Chapter Thirty-Nine

1–14. The taking of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans and the liberation of Jeremiah from captivity. 15–18. A promise to Ebed-melech.

Jer 39:1-14. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign Jerusalem was captured by Nebuchadnezzar; Zedekiah was seized while fleeing from the city and his eyes were put out, but not until they were forced to see the slaughter of his sons; almost all the Judeans, except the poor, were led away to Babylon. Jeremiah, however, found favor in the sight of the king of Babylon, who granted him freedom.

Jeremiah 39:1. In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it. Concerning the siege of Jerusalem see Jer 32:1-2; Jer 34:1-7 and 2 Sam 25, where there is an almost literal repetition of several verses from the chapter of Jeremiah we are considering.

Jeremiah 39:3. And all the princes of the king of Babylon came and took their seat at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, the chief officer, Nergal-sharezer, the Rab-mag, and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar, as can be concluded from verse 1, merely opened the campaign against Jerusalem and entrusted its continuation to his commanders. During the capture of the city he was in the city of Riblah (in Syria). The Chaldean commanders, having captured the city, deliberated about its further fate at the Middle Gate, which probably led from the middle of the city (2 Sam 20:4) to the northern suburb and therefore belonged to the old city wall. As a central place it was a convenient point from which to observe the entire city, and the commanders apparently had a regular meeting place here. Among the commanders named are four men with Assyrian names: “Nergal-sharezer” (May Nergal protect the king!), “Samgar-nebo” (Be merciful, Nebo!), “Sarsechim” (meaning of the name unknown) and another “Nergal-sharezer.” Two of those named are designated by their positions: chief officer (rab saris) and Rab-mag (chief of the magi). The word mag could be a changed Assyrian word mahhu meaning priest. As for the relationship of this word to the Persian magu, nothing certain can be said.

Jeremiah 39:5. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and took him and brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him. At Riblah, a Syrian city on the banks of the Orontes River, Nebuchadnezzar kept watch over Syria and Phoenicia.

Jeremiah 39:10. But Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guard, left some of the poor of the people who had nothing in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields. The poor of the people were left in Judah. The Chaldeans hoped that they would be grateful to the Chaldeans for rewarding them with vineyards and fields.

Jeremiah 39:11. Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave a command concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guard: The activities of Jeremiah could have been known to Nebuzaradan and to Nebuchadnezzar himself through Hebrew deserters.

Jeremiah 39:13. And Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guard, and Nebushazban, the chief officer, and Nergal-sharezer, the Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon, Here a different name is given as the chief of the eunuchs, not Samgar, but Nebuzaradan (in Assyrian: Nabusezibanni May Nebo save me!). Most commentators recognize this new name as the second name of the same man, Samgar, and as a proper name, while the word Samgar is recognized as a corrupted Assyrian compound expression sar mag – chief of the magi.

Jeremiah 39:14. and sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard, and entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he lived among his people. It is said of Jeremiah here that he, having received his freedom, remained to live among his people. Meanwhile in Jer 40:1 verse he appears bound in chains with other Judeans in the city of Ramah. To reconcile both statements of the book, it is quite sufficient to make a very natural assumption that Jeremiah, having received his freedom, immediately went to comfort his unfortunate countrymen and was bound in chains with them until his second liberation in the city of Ramah, where he could be recognized by Gedaliah, to whom he had been entrusted by Nebuzaradan.

Jeremiah 39:15. The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, while he was shut up in the court of the guard: Jeremiah 39:16. Go and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian: Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I am about to bring My words on this city for evil and not for good, and they will be accomplished before your eyes on that day; Jeremiah 39:17. but I will save you on that day, says the Lord, and you will not be given into the hands of the people of whom you are afraid. Jeremiah 39:18. For I will surely rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword, but your life will be saved as a prize of war to you, because you have trusted in Me, says the Lord. Here it is said about the reward which Ebed-melech, who was well disposed toward Jeremiah, received. The prophet, immediately after his liberation from the hands of the Hebrew nobles, announced to Ebed-melech that he would be saved at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem.