New Living Translation
Jeremiah 39:4
4When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw that the Babylonians had broken into the city, they fled. They waited for nightfall and then slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley.
Jeremiah 39:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.
- New International Version (NIV)When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So it was, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city by night, by way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went out by way of the plain.
Context of Jeremiah 39:4
2Two and a half years later, on July 18 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, a section of the city wall was broken down. 3All the officers of the Babylonian army came in and sat in triumph at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, and Nebo-sarsekim, a chief officer, and Nergal-sharezer, the king’s adviser, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon. When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw that the Babylonians had broken into the city, they fled. They waited for nightfall and then slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley. 5But the Babylonian troops chased them and overtook Zedekiah on the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was at Riblah in the land of Hamath. There the king of Babylon pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah. 6The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons at Riblah. The king of Babylon also slaughtered all the nobles of Judah.
Read all of Jeremiah 39Jeremiah 39:4 word by word
וַיְהִ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֠אָם צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֜ה וְכֹ֣ל׀ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וַֽ֠יִּבְרְחוּ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ לַ֤יְלָה מִן־הָעִיר֙ דֶּ֚רֶךְ גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בְּשַׁ֖עַר בֵּ֣ין הַחֹמֹתָ֑יִם וַיֵּצֵ֖א דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- when Zedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּtsidqîyâh tsidqîyâhû · ZedekiahH6667
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- them, and all the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- then they fledבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
- and went forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- out of the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- by nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- by the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- gardenגַּןgan · gardenH1588
- by the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- betwixt the two wallsחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- of the plainעֲרָבָה‛ărâbâh · ArabahH6160
Cross-references for Jeremiah 39:4
- Jeremiah 38:18But if you refuse to surrender, you will not escape! This city will be handed over to the Babylonians, and they will burn it to the ground.’”
- Leviticus 26:17I will turn against you, and you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will run even when no one is chasing you!
- Deuteronomy 28:25“The Lord will cause you to be defeated by your enemies. You will attack your enemies from one direction, but you will scatter from them in seven! You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
- Deuteronomy 32:24I will weaken them with famine, burning fever, and deadly disease. I will send the fangs of wild beasts and poisonous snakes that glide in the dust.
- 2 Kings 25:4Then a section of the city wall was broken down. Since the city was surrounded by the Babylonians, the soldiers waited for nightfall and escaped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden. Then they headed toward the Jordan Valley.
- Isaiah 30:15This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.
- Ezekiel 12:12“Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving.
- Amos 2:14Your fastest runners will not get away. The strongest among you will become weak. Even mighty warriors will be unable to save themselves.
- Jeremiah 52:7Then a section of the city wall was broken down, and all the soldiers fled. Since the city was surrounded by the Babylonians, they waited for nightfall. Then they slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley.
- 2 Chronicles 32:5Then Hezekiah worked hard at repairing all the broken sections of the wall, erecting towers, and constructing a second wall outside the first. He also reinforced the supporting terraces in the City of David and manufactured large numbers of weapons and shields.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 39:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Went forth out of the city by night - Probably there was a private passage under ground, leading without the walls, by which Zedekiah and his followers might escape unperceived, till they had got some way from the city. The way of the plain - There were two roads from Jerusalem to Jericho. One passed over the mount of Olives; but, as this might have retarded his flight, he chose the way of the plain, and was overtaken near Jericho, perhaps about sixteen…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4-10Verses 4-10 Compare the marginal reference. The differences between the two accounts are slight.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The steep slopes of the Kidron Valley on the east and the Ben-Hinnom Valley on the west and south of Jerusalem forced the Babylonian army to focus their forces to the north. This allowed Zedekiah, his family, and his officials to escape from the south end of the city. They crossed the Kidron Valley and traveled over the Mount of Olives. Although they left after nightfall, the noise of their departure alerted Babylonian sentries, and soldiers soon chased…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. the king's garden--The "gate" to it from the upper, city above was appropriated to the kings alone; stairs" led down from Mount Zion and the palace to the king's garden below (Ne 3:15). two walls--Zedekiah might have held the upper city longer, but want of provisions drove him to flee by the double wall south of Zion, towards the plains of Jericho (Jr 39:5), in order to escape beyond Jordan to Arabia-Deserta. He broke an opening in the wall to get out…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 39:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 39
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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