of the watches." The translation of the lxx can decide nothing against this, because their interpretation is based upon traditions which are themselves unfounded. Regarding this, Ewald well remarks (History of the People of Israel, iii. p. 748 of 2nd ed.): "That Zedekiah must have laboured at the mill, as is mentioned in later chronicles (see Aug. Mai, Scriptorum veterum nova collectio, t. i. P. 2, p. 6; cf. Chr. Sam. Ch. xlv.), is probably a mere inference from Lam 5:13."

Jer 52:12-14

The destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple, and the carrying away of the people, which are only very summarily stated in Jer 39:8-10, are here related in complete accordance with the account given in 2Ki 25:8-17. The deviations for the most part originated through the freedom exercised by the epitomizer in his work, or only when mistakes were made by later copyists. The text before us has some amplifications (especially the notices regarding the ornaments of the brazen pillars, Jer 52:23) which are found nowhere else in the Old Testament. The difference in date between Jer 52:12 ("on the tenth of the month") and the passage in Kings ("on the seventh of the month") has arisen through one number having been mistaken for another in copying; it cannot now be decided which is correct; see on 2Ki 25:18. As to Nebuzaradan, see on Jer 39:13. Instead of עמד , is found עבד in 2Ki 25:8, which certainly is a simpler reading, but one having less appearance of being the original. The only strange point is the want of the relative אשׁר in plain prose before עמד, which is probably to be pointed עמד. בּירוּשׁלים, instead of ירוּשׁלים (Kings), is a pregnant expression for "he came into Jerusalem." - Jer 52:14. From the expression את־כּל־חומות, as given in Jer 52:14, "all" is omitted in Kings, as being not indispensable for the meaning.

Jer 52:15-16

The first words, "And of the poor of the people," are wanting in Kings, and have been brought here, through an error on the part of the copyist, from the beginning of the next verse; for "the poor of the people" are first treated of in Jer 52:16, where it is stated that Nebuzaradan left them in the land, while Jer 52:15 treats of those who were carried away to Babylon. The word האמון, instead of ההמון (Kings), seems to have originated simply through the exchange of א for ה, and to mean, like the other, the multitude of people. Hitzig and Graf are of opinion that אמון here, as in Pro 8:30, means workmaster or artificer, and that האמון denotes the same persons (collectively) who are designated החרשׁ והמּסגּר in Pro 24:1; Pro 29:2, and 2Ki 24:14. But this view is opposed by the parallel passage, Jer 39:9, where the whole of this verse occurs, and יתר העם הנּשׁארים stands instead of יתר האמון. "The rest of the people of Jerusalem" are divided, by ואת־ואת, into those who went over to the Chaldeans, and the rest of the people who were taken prisoners by the Chaldeans at the capture of the city. The statement that both of these two classes of the population of Jerusalem were carried away to Babylon is so far limited by the further declaration, in Jer 52:16, that Nebuzaradan did not carry away every one, without exception, but let a portion of the humbler inhabitants of the country, who had no property, remain in the land, as vinedressers and husbandmen, that they might till the land. Instead of מדּלּות הארץ there occurs in Kings מדּלּת, and in Jer 39:10, more distinctly, מן העם הדּלּים, "some of the people, the humbler ones," who had no property of their own. דּלּה, pl. דּלּות, is an abstract noun, "poverty;" the singular is used collectively, hence the plural is here used to supply the deficiency. For יגבים, from יגב, to plough, there is found instead, in 2Ki 25:12, Kethib גּבים, from גּוּב, with the same meaning.

Jer 52:17-23

The carrying away of the vessels of the temple is more fully stated than in 2Ki 25:13-17. The large brazen articles, the two pillars at the porch (cf. 1Ki 7:15.), the bases (1Ki 7:27.), and the brazen sea (1Ki 7:23.), which were too vast in their proportions to be easily carried away to Babylon, were broken to pieces by the Chaldeans, who carried off the brass of which they were made. אשׁר לבּית is more correct than אשׁר  (Kings), and "all their brass" is more precise than simply "their brass" (Kings). In the enumeration of the smaller brazen vessels used for the temple service, Jer 52:18, there is omitted, in 2 Kings, ואת־המּזרקות, "and the bowls" (used in sacrifice); this omission is perhaps due merely to an error in transcription. The enumeration of the gold and silver vessels in Jer 52:19 has been much more abbreviated in 2Ki 25:15, where only "the fire-pans and the bowls" are mentioned, while in the text here, besides these there are named "the basons," then "the pots (Eng. vers. caldrons), and the candlesticks, and the pans (Eng. vers. spoons), and the cups." For particulars regarding these different vessels, see on 1Ki 7:40, 1Ki 7:45, 1Ki 7:50. In Jer 52:20, reference is made to the fact that the mass of metal in the vessels that were carried away was without weight. The same is stated in 2Ki 25:16, where, however, there is no mention of the twelve brazen bulls; while in the text of Jeremiah, אשׁר תּחת המּכנות is faulty, and we must read instead, אשׁר תּחתּיו והמּכנות. The assertion of Graf, in his commentary on this verse, and of Thenius on 2Ki 25:16, - that the notice regarding the twelve brazen bulls is incorrect, because these were then no longer in Jerusalem (27:19), but had previously been removed by Ahaz from under the brazen sea for Tiglath-pileser, - we have already, under 2Ki 16:17, shown to be erroneous. The apposition of כּל־הכּלים  to לנחשׁתּם explains the reference of the suffix. In Jer 52:21-23, the narrator, in order to call attention to the amount of art exhibited on the vessels destroyed by the Chaldeans, gives a brief description of the brazen pillars with their capitals. This description is much shortened in 2Ki 25:17, and contains notices completing that which is given of these works of art in 1 Kings 7. For details, see the passage referred to.

Jer 52:24-30

The account given regarding the arrest of the chief officers of the temple and of the city, and concerning their transportation to Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar caused them to be executed, agrees with 2Ki 25:18-21, except in some unimportant variations, which, however, do not alter the sense; the explanation has been already given in the commentary on that passage. In 2 Kings, the account of the appointment of Gedaliah as the governor of Judah, together with that of his assassination by Ishmael, which follows the narrative just referred to, is here omitted, because the matter has bee already more fully stated in the passage Jer 40:7 on to Jer 43:7, and had no close connection with the object of the present chapter. Instead of this, there follows here, in Jer 52:28-30 (as a continuation of the remark made, Jer 52:27, "Thus was Judah carried away captive out of his own land"), a calculation of the number of the Jews taken to Babylon at the three deportations: in the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar, 3023 Jews; in the eighteenth year, 832 souls from Jerusalem; and in the twenty-third year, 745 souls, - in all, 4600 persons. The correctness of these data is vouched for by the exactness of the separate numbers, and the agreement of the sum with the individual items. In other respects, however, they present various difficulties. There is, first, the chronological discrepancy that the second deportation is here placed in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, in contradiction with Jer 52:12, according to which, the deportation after the taking of Jerusalem occurred in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar; and 832 souls could not well be carried out of Jerusalem during the siege. This difference can be settled only by assuming that this list of deportations was derived from another source than the preceding notice regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, in which the years of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign were reckoned in some other way than elsewhere in Jeremiah and in the books of Kings, probably from the date of the actual commencement of his reign, which followed a year after he first appeared in Judah, from which his reign is dated elsewhere; see Comm. on Daniel at Dan 1:1. According to this mode of computation, the seventh year would correspond to the eighth of the common reckoning, and be the year in which Jehoiachin was carried away to Babylon, together with a large number of the people. But this does not agree with 3023, which is given as the number of those who were carried away; for, at that time, according to 2Ki 24:14, 2Ki 24:16, as many as 10,000 Jews, or, according to another view of these verses, even 18,000, were carried away to Babylon. This difference does not permit of being explained in any way. Ewald (History of the People of Israel, iii. p. 738) accordingly assumes that in Jer 52:28, after שׁבע, the word עשׂרה has been omitted, as in 2Ch 36:9, where the age of Jehoiachin is given; hence he thinks that, instead of "in the seventh," we must read "in the seventeenth year of Nebuchadnezzar." On such a view, the reference would be to a deportation which took place under Zedekiah, a year before the capture, or during the time of the siege of Jerusalem, and that, too, out of the country districts of Judah in contrast with Jerusalem, Jer 52:29. This supposition is favoured not merely by the small number of those who are said to have been carried away, but also by the context of the narrative, inasmuch as, in what precedes, it is only the capture of Jerusalem and the deportation of the people in Zedekiah’s time that is treated of. Nägelsbach has objected to this supposition, that it was not likely the great mass of the people would be carried away during the war, at a time when the approach of the Egyptian army (cf. Jer 37:5) was an object of dread. But the objection does not weaken the supposition, since the former rests on two presuppositions that are quite erroneous: viz., first, that the deportation took place before the defeat of the auxiliary army from Egypt, where as it may have followed that event; and secondly, that the Chaldeans, by keeping the hostile Jews in the country, might have been able to get some assistance against the Egyptian army, whereas, by removing the hostile population of Judah, they would but diminish the number of the enemies with which they had to contend. We therefore regard this conjecture as highly probable, because it is the means of settling all difficulties, and because we can thereby account for the small number of those who were carried away in the deportations during and after the destruction of Jerusalem.

Regarding the third deportation, which was effected by Nebuzaradan (Jer 52:30) in the twenty-third, or, according to another reckoning, in the twenty-fourth year of Nebuchadnezzar, i.e., in the fifth year after the destruction of Jerusalem, we have no other information; for the statement of Josephus, Antt. x. 9. 7, that Nebuchadnezzar made war upon the Ammonites and Moabites in that year, has not been placed beyond a doubt, and is probably a mere inference from this verse, taken in connection with the prophecies in Jer 48 and 49. Yet there is nothing improbable in the statement, viewed by itself. For it must be borne in mind that, after the appointment of Gedaliah as governor, and the departure of the Chaldean hosts, many Jews, who had fled during the war, returned into the country. Hence, in spite of the fact that, after the murder of Gedaliah, a multitude of Jews, fearing the vengeance of the Chaldeans, fled to Egypt, many may have still remained in the country; and many other fugitives may not have returned till afterwards, and given occasion to the Chaldeans for removing other 745 disturbers of the peace to Babylon, four or five years after Jerusalem had been laid in ashes. This deportation may have taken place on the occasion of the subjugation of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Idumeans, or during the war with the Phoenicians, possibly because they had rendered assistance to these nations against the Chaldeans. These verses thus contain nothing to justify the assumption of M. von Niebuhr (Gesch. Assyr. und Babels, S. 58, note) and Nägelsbach, that they are a gloss. The paucity of those who were carried away is not to be attributed to a desire on the part of the writer of this inserted portion to represent the calamity as not so very terrible after all; nor is it due to the substitution of the number of the Levites for that of the entire people, - two wholly arbitrary assumptions: it is completely explained by a consideration of the historical circumstances. The best of the population of Judah had already been carried away, and Zedekiah and his counsellors must have said to themselves, when they rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, that the latter would not spare this time; thus they must have defended themselves to the utmost, as is shown by the very fact that the siege of Jerusalem lasted eighteen months. In this manner, war, pestilence, and famine carried off a great number of the population of Jerusalem; so that, of men who were able-bodied and fit for war, and who could be carried into exile, not more than 4600 fell into the hands of the Chaldeans. During the war, also, many had concealed themselves in inaccessible places, while the lowest of the people were left behind in the country to cultivate the fields. Still more strange might appear the circumstance that the sum-total of those who were carried away to Babylon, viz., 10,000 with Jehoiachin, and 4600 under Zedekiah, - 14, 600 in all, - is evidently disproportionate to the number of those who returned to Jerusalem and Judah under Zerubbabel, which number is given in Ezr 2:64 at 42, 360, exclusive of men and maid servants. For this reason, Graf is of opinion that still later deportations may have taken place, of which no mention is made anywhere. This assumption, however, has little probability. On the other hand, we must consider these points: (1.) In the accounts given of those who were carried away, only full-grown and independent persons of the male sex are reckoned, while, along with fathers, both their wives and their children went into exile. (2.) Even so early as the first capture of Jerusalem in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, a number of prisoners of war, perhaps not inconsiderable, came to Babylon; these might unite with the thousands of their brethren who were carried thither at a later period. (3.) When the exiles had settled down in Babylon, and there found not only a means of livelihood, but even in many instances, as is clear from several intimations, attained to opulence as citizens, many, even of those who had been left in the country, may have gone to Babylon, in the hope of finding there greater prosperity than in Judah, now laid waste and depopulated by war. (4.) From the time when the 10,000 were carried away with Jehoiachin, in the year 599 b.c., till the return under Zerubbabel, 536 b.c., 63 years, i.e., nearly two generations, had passed, during which the exiles might largely increase in numbers. If we take all these elements into consideration, then, in the simple fact that the number of those who returned amounts to nearly three times the numbers of those given as having been carried away under Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, we cannot find such a difficulty as entitles us to doubt the correctness of the numbers handed down to us.

Jer 52:31-34

The closing portion of this chapter, viz., the notice regarding the liberation of Jehoiachin from imprisonment, ad his elevation to royal honours by Evil-merodach after Nebuchadnezzar’s death, substantially agrees with the account given of that even in 2Ki 25:27-30. The difference of date, "on the twenty-fifth of the month" (Jer 52:31), and "on the twenty-seventh of the month" in 2 Kings, has arisen through the entrance of a clerical error into one text or the other. The few remaining variations of the two texts have no influence on the meaning. As to the fact itself, and its importance for the people languishing in exile, we may refer to the explanation given at 2Ki 25:27.

Jerusalem Taken by Nebuchadnezzar. (b. c. 588.)

1 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord , according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3 For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about. 5 So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 6 And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. 7 Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain. 8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 9 Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him. 10 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 11 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.

This narrative begins no higher than the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, though there were two captivities before, one in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the other in the first of Jeconiah; but probably it was drawn up by some of those that were carried away with Zedekiah, as a reproach to themselves for imagining that they should not go into captivity after their brethren, with which hopes they had long flattered themselves. We have here, 1. God's just displeasure against Judah and Jerusalem for their sin, v. 3. His anger was against them to such a degree that he determined to cast them out from his presence, his favourable gracious presence, as a father, when he is extremely angry with an undutiful son, bids him get out of his presence, he expelled them from that good land that had such tokens of his presence in providential bounty and that holy city and temple that had such tokens of his presence in covenant-grace and love. Note, Those that are banished from God's ordinances have reason to complain that they are in some degree cast out of his presence; yet none are cast out from God's gracious presence but those that by sin have first thrown themselves out of it. This fruit of sin we should therefore deprecate above any thing, as David (Ps. li. 11), Cast me not away from thy presence. 2. Zedekiah's bad conduct and management, to which God left him, in displeasure against the people, and for which God punished him, in displeasure against him. Zedekiah had arrived at years of discretion when he came to the throne; he was twenty-one years old (v. 1); he was none of the worst of the kings (we never read of his idolatries), yet his character is that he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, for he did not do the good he should have done. But that evil deed of his which did in a special manner hasten this destruction was his rebelling against the king of Babylon, which was both his sin and his folly, and brought ruin upon his people, not only meritoriously, but efficiently. God was greatly displeased with him for his perfidious dealing with the king of Babylon (as we find, Ezek. xvii. 15, &c.); and, because he was angry at Judah and Jerusalem, he put him into the hand of his own counsels, to do that foolish thing which proved fatal to him and his kingdom. 3. The possession which the Chaldeans at length gained of Jerusalem, after eighteen months' siege. They sat down before it, and blocked it up, in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, in the tenth month (v. 4), and made themselves masters of it in the eleventh year in the fourth month, v. 6. In remembrance of these two steps towards their ruin, while they were in captivity, they kept a fast in the fourth month, and a fast in the tenth (Zech. viii. 19): that in the fifth month was in remembrance of the burning of the temple, and that in the seventh of the murder of Gedaliah. We may easily imagine, or rather cannot imagine, what a sad time it was with Jerusalem, during this year and half that it was besieged, when all provisions were cut off from coming to them and they were ever and anon alarmed by the attacks of the enemy, and, being obstinately resolved to hold out to the last extremity, nothing remained but a certain fearful looking for of judgment. That which disabled them to hold out, and yet could not prevail with them to capitulate, was the famine in the city (v. 6); there was no bread for the people of the land, so that the soldiers could not make good their posts, but were rendered wholly unserviceable; and then no wonder that the city was broken up, v. 7. Walls, in such a case, will not hold out long without men, any more than men without walls; nor will both together stand people in any stead without God and his protection. 4. The inglorious retreat of the king and his mighty men. They got out of the city by night (v. 7) and made the best of their way, I know not whither, nor perhaps they themselves; but the king was overtaken by the pursuers in the plains of Jericho, his guards were dispersed, and all his army was scattered from him, v. 8. His fright was not causeless, for there is no escaping the judgments of God; they will come upon the sinner, and will overtake him, let him flee where he will (Deut. xxviii. 15), and these judgments particularly that are here executed were there threatened, v. 52, 53, &c. 5. The sad doom passed upon Zedekiah by the king of Babylon, and immediately put in execution. He treated him as a rebel, gave judgment upon him, v. 9. One cannot think of it without the utmost vexation and regret that a king, a king of Judah, a king of the house of David, should be arraigned as a criminal at the bar of this heathen king. But he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet; therefore God thus humbled him. Pursuant to the sentence passed upon him by the haughty conqueror, his sons were slain before his eyes, and all the princes of Judah (v. 10); then his eyes were put out, and he was bound in chains, carried in triumph to Babylon; perhaps they made sport with him, as they did with Samson when his eyes were put out; however, he was condemned to perpetual imprisonment, wearing out the remainder of his life (I cannot say his days, for he saw day no more) in darkness and misery. He was kept in prison till the day of his death, but had some honour done him at his funeral, ch. xxxiv. 5. Jeremiah had often told him what it would come to, but he would not take warning when he might have prevented it.

The Babylonish Captivity. (b. c. 588.)

12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, 13 And burned the house of the Lord , and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire: 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about. 15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude. 16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen. 17 Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord , and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the Lord , the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon. 18 The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. 19 And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away. 20 The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the Lord : the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 21 And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow. 22 And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these. 23 And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were a hundred round about.

We have here an account of the woeful havoc that was made by the Chaldean army, a month after the city was taken, under the command of Nebuzaradan, who was captain of the guard, or general of the army, in this action. In the margin he is called the chief of the slaughter-men, or executioners; for soldiers are but slaughter-men, and God employs them as executioners of his sentence against a sinful people. Nebuzaradan was chief of those soldiers, but, in the execution he did, we have reason to fear he had no eye to God, but he served the king of Babylon and his own designs, now that he came into Jerusalem, into the very bowels of it, as captain of the slaughter-men there. And, 1. He laid the temple in ashes, having first plundered it of every thing that was valuable: He burnt the house of the Lord, that holy and beautiful house, where their fathers praised him, Isa. lxiv. 11. 2. He burnt the royal palace, probably that which Solomon built after he had built the temple, which was, ever since, the king's house. 3. He burnt all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great men, or those particularly; if any escaped, it was only some sorry cottages for the poor of the land. 4. He broke down all the walls of Jerusalem, to be revenged upon them for standing in the way of his army so long. Thus, of a defenced city, it was made a ruin, Isa. xxv. 2. 5. He carried away many into captivity (v. 15); he took away certain of the poor of the people, that is, of the people in the city, for the poor of the land (the poor of the country) he left for vine-dressers and husbandmen. He also carried off the residue of the people that remained in the city, that had escaped the sword and famine, and the deserters, such as he thought fit, or rather such as God thought fit; for he had already determined some for the pestilence, some for the sword, some for famine, and some for captivity, ch. xv. 2. But, 6. Nothing is more particularly and largely related here than the carrying away of the appurtenances of the temple. All that were of great value were carried away before, the vessels of silver and gold, yet some of that sort remained, which were now carried away, v. 19. But most of the temple-prey that was now seized was of brass, which, being of less value, was carried off last. When the gold was gone, the brass soon went after it, because the people repented not, according to Jeremiah's prediction, ch. xxvii. 19, &c. When the walls of the city were demolished, the pillars of the temple were pulled down too, and both in token that God, who was the strength and stay both of their civil and their ecclesiastical government, had departed from them. No walls can protect those, nor pillars sustain those, from whom God withdraws. These pillars of the temple were not for support (for there was nothing built upon them), but for ornament and significancy. They were called Jachin—He will establish; and Boaz—In him is strength; so that the breaking of these signified that God would no longer establish his house nor be the strength of it. These pillars are here very particularly described (v. 21-23, from 1 Kings vii. 15), that the extraordinary beauty and stateliness of them may affect us the more with the demolishing of them. All the vessels that belonged to the brazen altar were carried away; for the iniquity of Jerusalem, like that of Eli's house, was not to be purged by sacrifice or offering, 1 Sam. iii. 14. It is said (v. 20), The brass of all these vessels was without weight; so it was in the making of them (1 Kings vii. 47), the weight of the brass was not then found out (2 Chron. iv. 18), and so it was in the destroying of them. Those that made great spoil of them did not stand to weigh them, as purchasers do, for, whatever they weighted, it was all their own.

The Babylonish Captivity. (b. c. 588.)

24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: 25 He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king's person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city. 26 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. 27 And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land. 28 This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty: 29 In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons: 30 In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

We have here a very melancholy account, 1. Of the slaughter of some great men, in cold blood, at Riblah, seventy-two in number (according to the number of the elders of Israel, Num. xi. 24, 25), so they are computed, 2 Kings xxv. 18, 19. We read there of five out of the temple, two out of the city, five out of the court, and sixty out of the country. The account here agrees with that, except in one article; there it is said that there were five, here there were seven, of those that were near the king, which Dr. Lightfoot reconciles thus, that he took away seven of those that were near the king, but two of them were Jeremiah himself and Ebed-melech, who were both discharged, as we have read before, so that there were only five of them put to death, and so the number was reduced to seventy-two, some of all ranks, for they had all corrupted their way; and it is probable that such were made examples of as had been most forward to excite and promote the rebellion against the king of Babylon. Seraiah the chief priest is put first, whose sacred character could not exempt him from this stroke; how should it, when he himself had profaned it by sin? Seraiah the prince was a quiet prince (ch. li. 59), but perhaps Seraiah the priest was not so, but unquiet and turbulent, by which he had made himself obnoxious to the king of Babylon. The leaders of this people had caused them to err, and now they are in a particular manner made monuments of divine justice. 2. Of the captivity of the rest. Come and see how Judah was carried away captive out of his own land (v. 27), and how it spued them out as it spued out the Canaanites that went before them, which God had told them it would certainly do if they trod in their steps and copied out their abominations, Lev. xviii. 28. Now here is an account, (1.) Of two captivities which we had an account of before, one in the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar (the same with that which is said to be in his eighth year, 2 Kings xxiv. 12), another in his eighteenth year, the same with that which is said (v. 12) to be in his nineteenth year. But the sums here are very small, in comparison with what we find expressed concerning the former (2 Kings xxiv. 14, 16), when there were 18,000 carried captive, whereas here they are said to be 3023; they are also small in comparison with what we may reasonably suppose concerning the latter; for, when all the residue of the people were carried away (v. 15), one would think there should be more than 832 souls; therefore Dr. Lightfoot conjectures that, these accounts being joined to the story of the putting to death of the great men at Riblah, all that are here said to be carried away were put to death as rebels. (2.) Of a third captivity, not mentioned before, which was in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, four years after the destruction of Jerusalem (v. 30): Then Nebuzaradan came, and carried away 745 Jews; it is probable that this was done in revenge of the murder of Gedaliah, which was another rebellion against the king of Babylon, and that those who were now taken were aiders and abetters of Ishmael in that murder, and were not only carried away, but put to death for it; yet this is uncertain. If this be the sum total of the captives (all the persons were 4600, v. 30), we may see how strangely they were reduced from what they had been, and may wonder as much how they came to be so numerous again as afterwards we find them; for it should seem that, as at first in Egypt, so again in Babylon, the Lord made them fruitful in the land of their affliction, and the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied. And the truth is, this people were often miracles both of judgment and mercy.

Jehoiachin Favoured by Evil-merodach. (b. c. 588.)

31 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison, 32 And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, 33 And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life. 34 And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

This passage of story concerning the reviving which king Jehoiachin had in his bondage we had likewise before (2 Kings xxv. 27-30), only there it is said to be done on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, here on the twenty-fifth; but in a thing of this nature two days make a very slight difference in the account. It is probable that the orders were given for his release on the twenty-fifth day, but that he was not presented to the king till the twenty-seventh. We may observe in this story, 1. That new lords make new laws. Nebuchadnezzar had long kept this unhappy prince in prison; and his son, though well-affected to the prisoner, could not procure him any favour, not one smile, from his father, any more than Jonathan could for David from his father; but, when the old peevish man was dead, his son countenanced Jehoiachin and made him a favourite. It is common for children to undo what their fathers have done; it were well if it were always as much for the better as this was. 2. That the world we live in is a changing world. Jehoiachin, in his beginning, fell from a throne into a prison, but here he is advanced again to a throne of state (v. 32), though not to a throne of power. As, before, the robes were changed into prison-garments, so now they were converted into robes again. Such chequer-work is this world; prosperity and adversity are set the one over-against the other, that we may learn to rejoice as though we rejoiced not and weep as though we wept not. 3. That, though the night of affliction be very long, yet we must not despair but that the day may dawn at last. Jehoiachin was thirty-seven years a prisoner, in confinement, in contempt, ever since he was eighteen years old, in which time we may suppose him so inured to captivity that he had forgotten the sweets of liberty; or, rather, that after so long an imprisonment it would be doubly welcome to him. Let those whose afflictions have been lengthened out encourage themselves with this instance; the vision will at the end speak comfortably, and therefore wait for it. Dum spiro spero—While there is life there is hope. Non si male nunc, et olim sic erit—Though now we suffer, we shall not always suffer. 4. That god can make his people to find favour in the eyes of those that are their oppressors, and unaccountably turn their hearts to pity them, according to that word ( Ps. cvi. 46), He made them to be pitied of all those that carried them captives. He can bring those that have spoken roughly to speak kindly, and those to feed his people that have fed upon them. Those therefore that are under oppression will find that it is not in vain to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. Therefore our times are in God's hand, because the hearts of all we deal with are so. 5. And now, upon the whole matter, comparing the prophecy and the history of this book together, we may learn, in general, (1.) That it is no new thing for churches and persons highly dignified to degenerate, and become very corrupt. (2.) That iniquity tends to the ruin of those that harbour it; and, if it be not repented of and forsaken, will certainly end in their ruin: (3.) That external professions and privileges will not only not amount to an excuse for sin and an exemption from ruin, but will be a very great aggravation of both. (4.) That no word of God shall fall to the ground, but the event will fully answer the prediction; and the unbelief of man shall not make God's threatenings, any more than his promises, of no effect. The justice and truth of God are here written in bloody characters, for the conviction or the confusion of all those that make a jest of his threatenings. Let them not be deceived, God is not mocked.

CHAP. LII.

Ver. 1. ZEdekiah was one and twenty years old, &c.] For the expoſition of this whole chapter, ſee the Notes on 2 King. 24. & 25. 2 Chron. 36. & Jer. 39.1, 2, 3, &c. It is altogether hiſtorical, and ſet here fitly by Ezra or ſome other Prophet, as an Appendix to the foregoing Prophecy, and as a Preface to the Book of the Lamentations, which is nothing elſe but Jeremy's Elegy over their doleful Captivity: not over King Joſiah's death as Hierom would have it: nor yet is it that Book that Jehojakim cut and afterwards caſt into the fire. Jer. 36. as ſome of the Jew-doctors have doted. The Septuagint have ſet this title upon it, And it came to paſſe after that Iſrael was carried captive, A Lapide Prolog. in Thren. ex [illegible: 1 letter]etro à Figneiro. and Jeruſalem laid waſt, the Prophet Jeremy ſat weeping, and wailing and bitterly lamenting the caſe of his people. Thus they knit together this Chapter and the enſuing Lamentations: which the Jews alſo are ſtill ſaid to read together in their Synagogues, on the ninth day of the moneth Ab, which anſwereth to our July: becauſe that on that day, the City was taken and deſtroyed by the Chaldaeans, Jer. 52.7.