Jeremiah 39 2

Jeremiah 39:2 kjv

And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.

Jeremiah 39:2 nkjv

In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was penetrated.

Jeremiah 39:2 niv

And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year, the city wall was broken through.

Jeremiah 39:2 esv

In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city.

Jeremiah 39:2 nlt

Two and a half years later, on July 18 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah's reign, a section of the city wall was broken down.

Jeremiah 39 verses

Jeremiah 39 2 Meaning

Jeremiah 39:2 records the invasion of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army under King Nebuchadnezzar. Verse 2 specifically states that all the peoples of the earth witnessed or were informed of the final judgment upon Jerusalem, signifying a universal acknowledgment of God's power and the consequence of disobedience.

Jeremiah 39 2 Context

Jeremiah 39 occurs at the climax of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The preceding chapters detail Jeremiah's prophecies of doom and the persistent disobedience of Judah's kings and people, despite the prophet's warnings. Chapter 38 described the prophet Jeremiah being thrown into a cistern by ungodly officials, highlighting the resistance to God's word. This chapter records the fulfillment of those prophecies. Nebuchadnezzar's forces, having breached the city walls, are now entering Jerusalem, marking the end of Judah as a sovereign nation and the beginning of the Babylonian captivity. This event is a devastating judgment for Judah's sins, particularly idolatry and injustice, and signifies the removal of God's visible presence from the Temple.

Jeremiah 39 2 Word Analysis

• ויבֹאּ (vayevó): This is the waw-consecutive imperfect of the verb בּוֹא (bo), meaning "to enter." The "vav-consecutive" form indicates a past action that follows a sequence of events, here emphasizing the inevitable entry of the Babylonians after the siege. It highlights the forceful and complete occupation of the city.
• ירושלם (Yerushalayim): Jerusalem. This signifies the holy city, the dwelling place of God's name, and the center of worship for Israel. Its fall represents a profound divine judgment and the humiliation of God's people.
• וַתֵּשֵׁב (vatéshév): This is the waw-consecutive imperfect of the verb שָׁבַת (shavat), meaning "to sit" or "to settle." It denotes the act of occupying or taking possession. The Babylonians "sat" in the gates, meaning they took control and established their presence within the city's access points, signifying their dominance.
• בשעריה (bish'áreha): "in its gates." The gates were crucial entry and exit points, centers of civic life and governance. The enemy occupying the gates signifies complete control over the city and its people, blocking any escape and dominating all passage.
• בשערי (bish'aréi): "in its gates." (Plural form used twice)
• חֹמֶיהָ (choméyha): "its walls" (understood from context and common usage where "gates" implies control of the fortified city walls which the gates were part of). The word comes from חומה (chomah), meaning "wall," often a city wall.
• יִבָּרֵח (yibáreḥ): This is the Hiphil (causative) imperfect of the verb בָּרַח (barach), meaning "to flee." It's used here to describe Zedekiah and his men fleeing, emphasizing their attempt to escape the impending doom.
• וברחתם (uvárukhátem): And you shall flee. This part, belonging to a broader decree or warning related to the overall situation of the city's fall, underscores the widespread flight anticipated.
• בלילה (baléilah): "by night." Fleeing by night suggests a clandestine attempt to escape undetected, underscoring their desperation and fear.
• מלט (malat): From the root לָמַט (lamat) meaning "escape" or "deliver." It speaks of the successful or attempted salvation from danger.
• נגד (néged): "before" or "opposite." This indicates being in the presence of, or in view of, those fleeing.
• גַּן הַמֶּלֶךְ (gan hamméléch): "the king's garden." This was a specific location near the royal palace, often located within or adjacent to the city walls, representing a place of retreat or escape.
• בעד (be'ad): "through" or "by means of." It indicates the passage or route taken during the flight.
• השער (hasha'ár): "the gate." Again, referencing a specific gateway.
• בין־החֹמֹת (vein-lachómot): "between the two walls." This refers to the area or passage between the inner and outer city walls, a strategic location for escape routes.
• ומדרך (umadrékh): "and the way of" or "from the path of."
• הערבה (ha'arávah): "the Arabah" or "the plain/valley." This is a geographical reference to the Jordan Rift Valley, the low-lying region east of Jerusalem leading towards the Dead Sea. It was a natural route out of the city, albeit a difficult and exposed one.
• הערבים (ha'aravim): This appears to be a typo or misreading of the common geographic term "ha'aravah". It may potentially refer to a specific area or even an "evening" sense if "erev" (evening) was intended, but context strongly supports the geographical "Arabah".
• ובכיסאי (uvkiséi): And the seat of. Likely refers to the throne or seat of power.
• צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tzidkiyáhu): Zedekiah. The last king of Judah, who had been installed by Nebuchadnezzar but later rebelled.
• מְלַכְּדָה (maláḵdah): From a root suggesting entanglement or traps, or the preparation of them, possibly relating to siegeworks or the process of taking the city.
• גָּלוּת (galút): Exile. While not in this specific verse, the context of these events leads directly to the exile of the people of Judah.

Group Analysis: The verse describes a decisive military action where the entire population ("all the peoples of the earth" signifies their being spectators to this major event, a testament to its significance) witnesses the Babylonian entry into Jerusalem. The description of fleeing "by night," "through the king's garden," "between the two walls," and "by the way of the Arabah" provides a detailed, almost cinematic, account of the royal flight from Zedekiah, highlighting the chaos and desperation as the capital city falls. The invaders settle "in its gates," indicating full control.

Jeremiah 39 2 Bonus Section

The mention of "all the peoples of the earth" seeing or hearing of this event (implied by "when all the peoples of the earth saw") reflects an ancient understanding that significant national judgments were public demonstrations of divine power and justice. This resonates with later prophetic declarations where national adversaries are depicted as witnesses to God's might. The escape route described—through the king's garden, between the walls, to the Arabah—highlights the particular knowledge of the city's topography used by Zedekiah in his failed attempt to escape, contrasting sharply with the enemy's knowledge of how to breach its defenses. This verse, alongside its parallel in Jeremiah 52:7, provides crucial historical detail confirming the prophetic fulfillment and the accuracy of Jeremiah's ministry. The specific pathways mentioned underline the fall of intimate and royal spaces to the conquering enemy.

Jeremiah 39 2 Commentary

Jeremiah 39:2 vividly depicts the inevitable consequence of Judah's sustained rebellion against God. The Babylonian army's entry into Jerusalem signifies the completion of divine judgment prophesied for generations. The description of Zedekiah's escape through specific, intimate locations like the king's garden and the passage between the city walls underscores the collapse of royal authority and security. The people's observation or awareness of this fall from "all the peoples of the earth" demonstrates the widespread impact of this event and serves as a powerful testament to God's sovereign hand over nations, affirming that His judgments are not hidden. This fall marks the end of an era and a turning point in biblical history, leading to the Babylonian captivity, a period of deep introspection and purification for Israel.