A lane of Jerusalem the morning after the fall: fallen stones across the steps, a burnt roof beam, a scorched gateway standing open, weeds between the stones, thin smoke drifting.

The last days of Judah

Jeremiah 39

When everything falls, what is still standing in your life?

18 verses≈ 4 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1The callJosiah’s thirteenth year (about 627 BC): a prophet to the nations
2–6Return to MeBroken cisterns, faithless Judah, disaster from the north
7–10The temple gateThe temple sermon, a weeping prophet, the living God
11–20Covenant and complaintThe broken covenant, the potter, Jeremiah’s confessions
21–29Shepherds and prophetsKings judged, the Branch, seventy years, the yoke, the letter
30–33The Book of ComfortRestoration, the new covenant, a field bought in a siege
34–39The last days of JudahThe scroll burned, the cistern, Jerusalem falls (586 BC)Chapter 39
40–45After the fallGedaliah at Mizpah, the flight to Egypt, a word for Baruch
46–51The nationsEgypt to Babylon: the LORD is Judge of all the earth
52Jerusalem fallsThe record of 586 BC, and a king released

The Fall of Jerusalem

In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city.

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And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city was breached.

Then all the officials of the king of Babylon entered and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

Night at the city's southern tip: a small gate between two walls standing open beside a walled garden of fig and olive trees, footprints in the dust leading out, the road dropping east into darkness.

When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and they went out along the route to the Arabah.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Flight and capture

Zedekiah fled east toward the Jordan and was caught near Jericho. He was taken north to Riblah, Nebuchadnezzar’s camp in the land of Hamath, over 200 miles away, and then to Babylon.

There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the nobles of Judah. Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze chains to take him to Babylon.

From outside the city in the morning: a long breach in Jerusalem's wall, its stones tumbled down the slope into the valley, smoke rising from burned roofs behind; no one there.

The Chaldeans set fire to the palace of the king and to the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away to Babylon the remnant of the people who had remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to him.

Late afternoon on terraced hillsides below the ruined city: a Babylonian officer points with his staff up the vine rows, and a poor Judean family in patched wool with a hoe and a basket stands listening, a child holding the mother's hand.

But Nebuzaradan left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people who had no property, and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

0:08

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Question

Quick question

The city was burned and its people carried off. But not everyone was taken. Look at 39:10.

Who was left behind in the land of Judah?

Every word came true

Whiteboard

For forty years Jeremiah spoke the LORD’s word. In 586 BC it all came true: the judgment, and the mercy.

Jeremiah Delivered

Nebuchadnezzar

Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, saying, “Take him, look after him, and do not let any harm come to him; do for him whatever he says.”

So Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the captains of the king of Babylon had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guard, and they turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So Jeremiah remained among his own people.

God

And while Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD had come to him: “Go and tell Ebed-melech the Cushite that this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to fulfill My words against this city for harm and not for good, and on that day they will be fulfilled before your eyes.

God

But I will deliver you on that day, declares the LORD, and you will not be delivered into the hands of the men whom you fear.

God

For I will surely rescue you so that you do not fall by the sword. Because you have trusted in Me, you will escape with your life like a spoil of war, declares the LORD.’”

Jeremiah 39:18

Pray

Lord, Your word stands when cities fall. Like Ebed-melech, let me trust You, and keep me on the day of trouble. Amen.

You’ve experienced

Jeremiah 39

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A verse to carry with you

For I will surely rescue you so that you do not fall by the sword. Because you have trusted in Me, you will escape with your life like a spoil of war, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 39:18

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