Jeremiah 39

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Jeremiah 39:1-18 (KJV)

 1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.

Year nine and the 10th month Nebuchadrezzar came to Babylon and surrounded Jerusalem with his army.  The people of Judah could not do anything outside of the place where the Babylonian army camped themselves.  When a city is under siege, there will be a lack of the basic needs for the city to survive because the people of the sieged the city cannot import or export the goods they need.  The Words spoken by God through Jeremiah is now happening in the land of Judah.

 2 [And] in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth [day] of the month, the city was broken up.

 

Two years later,  Nebuchadnezzar invaded the city of Jerusalem.  Zedekiah reigned for 11 years and 4 months and was king of Judah.

3 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, [even] Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon. 

Six princes of Babylon came to the gate and sat; those who were officials and other princes also sat with them who were not named.

4 And it came to pass, [that] when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

When Zedekiah saw the princes and the men who came to fight against them, they fled that night through the king's garden between two walls to flat land.

5 But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him. 

The Babylonian army caught Zedekiah and escorted him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to  Riblah in the land of Hamath and Nebuchadnezzar judge Zedekaih.

6 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. 

Nebuchadnezzar killed Zedekiah's 2 sons while Zedekiah was watching and he also killed the officials of Judah.

7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.

Zedekiah's eyes were put out and they chained him and took him to Babylon.  Imagine Zedekiah had no nurse to soothe what had been done to his eyes.

 8 And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. 

The Babylonian army burned the king's house and the houses in the neighborhood with fire and tore down the walls of Jerusalem.

9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained. 

The captain of the guard of Babylon carried those who were left in Jerusalem to Babylon; those that were left in the city, those that tried to run and then surrendered, and those who turned themselves in. 

10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. 

They did not carry the poor of the city who lived in Judah.  Nebuzaradan gave the poor vineyards and fields during the time others were driven from the land.

11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, 

Nebuchadnezzar gave charge of Jeremiah to the captain o the guard, saying,

12 Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee. 

Take Jeremiah and do not harm him: do what he tells you to do.

13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's princes; 

14 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people. 

Jeremiah was given a place to live outside of the prison.

15 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 

16 Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be [accomplished] in that day before thee. 

17 But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou [art] afraid. 

18 For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.

God spoke to Jeremiah concerning the Ethiopian, Edbedmelech, and said, you will not die.   Those who did not fear me will be given into the hand of the Babylonians. Your life will be spared. Your life will be to you as a gift.  You will not be killed by those you fear.  God told Edbedmelec this because he trust Me, I will do you good.