Jeremiah 52:29 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 52:29 kjv
In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:
Jeremiah 52:29 nkjv
in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred and thirty-two persons;
Jeremiah 52:29 niv
in Nebuchadnezzar's eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem;
Jeremiah 52:29 esv
in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem 832 persons;
Jeremiah 52:29 nlt
Then in Nebuchadnezzar's eighteenth year he took 832 more.
Jeremiah 52 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 52:28 | These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews. | First deportation's precise count. |
| Jer 52:30 | in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, he carried away captive from Judah 745 persons. | Third deportation's precise count. |
| 2 Ki 24:14 | And he carried away all Jerusalem captive: all the princes, and all the mighty... ten thousand captives. | Broader count for an earlier deportation (Jehoiachin's time). |
| 2 Ki 25:8-12 | In the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar... burned the house of the Lord... and carried away into exile the rest of the people. | Detailed account of Jerusalem's final fall and general exile (note year difference). |
| 2 Chr 36:17-21 | He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans... until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. | Overall destruction and seventy-year exile prophecy fulfillment. |
| Dan 1:1-2 | In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim... Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. | Early deportation, setting stage for exiles like Daniel. |
| Eze 1:1-2 | in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile—the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel. | Indicates Ezekiel's prior exile. |
| Jer 25:8-11 | I am going to send for all the peoples of the North and for Nebuchadnezzar... this whole country will become a desolate wasteland. | Prophecy of Judah's judgment and 70-year desolation. |
| Jer 39:9 | And the rest of the people who were left in the city... Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile. | Confirms general exile after Jerusalem's fall. |
| Lam 1:3 | Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and harsh servitude. | Laments the reality of the exile. |
| Isa 5:13 | Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge. | Links exile to Judah's sin and disobedience. |
| Deut 28:49-57 | The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar... to lay siege to all your towns. | Covenant curse predicting siege and destruction. |
| Lev 26:33-35 | I will scatter you among the nations... and your land shall be a desolation. | Covenant curse predicting scattering and land rest. |
| Jer 40:7-8 | Gedaliah son of Ahikam... was made governor over the poor people left. | Reference to a remnant left in the land. |
| Jer 42:1-2 | All the army officers, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah... approached Jeremiah the prophet. | People remaining in Judah after initial deportations. |
| Ezra 1:1-4 | In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... to build the house of the Lord... to return to Jerusalem. | God's faithfulness in fulfilling promises of return. |
| Neh 1:8-9 | Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful... I will scatter you’. | Recalling the Mosaic covenant and exile. |
| Zech 7:5 | When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the seventy years. | Direct reference to the 70 years of exile. |
| Matt 1:11-12 | And Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon. | Jesus' lineage acknowledges the historical significance of the exile. |
| Acts 7:42-43 | And God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets... I will remove you beyond Babylon. | Stephen references prophetic warnings of exile (Amos 5:25-27). |
Jeremiah 52 verses
Jeremiah 52 29 meaning
Jeremiah 52:29 records the precise detail of the second of three major deportations from Jerusalem, specifying that in the eighteenth regnal year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, a specific group of eight hundred and thirty-two persons were forcibly taken into exile. This event marks a significant phase in the divine judgment against Judah, underscoring the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecies concerning the city's downfall and the removal of its people to Babylon.
Jeremiah 52 29 Context
Jeremiah chapter 52 serves as a historical appendix to the Book of Jeremiah, summarizing the final events of Jerusalem's fall, Zedekiah's reign, the destruction of the Temple, and the subsequent Babylonian exiles. It largely parallels the account in 2 Kings 24-25, serving to historically validate the prophecies of judgment that Jeremiah had proclaimed for decades. Verse 29 specifically focuses on the second documented deportation by King Nebuchadnezzar. This deportation, occurring after the siege had taken its toll and prior to the complete razing of the city and temple, signifies a further step in Babylon's systematic dismantling of Judah's kingdom and a continued fulfillment of God's covenant curses against a rebellious people. The small, precise number likely indicates a specific target group of captives from Jerusalem at a distinct point during this period of collapse.
Jeremiah 52 29 Word analysis
- In the eighteenth year: בִּשְׁנַת שְׁמֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה (biš·naṯ šə·mō·neh ‘eś·rēh). From Hebrew 'shanah' (year) and 'shemoneh esreh' (eighteen).
- Significance: This precise dating offers a strong historical anchor. While 2 Kings 25:8 refers to the "nineteenth year" for the overall destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah's "eighteenth year" likely signifies either a different method of counting regnal years (e.g., non-accession year vs. accession year) or, more probably, refers to a specific, initial phase of capturing and deporting high-value individuals shortly after the city's breach but before the full-scale destruction. This highlights the meticulously kept records by either Babylonian administrators or Judahite chroniclers.
- of Nebuchadnezzar: נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר (nə·ḇū·ḵaḏ·reṣ·ṣar).
- Significance: This specific historical king of Babylon serves as God's instrument for judgment (Jer 25:9). His consistent mention underlines the divine sovereignty at work in seemingly purely human geopolitical events, demonstrating the precise fulfillment of prophecy.
- he carried away captive: הֶגְלָה (heḡ·lāh). The Hebrew verb 'galah' in the Hiphil stem means "to deport, send into exile."
- Significance: This active verb emphasizes a forceful, punitive action, not a voluntary migration. It signifies the stripping away of people from their ancestral land, symbolizing the breaking of covenant and the profound consequence of Judah's unfaithfulness, as outlined in prophetic warnings like Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28.
- from Jerusalem: מִירוּשָׁלַיִם (mî·rū·šā·la·yim). From 'mî' (from) and 'Yerushalaim' (Jerusalem).
- Significance: The primary spiritual and political capital of Judah. Its depopulation, even by a specific count, represents the tragic end of a sacred era, embodying the severity of divine wrath against the city that rejected its prophetic warnings and embraced idolatry.
- eight hundred and thirty-two persons: שְׁמוֹנֶה מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁנַיִם נֶפֶשׁ (šə·mō·neh mê·’ōṯ šəlō·šîm ūš·na·yim ne·feš). Hebrew 'shemoneh me'ot' (eight hundred), 'sheloshim' (thirty), 'ushnayim' (and two), 'nefesh' (soul/person).
- Significance: This seemingly small, exact number is highly significant. It implies a detailed administrative record, likely counting a specific category of individuals—perhaps heads of households, prominent citizens, artisans, or military personnel—rather than a total population count (which would be much higher, as seen in other references). The term 'nefesh' ("soul" or "person") underscores the human element of suffering and loss in this meticulously executed judgment. This level of detail validates the historical accuracy and thoroughness of biblical chronicling.
- Words-group analysis:
- In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar: This phrase provides undeniable historical specificity to God's judgment, grounding the prophecy's fulfillment in real-world events. The slight calendrical difference from 2 Kings 25:8 (19th year) points to the granular nature of these records, potentially differentiating between an initial specific deportation and a later, more comprehensive phase of destruction.
- he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred and thirty-two persons: This distinct action reveals the methodical strategy of the Babylonian empire in dismantling resistance and controlling conquered territories. The specific number implies a focused removal of particular individuals from the sacred city, perhaps those critical to its continued functioning or perceived as defiant, rather than a general sweeping of the populace. This specific count serves as an authenticated testimony to the thoroughness of God's disciplinary actions against Judah.
Jeremiah 52 29 Bonus section
- The inclusion of this appendix, identical to portions of 2 Kings, serves to emphasize the irrefutable historical reality and divine purpose behind the prophetic warnings within the book of Jeremiah. It acts as an epilogue confirming "Thus says the Lord" became "Thus it happened."
- The practice of meticulous counting, as seen in the 3,023 (v.28), 832 (v.29), and 745 (v.30) deported in distinct waves, contrasts with more general accounts. This likely represents specific official registers for high-ranking or particularly troublesome individuals, or perhaps for male heads of families or military captives, rather than entire populations. This granular data provides powerful evidence for the historicity and bureaucratic exactitude of these biblical accounts.
- The recurring theme of a remnant, implicitly suggested by these relatively small numbers against a larger population, speaks to God's selective judgment and eventual promise of restoration. While many were exiled, the precision ensures that not all were utterly destroyed, preserving a core group for future covenantal plans and eventual return, echoing the hope found elsewhere in Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 52 29 Commentary
Jeremiah 52:29 stands as a stark confirmation of the detailed fulfillment of prophecy, meticulously documenting a specific act of judgment against Judah. This verse, with its precise dating (Nebuchadnezzar's 18th year) and specific count (832 persons from Jerusalem), illustrates the methodical and multi-phased nature of the Babylonian exile. It underscores that God's judgment is not an indiscriminate act but a measured, precisely administered consequence of prolonged rebellion. The record's particularity, including the often-discussed variation from 2 Kings' "nineteenth year," suggests an insider's view or a focus on specific administrative records of deportations rather than a general overview. This historical precision reinforces the divine authority behind Jeremiah's warnings and attests to the factual grounding of God's Word, demonstrating that every individual act of suffering or exile was part of a divinely orchestrated plan, a testament to God's perfect justice.