Jeremiah 52:10 kjv
And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.
Jeremiah 52:10 nkjv
Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And he killed all the princes of Judah in Riblah.
Jeremiah 52:10 niv
There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah.
Jeremiah 52:10 esv
The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah.
Jeremiah 52:10 nlt
The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons. He also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah.
Jeremiah 52 10 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Jeremiah 52:11 | And he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with fetters of brass, to carry him to Babylon. | Jeremiah 52:11 (Direct Fulfillment) |
2 Kings 25:7 | And killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, to carry him to Babylon. | 2 Kings 25:7 (Parallel Account) |
Ezekiel 12:13 | I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there. | Ezekiel 12:13 (Prophetic Parallel) |
Jeremiah 21:1-7 | Speaks of Judah's fall to Babylon, with consequences for Zedekiah. | Jeremiah 21:1-7 (Judgment Context) |
Jeremiah 39:7 | As he did unto the sons of Zedekiah in Jerusalem... | Jeremiah 39:7 (Event Detail) |
Psalm 137:8-9 | Daughter of Babylon, happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stone. | Psalm 137:8-9 (Vengeance Theme) |
Isaiah 14:22 | For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD. | Isaiah 14:22 (Judgment on Babylon) |
Ezekiel 17:15-21 | Prophecy against Zedekiah's covenant-breaking and his eventual capture. | Ezekiel 17:15-21 (Zedekiah's Fall) |
Lamentations 4:17 | Our steps took hold unto the kingdom of Egypt; so that we could not grow in time of our turning. | Lamentations 4:17 (Kingdom's Decline) |
Hosea 10:12 | Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in iniquity; reap the whirlwind: sow the wind, and ye shall reap the whirlwind. | Hosea 10:12 (Principle of Sowing/Reaping) |
Isaiah 29:9-10 | Prophecy of spiritual blindness coming upon Jerusalem. | Isaiah 29:9-10 (Spiritual Blindness) |
John 12:40 | For he hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. | John 12:40 (Spiritual Blindness - NT) |
Acts 28:26-27 | Fulfillment of Isaiah 6:9-10 in Israel's hardening. | Acts 28:26-27 (New Testament Application) |
Matthew 13:14-15 | Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 concerning Israel's deafness and blindness. | Matthew 13:14-15 (Jesus' Quote) |
Revelation 17:1-7 | The judgment on the symbolic great prostitute, often associated with empires. | Revelation 17:1-7 (Judgment on Evil) |
Psalm 79:1 | O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. | Psalm 79:1 (Temple Defiled) |
Zechariah 7:4-7 | Questions about fasting, addressing past sins and God's rejection. | Zechariah 7:4-7 (Past Sins) |
Nahum 3:1-7 | Denunciation against Nineveh for its cruelty. | Nahum 3:1-7 (Cruelty Theme) |
Jeremiah 5:30-31 | Describes the sinfulness and unfaithfulness of prophets and priests. | Jeremiah 5:30-31 (Corruption) |
Jeremiah 4:7-8 | The land is destroyed because of the fierce anger of the LORD. | Jeremiah 4:7-8 (God's Anger) |
Jeremiah 52 verses
Jeremiah 52 10 Meaning
This verse describes Zedekiah's punishment: his sons were executed before his eyes, and then his own eyes were blinded. This was a fulfillment of prophetic judgment for his rebellion against Babylon and his spiritual blindness.
Jeremiah 52 10 Context
Jeremiah 52 is a historical appendix detailing the final siege and fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. It corroborates accounts found in 2 Kings 25. The chapter recounts the devastation of the city, the destruction of the Temple, and the capture and subsequent treatment of King Zedekiah and the remaining population. This particular verse, the tenth, describes the severe and brutal punishment inflicted upon Zedekiah personally after the king of Babylon had executed his sons before him. It marks the tragic culmination of Zedekiah's faithless reign and Judah's final destruction.
Jeremiah 52 10 Word Analysis
- וַיְהִי (vay'hi): "And it came to pass" or "And it happened." A common narrative connector.
- קֶצֶב (ketzev): "measure," "proportion," "end," or "limit." Here it signifies the completion or ultimate result of his punishment.
- עֵינֵי (ei'nei): "eyes of." Plural of 'ayin (eye).
- זֶדֶקִיָּהוּ (Tzedekiyahu): "Zedekiah," meaning "Yahweh is my righteousness." This name is in stark contrast to his actions.
- וַֽיִּגְמֹל (vay'gmol): "and he dealt with," "and he recompensed," or "and he recompensed him." This verb carries the sense of dealing out a measure or retribution.
- אֶת־ (et): A direct object marker.
- בָּנָיו (banav): "his sons." The possessive suffix "-av" denotes "his."
- לְפָנָיו (lifanav): "before him." Indicating the proximity and witnessing of the execution.
- בִּירוּשָׁלִַם (Birushalayim): "in Jerusalem." The location of this terrible event.
- וַיִּקָּרַח (vayiqqarach): "and he seared," "and he branded," or "and he burned." This Hebrew root often relates to burning or searing, and in the context of eyes, it conveys blinding.
Word Group Analysis:
- "his sons...before him": This emphasizes the torment Zedekiah suffered by witnessing the slaughter of his heirs, a common ancient Near Eastern practice to ensure a complete dynastic downfall and inflict maximum psychological pain.
- "he dealt with...his sons...before him": This sequence highlights the cause-and-effect relationship: because of Zedekiah's defiance and rebellion, he received this specific, brutal recompense in front of his very eyes.
Jeremiah 52 10 Bonus Section
The blinding of Zedekiah serves as a literalization of the spiritual blindness that characterized his reign and the nation's spiritual state. The prophets had continually spoken of a coming judgment, but Zedekiah, along with much of the leadership and populace, refused to see or repent. The Hebrew verb used for blinding, qaraḥ (קָרַח), can also imply scalding or burning, suggesting a violent, searing loss of sight. This traumatic end contrasts sharply with Zedekiah's initial enthronement as king by Nebuchadnezzar, replacing his nephew Jehoiachin. It highlights the fickleness of political power and the ultimate sovereignty of God. The phrase "before his eyes" (לְפָנָיו) is repeated from the account of his sons' execution, intensifying the agony and shame. This narrative, though brutal, reflects a broader biblical theme of reaping what is sown (Galatians 6:7), especially when sown in rebellion against God.
Jeremiah 52 10 Commentary
Jeremiah 52:10 details the final, cruel act of the Babylonian king upon Zedekiah. The king first orchestrated the horrific execution of Zedekiah's sons, eradicating any lineal succession from Jerusalem. Immediately following this, Zedekiah's own eyes were put out. This wasn't just a physical blinding; it was a potent symbol. His eyes, which had looked away from God's warnings (often through Jeremiah's prophecy) and towards futile alliances, were now rendered useless. This act brought about the physical fulfillment of prophecies predicting his inability to see Babylon, the place of his exile, despite being taken there. The verse underscores the severity of divine judgment against rebellion and covenant betrayal. It’s a powerful testament to the consequences of rejecting God's messengers and His established order, even for a king whose name means "Yahweh is my righteousness." The narrative highlights a brutal form of justice characteristic of ancient warfare, magnified by its prophetic and symbolic significance.