3 For through H5921 the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 it came to pass in Jerusalem H3389 and Judah, H3063 till he had cast them out H7993 from his presence, H6440 that Zedekiah H6667 rebelled H4775 against the king H4428 of Babylon. H894
And he also rebelled H4775 against king H4428 Nebuchadnezzar, H5019 who had made him swear H7650 by God: H430 but he stiffened H7185 his neck, H6203 and hardened H553 his heart H3824 from turning H7725 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478
And I will give H5414 children H5288 to be their princes, H8269 and babes H8586 shall rule H4910 over them. And the people H5971 shall be oppressed, H5065 every one H376 by another, H376 and every one H376 by his neighbour: H7453 the child H5288 shall behave himself proudly H7292 against the ancient, H2205 and the base H7034 against the honourable. H3513
Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which delighted H2654 in thee, to set H5414 thee on the throne H3678 of Israel: H3478 because the LORD H3068 loved H160 Israel H3478 for ever, H5769 therefore made H7760 he thee king, H4428 to do H6213 judgment H4941 and justice. H6666
For, behold, the Lord, H113 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 doth take away H5493 from Jerusalem H3389 and from Judah H3063 the stay H4937 and the staff, H4938 the whole stay H4937 of bread, H3899 and the whole H3605 stay H4937 of water, H4325
And H853 the Egyptians H4714 will I give over H5534 into the hand H3027 of a cruel H7186 lord; H113 and a fierce H5794 king H4428 shall rule H4910 over them, saith H5002 the Lord, H113 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
Say H559 now to the rebellious H4805 house, H1004 Know H3045 ye not what these things mean? tell H559 them, Behold, the king H4428 of Babylon H894 is come H935 to Jerusalem, H3389 and hath taken H3947 the king H4428 thereof, and the princes H8269 thereof, and led H935 them with him to Babylon; H894 And hath taken H3947 of the king's H4410 seed, H2233 and made H3772 a covenant H1285 with him, and hath taken H935 an oath H423 of him: he hath also taken H3947 the mighty H352 of the land: H776 That the kingdom H4467 might be base, H8217 that it might not lift itself up, H5375 but that by keeping H8104 of his covenant H1285 it might stand. H5975 But he rebelled H4775 against him in sending H7971 his ambassadors H4397 into Egypt, H4714 that they might give H5414 him horses H5483 and much H7227 people. H5971 Shall he prosper? H6743 shall he escape H4422 that doeth H6213 such things? or shall he break H6565 the covenant, H1285 and be delivered? H4422 As I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 surely in the place H4725 where the king H4428 dwelleth that made him king, H4427 whose oath H423 he despised, H959 and whose covenant H1285 he brake, H6565 even with him in the midst H8432 of Babylon H894 he shall die. H4191 Neither shall Pharaoh H6547 with his mighty H1419 army H2428 and great H7227 company H6951 make H6213 for him in the war, H4421 by casting up H8210 mounts, H5550 and building H1129 forts, H1785 to cut off H3772 many H7227 persons: H5315 Seeing he despised H959 the oath H423 by breaking H6565 the covenant, H1285 when, lo, he had given H5414 his hand, H3027 and hath done H6213 all these things, he shall not escape. H4422 Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 As I live, H2416 surely mine oath H423 that he hath despised, H959 and my covenant H1285 that he hath broken, H6331 even it will I recompense H5414 upon his own head. H7218 And I will spread H6566 my net H7568 upon him, and he shall be taken H8610 in my snare, H4686 and I will bring H935 him to Babylon, H894 and will plead H8199 with him there for his trespass H4603 that he hath trespassed H4604 against me. And all his fugitives H4015 with all his bands H102 shall fall H5307 by the sword, H2719 and they that remain H7604 shall be scattered H6566 toward all winds: H7307 and ye shall know H3045 that I the LORD H3068 have spoken H1696 it.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 52
Commentary on Jeremiah 52 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 52
History is the best expositor of prophecy; and therefore, for the better understanding of the prophecies of this book which relate to the destruction of Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah, we are here furnished with an account of that sad event. It is much he same with the history we had 2 Ki. 24 and 25, and many of the particulars we had before in that book, but the matter is here repeated and put together, to give light to the book of the Lamentations, which follows next, and to serve as a key to it. That article in the close concerning the advancement of Jehoiachin in his captivity, which happened after Jeremiah's time, gives colour to the conjecture of those who suppose that this chapter was not written by Jeremiah himself, but by some man divinely inspired among those in captivity, for a constant memorandum to those who in Babylon preferred Jerusalem above their chief joy. In this chapter we have,
Jer 52:1-11
This narrative begins no higher than the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, though there were two captivities before, one in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the other in the first of Jeconiah; but probably it was drawn up by some of those that were carried away with Zedekiah, as a reproach to themselves for imagining that they should not go into captivity after their brethren, with which hopes they had long flattered themselves. We have here,
Jer 52:12-23
We have here an account of the woeful havoc that was made by the Chaldean army, a month after the city was taken, under the command of Nebuzaradan, who was captain of the guard, or general of the army, in this action. In the margin he is called the chief of the slaughter-men, or executioners; for soldiers are but slaughter-men, and God employs them as executioners of his sentence against a sinful people. Nebuzaradan was chief of those soldiers, but, in the execution he did, we have reason to fear he had no eye to God, but he served the king of Babylon and his own designs, now that he came into Jerusalem, into the very bowels of it, as captain of the slaughter-men there. And,
Jer 52:24-30
We have here a very melancholy account,
Jer 52:31-34
This passage of story concerning the reviving which king Jehoiachin had in his bondage we had likewise before (2 Ki. 25:27-30), only there it is said to be done on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, here on the twenty-fifth; but in a thing of this nature two days make a very slight difference in the account. It is probable that the orders were given for his release on the twenty-fifth day, but that he was not presented to the king till the twenty-seventh. We may observe in this story,