Bible Chapter Summary
Jeremiah 52 Summary
Jerusalem's Fall and Zedekiah's Captivity
Zedekiah reigns eleven years in Jerusalem, does evil, and rebels against Babylon; Nebuchadrezzar besieges the city for two years until famine breaks it and the king flees. Zedekiah is captured in Jericho, brought to Riblah where his sons are slain before him, his eyes put out, and he is chained to Babylon as a prisoner. Nebuzar-adan burns the temple, the king's house, and all great houses of Jerusalem, breaks down the walls, and carries away people and all the bronze and golden temple vessels to Babylon. Thirty-seven years later, Evil-merodach of Babylon lifts Jehoiachin from prison, sets his throne above captive kings, and provides him continual sustenance for the rest of his life.
Key themes
Key verses
Jeremiah 52:1-3
“Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.”
Jeremiah 52:9-11
“Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him. And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.”
Jeremiah 52:12-14
“Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, And burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire: And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.”
Jeremiah 52:31-33
“And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison, And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.”
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