jeremiah 39 and 52

Read Jeremiah 39 and 52 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Jer 38:28b-39:14 {s} The city of Jerusalem taken, the people carried away captive/ Jeremiah set free
Jer 39:15-18 {p} The word of YHVH to Ebed-Melech: I will deliver you from destruction, for you trust in Me

Jer 52:1-23 {s} Babylon took Jerusalem + Zedekiah + burned YHVH’s house + broke down the walls
Jer 52:24-27 {s} The chief priests, doorkeepers, officers of the king found in Jerusalem taken + put to death
Jer 52:28-30 {s} The Jews taken captive to Babylon during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, 4600 in total
Jer 52:31-34 {p} In the 1st year of Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, Jehoiachin king of Judah released from prison

Jer 38:28b-39:14 chiastic structure:

1a) Jer 38:28b, And Jeremiah was in the court of the prison when Jerusalem was taken;

1b) Jer 39:1-5a, Jerusalem taken + princes of the Babylonians sat in the Middle Gate;

1a) Jer 39:1, In the 9th year 10th month of Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar’s army besieged Jerusalem;
1b) Jer 39:2, In the 11th year 4th month 9th day of Zedekiah, the city was penetrated (Babylonians entered);
central axis) Jer 39:3, The princes of Babylon came in + sat in the Middle Gate;
2b) Jer 39:4, When Zedekiah saw it, he + warriors fled the city by night, toward the plain (Judeans exited);
2a) Jer 39:5a, Nebuchadnezzar’s army pursued Zedekiah, warriors + overtook them in plains of Jericho;

1c) Jer 39:5b-7, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon pronounced judgment on Zedekiah + nobles of Judah in Hamath;

1d) Jer 39:8, The Chaldeans burned the king’s house + houses of the great with fire/ broke down the city walls;

central axis) Jer 39:9, “Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people who remained in the city and those who defected to him, with the rest of the people who remained;”

2d) Jer 39:10, But he left in the land the poor who had nothing/ gave them vineyards + fields;

2c) Jer 39:11-12, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon pronounced judgment concerning Jeremiah to do him no harm;

2b) Jer 39:13, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard sent the chief officers of the Babylonians;

2a) Jer 39:14 {s} To take Jeremiah from the court of the prison/ so he dwelt among the people.

What spoke to me today was that even though the prophesied judgment was accomplished against the city of God’s people, the meek, poor, and those who did rightly did not perish in it. Jeremiah was released from prison and allowed to go home; the poor of the land had vineyards and fields given to them, and the LORD gave the palace servant of King Zedekiah’s, Ebed-Melech, his life, because out of all who dwelt in Jerusalem, he was the only one who spoke on Jeremiah’s behalf to the king. Meanwhile, the king’s sons were slain, and he and his family taken to captivity, but he did wickedly in the sight of the LORD, the Bible says. The princes of Judah who struck Jeremiah and put him in dungeons and miry pits were put to death before Nebuchadnezzar. The palace and the houses of the great were burned … the same who the LORD prophesied against for oppressing His sheep. Yes the temple was burned too … but we saw in Ezekiel, that the temple was full of uncleanness and idolatry. At least now the city was purified by fire, as the prophets had proclaimed it would be. To me, it says, I cannot control what others in my nation do. I can only keep shining a light of witness and encourage repentance and obedience. But even if disaster were to befall us (and I do believe the spirit of repentance is sweeping the household of God), God is able to deliver all those who put their trust in Him. ♥