Chapter Overview
Summary
Historical appendix: the fall of Jerusalem and Jehoiachin's release. This chapter is largely identical between LXX and MT and closely parallels 2 Kings 24:18-25:30. Both traditions include it as the closing chapter.
Notable Variants
LXX and MT are very close in this chapter. Minor numerical differences in the deportation counts (vv. 28-30) — these three verses are ABSENT from 2 Kings 25 but present in both Jeremiah traditions. V. 28 gives 3,023 deportees; v. 29 gives 832; v. 30 gives 745. LXX numbers may differ slightly.
Structural Notes
MT ch. 52 = LXX ch. 52. Both traditions end with this historical appendix. The chapter was probably added by an editor (not Jeremiah himself) as indicated by the colophon at 51:64b.
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
He did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
For because of the anger of the LORD, things reached the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
In the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his entire army against Jerusalem. They encamped against it and built siege works all around it.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The city remained under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the famine in the city was so severe that there was no bread for the people of the land.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
Then the city wall was breached. All the soldiers fled, leaving the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king's garden, even though the Chaldeans surrounded the city. They made their way toward the Arabah.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. His entire army scattered away from him.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
They captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he passed sentence on him.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. He also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
Then he blinded Zedekiah, bound him in bronze shackles, and the king of Babylon brought him to Babylon and put him in the house of custody until the day of his death.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month — the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon — Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
He burned the house of the LORD, the king's palace, and every house in Jerusalem — every large building he burned with fire.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The entire Chaldean army that was with the captain of the guard tore down all the walls of Jerusalem on every side.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard deported some of the poorest people, the rest of the population remaining in the city, the deserters who had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest people of the land as vine-workers and field-laborers.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The Chaldeans broke apart the bronze pillars of the house of the LORD, the stands, and the bronze sea that was in the house of the LORD, and carried all their bronze to Babylon.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
They also took the pots, the shovels, the wick-trimmers, the basins, the ladles, and all the bronze implements used in the service.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The captain of the guard also took the thresholds, the fire pans, the basins, the pots, the lampstands, the ladles, and the drink-offering bowls — whatever was gold, as gold, and whatever was silver, as silver.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were beneath it, which King Solomon had made for the house of the LORD — the bronze of all these items was beyond weighing.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
As for the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, its circumference twelve cubits, its thickness four fingers — it was hollow.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
A bronze capital was on top of it, and the height of one capital was five cubits, with latticework and pomegranates all around the capital — all of bronze. The second pillar was the same, with pomegranates.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
There were ninety-six pomegranates facing outward; in all, there were one hundred pomegranates on the latticework all around.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
From the city he took a court official who had been commander over the soldiers, seven men from the king's inner circle who were found in the city, the secretary of the army commander who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found inside the city.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
The king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah went into exile from its own soil.
LXX and MT are substantially identical here.
This is the number of people Nebuchadnezzar deported: in the seventh year, 3,023 Judeans;
Masoretic (WLC)
שֶׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וְעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה
three thousand and twenty-three
Septuagint (LXX)
τρεῖς χιλιάδας καὶ εἴκοσι τρεῖς
three thousand and twenty-three
Deportation numbers differ slightly between MT and LXX. MT: 3,023 persons in the 7th year. LXX numbers vary by manuscript.
in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, 832 people from Jerusalem;
Masoretic (WLC)
שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁנָיִם
Septuagint (LXX)
ὀκτακοσίους τριάκοντα δύο
Deportation count: MT 832 persons from Jerusalem in the 18th year. LXX has the same number in most manuscripts.
in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard deported 745 Judeans. The total number of people deported was 4,600.
Masoretic (WLC)
שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה
Septuagint (LXX)
ἑπτακοσίους τεσσαράκοντα πέντε
Third deportation: MT 745 persons in the 23rd year. LXX numbers agree.
In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the year he became king, lifted the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and released him from prison.
Jehoiachin's release from prison — present in both traditions, largely identical.
He spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the thrones of the other kings who were with him in Babylon.
Jehoiachin's release from prison — present in both traditions, largely identical.
He changed out of his prison garments and ate regularly at the king's table for the rest of his life.
Jehoiachin's release from prison — present in both traditions, largely identical.
His allowance was a regular allowance given to him by the king of Babylon, a daily portion, until the day of his death — all the days of his life.
Jehoiachin's release from prison — present in both traditions, largely identical.