Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 52

Verse 1

Zedekiah. Compare 2 Kings 24:18-20 . Reigned from 489 to 477 B.C.

Verse 2

evil. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 4

ninth year. Compare 2 Kings 25:1-21 .

Verse 6

the famine. Described in the Lamentations of Jeremiah. See note on Genesis 12:10 .

Verse 7

fled, &c. Compare 2 Kings 25:4 .

between the two walls . . . king's garden. See App-68 .

Verse 9

Biblah. Now Ribleh. On the east bank of the Greekntes, thirty-five miles north-east of Baalbek.

Verse 11

put out the eyes. See note on Jeremiah 32:4 . Compare 2 Kings 25:6 , 2 Kings 25:7 . Ezekiel 12:13 . Hence, Zedekiah never saw Babylon, though he was taken thither.

Verse 12

tenth day. In 2 Kings 25:8 it says "seventh day", but that was "[to] Jerusalem". This is "into Jerusalem".

into = in.

Verse 15

the poor of the people. This is supplemental to 2 Kings 25:12 . Hebrew. dal = impoverished. See note on "poverty", Proverbs 6:11 . Compare Nehemiah 1:3 .

Verse 17

pillars of brass. Compare Jeremiah 27:19 .

Verse 18

the shovels, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 27:3 , &c).

bowls = bowls for sprinkling.

Verse 19

firepans = censers.

candlesticks = lamps.

Verse 20

under = beneath.

Verse 21

pillars. Compare 1 Kings 7:15 . 2 Kings 25:17 .

cubits. See App-51 .

Verse 22

chapiter = capital.

Verse 23

ninety and six. There were 100 "round about"; Compare 2 Chronicles 3:16 ; 2 Chronicles 4:13 ; with 1 Kings 7:20 .

on a side. Hebrew. ruach. See App-9 . = towards the air, or open air. The other four being behind, out of sight.

Verse 24

Seraiah. See 2 Kings 25:18 . 1 Chronicles 6:14 . Compare Jeremiah 51:59 .

door = threshold.

Verse 25

seven. In 2 Kings 25:19 "five"; but the greater includes the lesser.

Verse 27

land = soil.

Verse 28

the seventh year. This was at the beginning of Nebuchadrezzar's second siege, the year before Jehoiachin's captivity, 490 B.C.

Verse 29

the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar was the second year of his third and last siege, or 478 B.C.

persons = souls. Hebrew. nephesh.

Verse 30

three and twentieth year. Four years after the fall of Jerusalem. Another contact of Bible and secular chronology, 473 B.C. See App-86 .

Verse 31

seven and thirtieth year. Compare 2 Kings 25:27-30 . See App-50 .

Jehoiachin. Elsewhere in this book called "Jeconiah" (Jeremiah 24:1 ; Jeremiah 29:2 ), or "Coniah" (Jeremiah 22:24 , Jeremiah 22:28 ).

five and twentieth. The order given then, but probably not carried out till the "seven and twentieth", according to 2 Kings 25:27 .

Evil-merodach. The son of Nebuchadnezzar.

lifted up the head . Hebrew idiom for releasing. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 40:13 , Genesis 40:20 ).

Verse 32

kindly unto him = good things with him.

Verse 33

bread Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), for all kinds of food.

Verse 34

until, &c. Note the items above, which are supplemental to 2 Kings 25:0 .