Jeremiah 52:9 kjv
Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him.
Jeremiah 52:9 nkjv
So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment on him.
Jeremiah 52:9 niv
and he was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him.
Jeremiah 52:9 esv
Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him.
Jeremiah 52:9 nlt
They captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah.
Jeremiah 52 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 52:8 | Zedekiah's eyes... blinded. | Punishment |
| Jer 52:10 | Zedekiah saw the sons of Nebuchadnezzar slain. | Judgment witnessed |
| 2 Kin 25:7 | Zedekiah's eyes were blinded before he was taken to Babylon. | Parallel account |
| Ezek 12:13 | My net will spread for him, and he will be caught in my trap; I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, though he shall not see it, nor shall he die there. | Prophecy fulfillment |
| Jer 34:3-5 | Prophecy of Zedekiah's fate: "you shall not see... but you shall die in peace." | Divine foreknowledge |
| Jer 21:1-7 | Jeremiah's prophecy of Zedekiah's defeat by Babylon. | Prophecy of invasion |
| Jer 38:17-23 | Jeremiah warns Zedekiah to surrender to save his life. | Zedekiah's refusal of counsel |
| Psa 107:10 | Men sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death... chained in misery. | State of captivity |
| Psa 146:7 | Upholding justice for the oppressed, giving food to the hungry. | God's justice |
| Lam 1:18 | The Lord is righteous, but I rebelled against his command. | Acknowledgment of sin |
| Lam 4:17 | Our eyes failed looking for help... towards a nation that could not save. | Failed human reliance |
| Luke 1:78-79 | Through the tender mercy of our God... to give light to those in darkness. | Messiah as light |
| Acts 26:18 | To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light. | Spiritual illumination |
| John 1:5 | The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. | Light over darkness |
| John 12:40 | He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart. | Spiritual blindness |
| Rom 11:7 | Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. | Israel's failure |
| 2 Cor 3:14 | Their minds were hardened, for even to this day when they read the Old Testament the same veil remains, for it is not removed, because it is revealed only in Christ. | Veiled understanding |
| Rev 6:15-17 | Kings of the earth... hiding from Him who sits on the throne. | Fear of divine judgment |
| Rev 18:10 | Standing at a distance because of the fear of its torment. | Reaction to judgment |
| Isa 14:12-15 | Pride leads to downfall. | Pride and humiliation |
| Ezek 17:15-21 | Ezekiel's allegory of the two eagles and the vine, concerning Zedekiah. | Prophetic judgment on Zedekiah |
| 2 Sam 10:18 | David struck down seven hundred chariots. | Babylonian military power |
Jeremiah 52 verses
Jeremiah 52 9 Meaning
Jeremiah 52:9 describes Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, being taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah. Riblah was a strategic location, serving as a military headquarters and administrative center for the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The verse details the judgment that befell Judah's king.
Jeremiah 52 9 Context
Jeremiah 52 records the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile, serving as a historical appendix to Jeremiah's prophecies. This chapter details the events surrounding the destruction of the Temple and the subsequent fate of the Judean leadership. Zedekiah, despite Jeremiah's warnings, rebelled against Babylon, leading to the final catastrophe. Verse 9 specifically highlights the capture of Zedekiah and his transfer to Riblah, a significant Babylonian military encampment in Syria, where King Nebuchadnezzar resided during the final stages of the siege of Jerusalem. This placement underscores the personal judgment of Zedekiah by the Babylonian monarch.
Jeremiah 52 9 Word Analysis
- וַֽאֶת־ (wa-'et-): "and" – conjunction connecting this clause to previous events.
- צִדְקִיָּ֫הוּ (ṣiḏəqiyyāhû): "Zedekiah" – the final king of Judah, whose name means "Yahweh is my righteousness." This irony is stark given his actions.
- עַל־ (‘al-): "unto," "to" – indicating direction of movement or destination.
- מֶ֣לֶךְ (meleḵ): "king" – referring to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
- בָּבֶ֔ל (bāḇel): "Babylon" – the imperial capital and the seat of Nebuchadnezzar's power.
- אֶל־ (’el-): "to" – preposition marking the destination.
- רִבְלָ֔ה (riḇlâ): "Riblah" – a city in Syria, a vital military and administrative base for the Babylonian Empire in its campaigns against Egypt and surrounding territories.
Jeremiah 52 9 Bonus Section
The act of taking Zedekiah to Riblah for his encounter with Nebuchadnezzar before being deported to Babylon aligns with broader patterns of ancient Near Eastern conquest where kings would be presented before their conquerors. The disabling of sight was a symbolic act meant to strip the defeated king of his authority and dignity, ensuring he could no longer "see" his kingdom or lead his people. The location of Riblah, as noted in historical commentaries, was strategically crucial for Nebuchadnezzar's broader imperial control and communication during the Egyptian campaign that ran concurrently with the final siege of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 52 9 Commentary
Jeremiah 52:9 emphasizes the complete subjugation of Judah's royalty. Zedekiah, who had initially been installed by Nebuchadnezzar, now faces him directly in Riblah. This move to Riblah, rather than directly to Babylon, highlights the Babylonian strategy of consolidating power and making critical decisions about conquered leaders away from the immediate pressures of the capital, often for display or public judgment. The blinding of Zedekiah (verse 7) preceding this meeting at Riblah signifies his spiritual blindness to God's word and his resulting temporal blindness, a complete reversal of royal dignity and a profound humiliation. This event represents the tragic end of the Davidic dynasty in Judah.