Jeremiah 52:18 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 52:18 nkjv
They also took away the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the bowls, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered.
Jeremiah 52:18 niv
They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service.
Jeremiah 52:18 esv
And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the basins and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service;
Jeremiah 52:18 nlt
They also took all the ash buckets, shovels, lamp snuffers, basins, dishes, and all the other bronze articles used for making sacrifices at the Temple.
Jeremiah 52 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 52:19 | "And the bronze vessels that belonged to the house of the LORD, and the bronze from the King’s house, and the bronze basins, he took away." | 2 Kgs 25:14 - Lists similar items taken. |
| Jer 52:20 | "Also the bronze pillars, the basins for the sea, the movable stands, and the gold bowls..." | 1 Kgs 7:15-26 - Describes the original construction of these Temple items. |
| 2 Chr 36:19 | "And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned all its palaces with fire; they destroyed all its pleasing possessions." | Highlights the destruction of the Temple and city. |
| Ps 74:3-7 | "Lift up your strides to the ruined [places], forever; the enemy has profaned everything in the sanctuary... They have burned your sanctuary; they have profaned the dwelling place of your name by casting it down to the ground." | Laments the destruction and desecration of the Temple. |
| Is 64:11 | "Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, has been burned with fire; all our pleasant places have become ruins." | Expresses sorrow over the destroyed Temple. |
| Jer 20:5 | "I will also give all their strength and all their toils and their great treasures and all the high places of Judah into the hand of their enemies, who shall plunder them and seize them and cast them into Babylon." | Prophesies the plundering of Jerusalem's treasures. |
| Ezek 24:21 | "Deliver it also into the hands of those who hate it, those who plot against your life; it shall be a prey and spoil for them." | Parallels the fate of the Temple as a spoil. |
| Dan 1:2 | "And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god. And he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god." | Shows how Temple vessels were taken previously. |
| 2 Kgs 24:13 | "He carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold, which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said." | Details Nebuchadnezzar's earlier deportations and plunder. |
| Matt 24:2 | "Jesus said to them, “You see all these things? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”" | Jesus predicts the Temple's complete destruction. |
| Luke 21:6 | "As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." | Similar prophecy of Temple destruction. |
| Acts 7:42-43 | "Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: “Did you offer to me slain and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves.”" | Connects the captivity and destruction to Israel's disobedience and idolatry. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | "I have made a covenant with my chosen; I have sworn to David my servant: 'To make your offspring eternal, and to establish your throne for all generations.'" | Contrasts the promises to David with the present devastation. |
| Jer 52:17 | "The pillars of bronze, and the bases and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried them to Babylon." | Provides precursor details of the destruction. |
| Zech 1:6 | "But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servant the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? So they turned and said, 'As the LORD of hosts determined to do to us, by our ways and deserts, so he has dealt with us.'" | Links divine judgment to disobedience, mirroring the cause of the plundering. |
| Rom 2:21-24 | "You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who say ‘Do not steal,’ do you steal? You who say ‘Do not commit adultery,’ do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law through breaking the law dishonor God." | Warns against hypocrisy, relevant to the actions of those who profited from destruction or treated sacred things lightly. |
| 1 Cor 6:19-20 | "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple." | Extends the concept of "temple" to believers, suggesting that profaning God's dwelling has severe consequences. |
| Jer 27:18-22 | "Let them cry out to the gods they serve, that they may save them... Let them now be carried to Babylon." | Reinforces the futility of idols and the certainty of Babylonian conquest. |
| 1 Kgs 14:25-26 | "In the fifth year of King Shishak of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. He took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's house." | Early example of Jerusalem's sacred treasures being plundered due to disobedience. |
| Neh 9:36-37 | "Behold, we are slaves this day. We are slaves in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good things. And its rich yield is for the kings your [contemptible kings] have set over us, because of our sins." | Describes the subjugation and loss of wealth as a consequence of sin. |
Jeremiah 52 verses
Jeremiah 52 18 Meaning
This verse describes the quantity of precious metals—gold and silver—and the vessels made from them that were taken from the Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians. It itemizes what was plundered, reflecting the immense wealth and sacredness of the Temple that was despoiled.
Jeremiah 52 18 Context
Jeremiah chapter 52 recounts the final events of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, the destruction of the city, and the deportation of its people. This verse specifically details the looted items taken by Nebuchadnezzar's army, following the breach of the city walls and the capture of King Zedekiah. The plunder of the Temple, described here, represents the culmination of the nation's judgment for generations of idolatry and disobedience to God's covenant, as repeatedly warned by Jeremiah. The specifics listed underscore the immense material wealth and artistry dedicated to the Temple, a place meant to symbolize God's presence among His people.
Jeremiah 52 18 Word Analysis
- the gold: Hebrew: zāhāḇ (זָהָב) - signifies preciousness, value, and royalty. In the Temple context, it represents divine glory and purity.
- silver: Hebrew: keseph (כֶּסֶף) - symbolizes redemption, purification, and value. It was used for finer implements and decoration.
- bowls: Hebrew: kəśûlōṯ (כְּסוּלֹת) or possibly related terms like saph (סַף) meaning "bowl" or "dish." Refers to vessels used in worship and for offerings.
- vessels: Hebrew: kelîm (כֵּלִים) - a general term for utensils, equipment, or furnishings. It encompasses all the various items used in the Temple.
- bronze: Hebrew: neḥôšet (נְחֹשֶׁת) - symbolizes strength, judgment, and common utility, often used for larger, more utilitarian objects.
- pillars: Hebrew: ʻammûḏîm (עַמּוּדִים) - refers to the grand pillars at the Temple entrance, like Jachin and Boaz (1 Kings 7:15).
- bases: Hebrew: mĕrîqāh (מְרִיקָה) or similar words indicating stands or movable supports for vessels like the laver.
- sea: Hebrew: yām (יָם) - refers to the large bronze basin (the "Molten Sea") used for priestly purification (1 Kings 7:23-26).
- all the bronze: Emphasizes the comprehensive removal of bronze elements, not just selective items.
- house of the LORD: Hebrew: bêt Yĕhowâ (בֵּית יְהוָה) - refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, God's dwelling place.
- carried: Hebrew: wĕhā‧lâ (וְהֶעֱלָה) - indicates removal and transportation, often in the context of tribute or spoil.
- Babylon: Hebrew: Bāḇel (בָּבֶל) - the capital of the Babylonian empire, the instrument of God's judgment on Judah.
Word-Group Analysis
- gold and silver bowls and vessels: This grouping signifies the finest, most sacred, and most valuable furnishings of the Temple, highlighting the extent of the despoliation of the innermost holy places.
- bronze pillars, bases, and the bronze sea: This phrase encapsulates the significant structural and functional bronze elements of the Temple, showing that even the substantial, foundational metallic elements were removed. It speaks to a total dismantling and plunder of the entire Temple structure.
Jeremiah 52 18 Bonus Section
The detailed listing of spoils in Jeremiah 52 serves a dual purpose: to provide a factual, historical account of the destruction and to serve as a solemn indictment of the nation's sin. The Babylonian conquerors treated these sacred items as mere objects of value, stripping them of their religious significance. This act ironically contrasted with the original dedication of these items, which were intended to facilitate worship of the one true God. The comparison with earlier periods, like the plundering by Shishak (1 Kings 14:25-26) and the deportations under Jehoiakim (Dan 1:2), underscores a recurring pattern of divine judgment linked to unfaithfulness, with the Babylonian conquest marking the most catastrophic fulfillment. The completeness of the plunder foreshadowed Jesus' prophecy about the complete destruction of the Temple, where not one stone would be left upon another (Matt 24:2).
Jeremiah 52 18 Commentary
Jeremiah 52:18 paints a stark picture of the utter devastation and plunder of God's Temple. The enumeration of gold and silver vessels, along with the substantial bronze components, is not merely an inventory of stolen goods. It is a testament to the fulfillment of divine judgment. The wealth that adorned the house of God, meant to reflect His glory, became a prize for the conquering pagan king, Nebuchadnezzar. This event was a direct consequence of Israel's repeated unfaithfulness, their turning away from the Lord to worship other gods, and their mistreatment of His people, despite Jeremiah's tireless warnings. The plundering of the Temple, especially its sacred vessels, represented a profound spiritual humiliation and the tangible loss of God's tangible presence in their midst, driving home the severity of their covenant breach.