Jeremiah 52 28

Jeremiah 52:28 kjv

This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:

Jeremiah 52:28 nkjv

These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year, three thousand and twenty-three Jews;

Jeremiah 52:28 niv

This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;

Jeremiah 52:28 esv

This is the number of the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year, 3,023 Judeans;

Jeremiah 52:28 nlt

The number of captives taken to Babylon in the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign was 3,023.

Jeremiah 52 verses

Jeremiah 52 28 meaning

Jeremiah 52:28 provides a precise historical detail regarding the initial deportation of the people of Judah to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. This verse specifically records that in Nebuchadnezzar's seventh regnal year, three thousand and twenty-three individuals from Judah were taken captive, marking the first significant wave of forced exile that shaped the nation's future and affirmed God's prophetic warnings.

Jeremiah 52 28 Context

Jeremiah chapter 52 serves as an appendix to the Book of Jeremiah, summarizing the final destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent deportations. It largely parallels the account in 2 Kings 24-25, serving as a powerful historical confirmation that Jeremiah's prophecies of judgment against Judah for its persistent sin and idolatry were meticulously fulfilled by God. The chapter begins with the account of King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, and Jerusalem's fall, then details the three main waves of deportation by Nebuchadnezzar. Verse 28 specifically refers to the first of these deportations, which occurred during Jehoiachin's short reign (sometimes calculated as the year of Jehoiachin's captivity and Zedekiah's accession). This event established Babylon's dominance, initiated the seventy-year exile, and profoundly impacted Judah's spiritual and political landscape, validating Jeremiah's earlier warnings of impending doom.

Jeremiah 52 28 Word analysis

• These are the people: (Hebrew: אֵ֣לֶּה הָעָ֔ם ʾelleh hāʿām) - This opening phrase emphasizes a distinct group being described, setting apart this specific wave of exiles from others. Ha'am generally means "the people," but in this historical context, it refers to the specific inhabitants of Judah involved in this event. The use of "these" anchors the number that follows to a definite group already known or established in the broader historical narrative (like 2 Kgs 24).

• whom Nebuchadnezzar: (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶגְלָ֔ה נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֖ר ʾašer heḡlāh neḇūḵaḏreṣṣar) - "Nebuchadnezzar" (neḇūḵaḏreṣṣar) is the mighty Babylonian king, divinely appointed to execute God's judgment against Judah. "Carried away captive" (heḡlāh from gālâh) denotes a forced removal, an exile or deportation. This is a critical term signifying the loss of homeland and sovereignty, a central theme of Jeremiah's prophecies. This active verb underscores Nebuchadnezzar's role as the instrument of God's action.

• carried away captive: (heḡlāh, from root גלה gālâh) - As above, this is the Hebrew term for "exiled," "deported." It encompasses the journey and the subsequent living in a foreign land. Its repeated use throughout Jeremiah underscores the fulfillment of prophetic warnings. The passive nature for the people emphasizes their vulnerability to a more powerful, divine force orchestrating these events through Nebuchadnezzar.

• in the seventh year: (Hebrew: בִּשְׁנַ֨ת שֶֽׁבַע־ לִנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֜ר bišnaṯ šeḇaʿ línəḇūḵaḏreṣṣar) - This is a specific chronological marker. The "seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar" is generally understood to be 597 BCE, which aligns with the first major deportation when King Jehoiachin was taken captive along with a significant portion of Jerusalem's elite (cf. 2 Kgs 24:12). This precision adds historical reliability and verifies the prophecy's exact fulfillment.

• three thousand and twenty-three: (Hebrew: נֶ֖פֶשׁ שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְשָׁלֽוֹשׁ nep̄eš šəlōšeṯ ʾălāp̄īm wəʿeśrīm wəšālôš) - The numerical precision (šəlōšeṯ ʾălāp̄īm wəʿeśrīm wəšālôš = 3023). "Nephesh" (nep̄eš), often translated as "soul" or "person," further specifies that this number refers to individual lives. The exactness of this figure suggests meticulous record-keeping by the Babylonians, likely for census or resource allocation purposes, emphasizing the thoroughness of the deportation. It contrasts with 2 Kings 24:14, which mentions "eight thousand captives" for this same deportation, highlighting that Jeremiah 52:28 might be focusing on a more specific subgroup (e.g., only "Jews" in a specific census group, or men, or main family heads, while 2 Kings includes their families and a wider circle). Scholars often reconcile these by understanding them as counting different categories of individuals or from different perspectives within the larger exile event.

• Jews: (Hebrew: יְהוּדִֽים yehūḏîm) - This term specifically identifies the exiles as those belonging to Judah, the southern kingdom, distinguishing them from the broader "Israelites." By this point, "Jew" referred to the people from the region of Judah. Their identity and origin as God's chosen, covenant people makes their exile a profound theological event and a testimony to God's justice.

• "These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive": This phrase functions as a clear identifying label for the list that follows. It links the described individuals directly to the agent and action of their deportation. The structure implies a focus on a subset of the broader exilic events.

• "in the seventh year... three thousand and twenty-three Jews": This grouping combines the critical temporal detail with the precise numerical count and the specific identity of the exiles. The exactitude of both the year and the number creates a powerful sense of historical veracity, confirming the devastating reality of God's judgment and its careful execution through human instruments. This number also serves as a poignant reminder that divine judgment affects individuals concretely.

Jeremiah 52 28 Bonus section

• The seemingly different numbers for this first deportation in Jer 52:28 (3,023) versus 2 Kgs 24:14-16 (8,000 for soldiers and craftsmen; 10,000 for all including the king's household and the strong men) are often reconciled by scholars. It is proposed that Jeremiah's number represents only a specific subset, possibly adult men, or main family heads, or even only the residents of Jerusalem included in a precise Babylonian administrative census, rather than the total including women, children, and people from other parts of Judah as might be reflected in 2 Kings. Some suggest the 3,023 refers specifically to the 'Jews' from Jerusalem, while 2 Kings might encompass those from broader Judah or the military force. Regardless of the exact interpretation, both accounts affirm a significant, forced population transfer, validating the biblical narrative's historical foundation.
• This particular deportation, dated to 597 BC (Nebuchadnezzar's seventh year), saw the removal of King Jehoiachin, his family, the court, skilled craftsmen, and others, including the prophet Ezekiel. This initial "brain drain" was designed to cripple Judah and prevent rebellion, and it deeply influenced the exiled community where Ezekiel delivered much of his prophetic ministry.
• The meticulous numbering throughout Jeremiah 52 (listing the deported individuals in verses 28, 29, and 30 for different years) serves to underscore the prophetic certainty and divine authority behind these events. It's a "cold hard fact" demonstrating that Yahweh, not Babylonian gods, was sovereign over Judah's destiny and used Nebuchadnezzar as His "servant" to execute a pre-ordained judgment.
• The transition from calling God's people "Israelites" to "Jews" (yehûḏîm) by this period is also notable, reflecting the consolidation around the territory of Judah after the fall of the northern kingdom and becoming the dominant identifier during the exile and post-exilic periods.

Jeremiah 52 28 Commentary

Jeremiah 52:28 serves as a stark historical footnote to the major prophecies concerning Judah's exile, demonstrating the terrifying accuracy of God's word. The detail provided – a precise number (3,023) and specific year (Nebuchadnezzar's seventh) – is not mere historical trivia; it profoundly underlines the divine orchestration of events. It affirms that the exile was not a random geopolitical misfortune, but a deliberate act of divine judgment against a covenant-breaking people.

This specific deportation, recorded alongside the similar accounts in 2 Kings and Daniel, brought an end to Judah's full national sovereignty and began the 'seventy years' of captivity. The seemingly small number in this verse (compared to 2 Kings 24's 8,000 or the total later numbers) is significant. It highlights that the first wave likely targeted key figures, skilled laborers, and the elite, effectively decapitating the nation's leadership and technical capability, paving the way for later, more comprehensive destructions. This selective removal ensured that a "remnant" was still present in the land, although under duress. The precise numbering also suggests divine meticulousness in judgment – every soul affected was known and accounted for. It shows the devastating consequences of national unfaithfulness, serving as a solemn warning against the futility of rebelling against the God of the covenant. Despite the hardship, this judgment was also ultimately corrective, laying the groundwork for a repentant remnant and future restoration.