Jeremiah 52 4

Jeremiah 52:4 kjv

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

Jeremiah 52:4 nkjv

Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around.

Jeremiah 52:4 niv

So in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it.

Jeremiah 52:4 esv

And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it.

Jeremiah 52:4 nlt

So on January 15, during the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his entire army against Jerusalem. They surrounded the city and built siege ramps against its walls.

Jeremiah 52 verses

Jeremiah 52 4 meaning

Jeremiah 52:4 meticulously records the precise commencement of the final Babylonian siege of Jerusalem under King Nebuchadnezzar. It establishes the historical context of the subsequent fall of the city, detailing the exact date and the aggressive military tactics employed by the Babylonian army, thereby setting the stage for the fulfillment of numerous prophecies concerning Judah's judgment.

Jeremiah 52 4 Context

Jeremiah 52 serves as a historical appendix to the Book of Jeremiah, offering a concise summary of Jerusalem's fall, its destruction, and the subsequent Babylonian exile, primarily paralleling the accounts in 2 Kings 24:18-25:30. This chapter confirms the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophetic warnings regarding God's judgment upon Judah due to their persistent idolatry, covenant breaking, and refusal to heed divine messages. Verse 4 specifically inaugurates the final, prolonged siege under King Zedekiah, Judah's last monarch. This precise dating establishes the factual accuracy of the preceding prophecies and marks a definitive turning point in Israelite history, ushering in the Babylonian captivity as foretold.

Jeremiah 52 4 Word analysis

• Now it came to pass:

  • Word: וַיְהִי (vayhi).
  • Significance: A common Hebrew narrative introductory phrase. It functions as a temporal connector, signifying an important event is about to unfold. It lends historical weight, presenting the information as an undeniable fact, often for momentous occasions in salvation history or judgment.

• in the ninth year:

  • Significance: Refers to the reign of King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. This precise chronological detail is crucial for aligning this account with other biblical texts (e.g., 2 Kgs 25:1; Jer 39:1) and extrabiblical historical records of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. It points to a specific, verifiable point in history.

• of his reign:

  • Significance: "His" clearly refers to Zedekiah, whose story directly precedes this summary chapter. It implicitly contrasts his ineffective and unfaithful rule with the severity of the impending judgment.

• in the tenth month:

  • Significance: Corresponds to the month of Tevet in the Hebrew calendar (roughly December-January). This specific detail further anchors the event historically and is later commemorated by the "Fast of the Tenth Month" (Asarah B'Tevet), mourning the start of the siege, demonstrating its profound impact on Jewish collective memory.

• on the tenth day of the month:

  • Significance: Extreme chronological precision. Such specificity indicates an exact historical record and makes the event memorable and undeniable. It leaves no doubt about the factual nature of the siege's commencement.

• that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon:

  • Word: נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּר (Nəḇuḵaḏneṣṣar).
  • Significance: Identifies the primary agent of divine judgment. Nebuchadnezzar, though a pagan king, is portrayed as fulfilling God's will (cf. Jer 25:9). His prominence here emphasizes the overwhelming power brought against Judah and underscores the direct hand of a sovereign God directing world events.

• and all his army:

  • Significance: Highlights the magnitude and comprehensive nature of the invading force. This was not a skirmish but a full-scale, overwhelming military operation, signaling that resistance would be futile. It illustrates the complete resources of a global superpower brought against a comparatively small nation.

• came against Jerusalem:

  • Significance: Direct statement of military aggression towards the capital city. Jerusalem, once considered inviolable, is now the target, signifying the depth of God's wrath and the fulfillment of prophecies against it.

• and encamped against it:

  • Word: וַיַּחֲנוּ עָלֶיהָ (vayyaḥanu ‘aleha).
  • Significance: Denotes the establishment of a fixed military camp surrounding the city. This signifies the beginning of a prolonged siege, intended to cut off supplies, starve the inhabitants, and ultimately force submission.

• and they built siege works:

  • Word: וַיִּבְנוּ עָלֶיהָ דָּיֵק (vayyiḇnu ‘aleha dayeq). Dayeq refers to a circumvallation (an enclosing siege wall or rampart), an earthen ramp, or a watchtower/fortification used in sieges.
  • Significance: Indicates sophisticated military engineering. These "siege works" (often earth ramps, assault towers, or blockade walls) were constructed to facilitate breaching the city's defenses or to prevent anyone from entering or leaving, demonstrating the Babylonians' determination and tactical skill, reflecting a methodical and relentless campaign.

• all around it:

  • Significance: Reinforces the completeness and inescapable nature of the encirclement. No access, no escape, highlighting the city's total isolation and the ultimate inevitability of its fall.

Jeremiah 52 4 Bonus section

The nearly identical wording of Jeremiah 52:4 with 2 Kings 25:1 highlights the deep intertextual connections within the historical books of the Hebrew Bible and validates the historicity of Jeremiah's prophetic message through independent, though related, accounts. Chapter 52 as an entire appendix often serves as an editorially placed final testimony that Jeremiah's word against Judah was ultimately vindicated by the exact, detailed, and undeniable events that followed. This meticulous chronicling directly refutes any contemporary skepticism or false prophetic claims of peace that Jeremiah actively countered throughout his ministry. The detail of "siege works" (דָּיֵק - dayeq) confirms the advanced military strategy of the Neo-Babylonians, known from archeological finds that illustrate these impressive fortifications, often built as massive earthen ramps to breach high city walls or as circumvallation lines to starve out inhabitants. This level of technical military detail points to eyewitness accounts or reliable historical sources behind the biblical record.

Jeremiah 52 4 Commentary

Jeremiah 52:4 marks a solemn moment: the definitive start of Jerusalem's end. The precise dating of "the ninth year... in the tenth month, on the tenth day" serves multiple critical functions. Historically, it affirms the veracity of biblical prophecy and narrative, allowing synchronization with external chronicles. Theologically, this detail underscores God's sovereign control over history, demonstrating that even a formidable empire like Babylon, led by Nebuchadnezzar, was an unwitting instrument in fulfilling divine judgment. The mention of "all his army" and the meticulous construction of "siege works" paint a picture of an overwhelming and meticulously executed campaign. This wasn't a temporary raid but a deliberate, crushing operation aimed at absolute subjugation, meticulously fulfilled as Jeremiah had repeatedly prophesied. The verse thereby acts as the opening act to the tragic yet foretold drama of Jerusalem's destruction and the ensuing seventy years of Babylonian exile, proving God's Word always comes to pass, whether in promise or in warning.