Jeremias 52
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Jeremias 52
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS There are three historical events discussed in this historical appendage. the fall of the city of Jerusalem, Jer. 52:1-11 (cf. Jer. 39:1-10) the destruction of the city and its temple, Jer. 52:12-23 a summary statement of the several deportations of Judeans to Babylon, Jer. 52:23-34 This chapter contains the same basic information as 2 Kings 24:10-25:30. Comparing these two recordings of the same event shows modern readers something of scribal tendencies. This same event is discussed in Jeremiah 39, however, this chapter is much closer to the 2 Kings account, which implies that it was added by an editor and not written by Jeremiah. The NASB Study Bible (p. 1143) says that Baruch may have been the author of this chapter and that both the author of Kings and this chapter may have used a common source. All that Jeremiah said would happen, occurred. He was a true prophet (cf. Deuteronomy 13, 18).
Jeremias 52:1-11
52:1-3 This information is also found in 2 Kgs. 24:18-20 and 2 Chr. 36:11-21. Zedekiah reigned from 597 B.C. ‒ 586 B.C. Zedekiah succeeded Jehoiachin who was exiled by Nebuchadnezzar II after only three months (cf. 2 Kgs. 24:8-17). At that time Nebuchadnezzar II made his uncle, named Mattaniah, a puppet king of Judah in his place. The uncle was given the throne name "Zedekiah." He was the youngest of the children of Josiah to reign (i.e. Jehoahaz, exiled by Pharaoh Necho and Jehoiakim, cf. 1 Chr. 3:15). He was a spiritually weak and easily manipulated person, as the writings of Jeremiah clearly show. SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM 52:1 "Hamutal" The meaning of the name is uncertain (BDB 327, KB 326). She was the wife of King Josiah and mother of Jehoahaz ‒ 2 Kgs. 23:31 Zedekiah ‒ 2 Kgs. 24:18; here 52:2 "he did evil in the sight of the Lord" Jeremiah uses the word "evil" (BDB 948) more than any other OT author. This phrase became a standard evaluation of all the kings of Israel and most of the kings of Judah. Moses had given the covenant people a clear choice (i.e. good or evil, obedience or disobedience, prosperity or judgment, cf. Deut. 30:15,19). They said they would choose "good" (cf. Josh. 24:16-28) but they could not/did not. did not seek YHWH ‒ 2 Chr. 12:14 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: Seek the Lord) did not keep the covenant ‒ Deut. 31:29 made and worshiped pagan gods ‒ Deut. 4:25; Jdg. 2:11; 3:7,12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1; 1 Kgs. 14:22; 15:26,34; 16:19,25,30; 22:52; 2 Kgs. 3:2; 8:18,27; 13:2,11; 14:24; 15:9,18,24,28; 17:2,17; 21:2,16,20: 23:32,37; 24:19. all disobedience is viewed as "doing evil" (cf. 1 Sam. 15:19) but obedience brings acceptance (cf. 2 Chr 19:3; see SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP) 52:3 YHWH is the God of love and acceptance. He wants all humans made in His image to know Him (see SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN) but when His overtures of covenant revelation are rejected or compromised, wrath is the response. In this text it is expressed by the powerful phrase "He cast them out from His presence" (cf. Jer. 7:15; 2 Kgs. 13:23; 17:20; 24:20; Ps. 51:11). "His presence" is literally "face to face." This is what we as humans were created for! Fellowship with our Creator is "the" basic need of mankind. YHWH wants to cast away our sins (cf. Isa. 38:17; Micah 7:19), not us! ▣ "Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon" The absence of YHWH's presence caused him to make poor choices! 52:4 The date of the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem is very specific (as is the date of the fall of the city, Jer. 52:5-7). 52:7 "the city was broken into" Although it does not state specifically how, the implication is that the siege machines broke down a gate or a piece of the outer wall (i.e. probably the north wall). A siege machine was a portable "A-frame" with ropes, suspending a large log. This was placed next to the outer wall where it repeatedly rammed the bottom building blocks which destablized the whole wall. ▣ "between the two walls" Many ancient cities had double outer walls (i.e. Jericho). The space between them was designed to be a "killing zone," but here this space provided a way of escape when the wall was breached in another part of the city. ▣ "the Arabah" This refers to the Jordan Rift Valley, which extends from the area of the Sea of Galilee to the Gulf of Aqaba (cf. 2 Sam. 4:7). It was lower than the surrounding area and during this period had dense forest and vegetation. South of the Dead Sea (cf. Deut. 2:8) it would be the large wilderness depression going south/southwest. 52:8-11 This is a summary of what happened to Judah's royalty. Zedekiah was captured as he fled the city, Jer. 52:8 Zedekiah was brought north to Nebuchadnezzar's camp in Riblah in the land of Hamath, for a face-to-face meeting, Jer. 52:9 Nebuchadnezzar killed Zedekiah's sons before his eyes, Jer. 52:10 he also killed Zedekiah's officials and generals (lit. "princes"), Jer. 52:10 he blinded Zedekiah, Jer. 52:11 he exiled him and put him in prison until his death in Babylon, Jer. 52:11
Jeremias 52:12-16
52:12 As the date of the siege and the fall of Jerusalem are specified, so too, the date when Nebuchadnezzar's military official arrived in Jerusalem to oversee its destruction. burned the temple, Jer. 52:13 burned the palace, Jer. 52:13 burned all large houses, Jer. 52:13 broke down the whole outer wall, Jer. 52:14 exiled even more people left a few people, Jer. 52:15 defectors from the Neo-Babylonian military the remaining craftsmen The parallel in 2 Kgs. 25:8 has "the seventh day," not the "tenth day." R. K. Harrison, Tyndale OT Commentary Series, p. 190, speculates the difference is between the day Nebuzaradan came to Jerusalem and the day the destruction started. This follows a rabbinical tradition (B. Ta'anit 29a). The NASB Study Bible, (p. 1143) asserts that one of the two dates (i.e. "seven" or "ten") is a copyist error. In the ANE there were two ways to calculate a king's reign: from the first partial year from the annual coronation ceremony Often these ways are mixed, as is done in Jer. 52:12 (1 above) and Jer. 52:19 (2 above).
Jeremias 52:17-23
52:17-23 This is a list of the things taken to Babylon. the bronze pillars of the temple (see SPECIAL TOPIC: PILLARS) the stands (i.e. twelve bronze bulls, Jer. 52:20) and the bronze sea (cf. Jer. 52:20-23) pots, shovels, snuffers, basins, pans, and all other bronze vessels used in the temple bowls, firepans, basins, pots, the lampstand, its spoons, libation bowls, all gold and silver items Jeremiah 52:17-18 lists bronze items, while Jer. 52:19 lists gold and silver items. Verses 20-23 describe in detail the two bronze pillars (cf. 1 Kgs. 7:40-42). 52:21 "cubit" See SPECIAL TOPIC: CUBIT
Jeremias 52:24-27
52:24 As Zedekiah was forced to view the death of his "sons" and "princes," so now the temple leadership was forced to view the exile of the temple treasures and decorations. Seraiah the high priest (see genealogy in 1 Chr. 6:1-15) Zephaniah the second priest (cf. Jer. 29:24-32; 37:3) 52:25 Others were also brought to Nebuchadnezzar II at Riblah. the city official who was overseer of the Judean military seven of Zedekiah's advisors the scribe of the commander of enlistment for the Judean military sixty citizens of Jerusalem (probably of the wealthy land owner class) 52:26-27 All of these mentioned above were killed at Riblah and all others were taken into exile.
Jeremias 52:28-30
52:28-30 These verses list the different groups, numbers, and the dates they were exiled. Remember the city of Jerusalem was partially captured in 605, 597, mostly in 586, and completely in 582 B.C. The current event was 586 B.C. Earlier events were 605 and 597 B.C. A later event was after the murder of Gedaliah (582 B.C.). This account may have been written before or after 582 B.C., but the "twenty-third year" of Jer. 52:30 fits 582 B.C., if one calculates from 605 B.C. The total number of people exiled in this list is 4,600. These verses are absent in the LXX. The numbers also differ from the book of Kings account. These historical records of Kings and Jeremiah are very similar but not exact. Both apparently used the same Hebrew source document (cf. Tyndale OT Series, p. 190). Possibly Jeremiah 52 lists only the adult males.
Jeremias 52:31-34
52:31-34 This paragraph describes the later, favorable treatment of King Jehoiachin, who was exiled by Nebuchadnezzar II after he had reigned only three months (he was considered by the Jews to be the legitimate heir of Josiah), by Evil-merodack (or Amel-Marduk), who reigned from 562-560 B.C. (cf. 2 Kgs. 25:27-30). One wonders what theological purpose this last paragraph serves. further historical detail a sign of future hope of release from exile a way to show YHWH still had a hand in Judah's destiny ending the prophecy of Jeremiah in a positive way