Tyndale Open Study NotesJeremiah 39

As Jeremiah had predicted (Jeremiah 34:1–7), the Lord judged Zedekiah and the kingdom of Judah. For more details on this event, see Jeremiah 52:4–16; 2 Kings 25:1–21; 2 Chronicles 36:11–21; Ezekiel 24:1–14.

The Babylonian siege lasted a long time because Jerusalem's stone walls were thick and the people resisted strongly.

High-ranking officers entered the city to oversee its destruction and sat triumphantly at the Middle Gate, showing the victory's importance to the Babylonians. Victorious officials traditionally positioned themselves at a gate, as gateways controlled judicial and administrative matters.

The 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 them.

Zedekiah and his royal group fled on foot. Strong and healthy soldiers easily captured them near Jericho. The enemy troops then forced the captives to walk over 200 miles north to Riblah, where King Nebuchadnezzar had his field headquarters.

Zedekiah's last sight was the killing of his sons and all the nobles of Judah. This ensured that Zedekiah's rule could not continue.

After Nebuchadnezzar gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes, Zedekiah walked 400 miles to Babylon, blind, in great pain, and with his arms in bronze chains.

carried away to Babylon the remnant of the people: They usually tied each person's hands and connected them to the person in front, forming a long line of sad captives.

We do not fully know how Nebuchadnezzar learned about Jeremiah urging the king to surrender to Babylon. Perhaps Jeremiah's messages to the exiles (Jeremiah 29; see 40:2–3) reached him.

These chapters describe what happened after Jerusalem's destruction, focusing on how it impacted Jeremiah.

Ebed-melech saved Jeremiah from dying in the muddy cistern (Jeremiah 38:7–13). This promise was a serious declaration (see study note on Jeremiah 2:2).