6 And in the fourth H7243 month, H2320 in the ninth H8672 day of the month, H2320 the famine H7458 was sore H2388 in the city, H5892 so that there was no bread H3899 for the people H5971 of the land. H776
Take H3947 thou also unto thee wheat, H2406 and barley, H8184 and beans, H6321 and lentiles, H5742 and millet, H1764 and fitches, H3698 and put H5414 them in one H259 vessel, H3627 and make H6213 thee bread H3899 thereof, according to the number H4557 of the days H3117 that thou shalt lie H7901 upon thy side, H6654 three H7969 hundred H3967 and ninety H8673 days H3117 shalt thou eat H398 thereof. And thy meat H3978 which thou shalt eat H398 shall be by weight, H4946 twenty H6242 shekels H8255 a day: H3117 from time H6256 to time H6256 shalt thou eat H398 it. Thou shalt drink H8354 also water H4325 by measure, H4884 the sixth part H8345 of an hin: H1969 from time H6256 to time H6256 shalt thou drink. H8354 And thou shalt eat H398 it as barley H8184 cakes, H5692 and thou shalt bake H5746 it with dung H1561 that cometh out H6627 of man, H120 in their sight. H5869 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Even thus shall the children H1121 of Israel H3478 eat H398 their defiled H2931 bread H3899 among the Gentiles, H1471 whither I will drive H5080 them. Then said H559 I, Ah H162 Lord H136 GOD! H3069 behold, my soul H5315 hath not been polluted: H2930 for from my youth H5271 up even till now have I not eaten H398 of that which dieth of itself, H5038 or is torn in pieces; H2966 neither came H935 there abominable H6292 flesh H1320 into my mouth. H6310 Then he said H559 unto me, Lo, H7200 I have given H5414 thee cow's H1241 dung H6832 H6832 for man's H120 dung, H1561 and thou shalt prepare H6213 thy bread H3899 therewith. Moreover he said H559 unto me, Son H1121 of man, H120 behold, I will break H7665 the staff H4294 of bread H3899 in Jerusalem: H3389 and they shall eat H398 bread H3899 by weight, H4948 and with care; H1674 and they shall drink H8354 water H4325 by measure, H4884 and with astonishment: H8078 That they may want H2637 bread H3899 and water, H4325 and be astonied H8074 one H376 with another, H251 and consume away H4743 for their iniquity. H5771
Therefore the fathers H1 shall eat H398 the sons H1121 in the midst H8432 of thee, and the sons H1121 shall eat H398 their fathers; H1 and I will execute H6213 judgments H8201 in thee, and the whole remnant H7611 of thee will I scatter H2219 into all the winds. H7307 Wherefore, as I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Surely, because thou hast defiled H2930 my sanctuary H4720 with all thy detestable things, H8251 and with all thine abominations, H8441 therefore will I also diminish H1639 thee; neither shall mine eye H5869 spare, H2347 neither will I have any pity. H2550 A third part H7992 of thee shall die H4191 with the pestilence, H1698 and with famine H7458 shall they be consumed H3615 in the midst H8432 of thee: and a third part H7992 shall fall H5307 by the sword H2719 round about H5439 thee; and I will scatter H2219 a third part H7992 into all the winds, H7307 and I will draw out H7324 a sword H2719 after H310 them.
The tongue H3956 of the sucking child H3243 cleaveth H1692 to the roof of his mouth H2441 for thirst: H6772 the young children H5768 ask H7592 bread, H3899 and no man breaketh H6566 it unto them. They that did feed H398 delicately H4574 are desolate H8074 in the streets: H2351 they that were brought up H539 in scarlet H8438 embrace H2263 dunghills. H830 For the punishment of the iniquity H5771 of the daughter H1323 of my people H5971 is greater H1431 than the punishment H2403 of the sin of Sodom, H5467 that was overthrown H2015 as in a moment, H7281 and no hands H3027 stayed H2342 on her.
And he shall besiege H6887 thee in all thy gates, H8179 until thy high H1364 and fenced H1219 walls H2346 come down, H3381 wherein H2004 thou trustedst, H982 throughout all thy land: H776 and he shall besiege H6887 thee in all thy gates H8179 throughout all thy land, H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given H5414 thee. And thou shalt eat H398 the fruit H6529 of thine own body, H990 the flesh H1320 of thy sons H1121 and of thy daughters, H1323 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given H5414 thee, in the siege, H4692 and in the straitness, H4689 wherewith thine enemies H341 shall distress H6693 thee:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 52
Commentary on Jeremiah 52 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 52
Jer 52:1-34. Written by Some Other than Jeremiah (Probably Ezra) AS AN Historical Supplement to the Previous Prophecies
(See on Jer 51:64). Jeremiah, having already (thirty-ninth and fortieth chapters) given the history in the proper place, was not likely to repeat it here. Its canonical authority as inspired is shown by its being in the Septuagint version. It contains the capture and burning of Jerusalem, &c., Zedekiah's punishment, and the better treatment of Jehoiachin under Evil-merodach, down to his death. These last events were probably subsequent to Jeremiah's time.
3. through … anger of … Lord … Zedekiah rebelled—His "anger" against Jerusalem, determining Him to "cast out" His people "from His presence" heretofore manifested there, led Him to permit Zedekiah to rebel (2Ki 23:26, 27; compare Ex 9:12; 10:1; Ro 9:18). That rebellion, being in violation of his oath "by God," was sure to bring down God's vengeance (2Ch 36:13; Eze 17:15, 16, 18).
4. forts—rather, towers of wood [Kimchi], for watching the movements of the besieged from the height and annoying them with missiles.
7. (See on Jer 39:4).
9. gave judgment upon him—as guilty of rebellion and perjury (Jer 52:3; compare Eze 23:24).
11. Eze 12:13: "I will bring him to Babylon … yet shall he not see it."
prison—literally, "the house of visitations," or "punishments," that is, where there was penal work enforced on the prisoners, such as grinding. Hence the Septuagint renders it "the house of the mill." So Samson, after his eyes were put out, "ground" in the Philistine prison-house (Jud 16:21).
12. tenth day—But in 2Ki 25:8, it is said "the seventh day." Nebuzara-dan started from Riblah on the "seventh" day and arrived in Jerusalem on the "tenth" day. Seeming discrepancies, when cleared up, confirm the genuineness of Scripture; for they show there was no collusion between the writers; as in all God's works there is latent harmony under outward varieties.
13. all the houses … and all the houses of the great—the "and" defines what houses especially are meant, namely, the houses of the great men.
15. poor of … people—added to the account in 2Ki 25:11. "The poor of the people" are of the city, as distinguished from "the poor of the land," that is, of the country.
17. brake—that they might be more portable. Fulfilling the prophecy (Jer 27:19). See 1Ki 7:15, 23, 27, 50. Nothing is so particularly related here as the carrying away of the articles in the temple. The remembrance of their beauty and preciousness heightens the bitterness of their loss and the evil of sin which caused it.
brass … brazen—rather "copper … of copper."
18. (Ex 27:3).
19. of gold in gold—implying that the articles were of solid gold and silver respectively, not of a different metal inside, or alloyed [Grotius]. Whole: not breaking them as was done to the "brass" (Jer 52:17).
20. bulls … under the bases—But the bulls were not "under the bases," but under the sea (1Ki 7:25, 27, 38); the ten bases were not under the sea, but under the ten lavers. In English Version, "bases," therefore, must mean the lower parts of the sea under which the bulls were. Rather, translate, "the bulls were in the place of (that is, 'by way of'; so the Hebrew, 1Sa 14:9), bases," or supports to the sea [Buxtorf]. So the Septuagint. 2Ki 25:16 omits the "bulls," and has "and the bases"; so Grotius here reads "the bulls (which were) under (the sea) and the bases."
21. eighteen cubits—but in 2Ch 3:15, it is "thirty-five cubits." The discrepancy is thus removed. Each pillar was eighteen common cubits. The two together, deducting the base, were thirty-five, as stated in 2Ch 3:15 [Grotius]. Other ways (for example, by reference to the difference between the common and the sacred cubit) are proposed: though we are not able positively to decide now which is the true way, at least those proposed do show that the discrepancies are not irreconcilable.
22. five cubits—so 1Ki 7:16. But 2Ki 25:17 has "three cubits." There were two parts in the chapiter: the one lower and plain, of two cubits; the other, higher and curiously carved, of three cubits. The former is omitted in 2Ki 25:17, as belonging to the shaft of the pillar; the latter alone is there mentioned. Here the whole chapiter of five cubits is referred to.
23. on a side—literally, (on the side) towards the air or wind, that is, the outside of the capitals of the pillars conspicuous to the eye, opposed to the four remaining pomegranates which were not seen from the outside. The pomegranates here are ninety-six; but in 1Ki 7:20 they are two hundred on each chapiter, and four hundred on the two (2Ch 4:13). It seems there were two rows of them, one above the other, and in each row a hundred. They are here said to be ninety-six, but immediately following one hundred, and so in 1Ki 7:20. Four seem to have been unseen to one looking from one point; and the ninety-six are only those that could be seen [Vatablus]; or, the four omitted here are those separating the four sides, one pomegranate at each point of separation (or at the four corners) between the four sides [Grotius].
24. Seraiah—different from the Seraiah (Jer 51:59), son of Neriah; probably son of Azariah (1Ch 6:14).
Zephaniah—son of Maaseiah (see on Jer 21:1; Jer 29:25).
25. seven men—but in 2Ki 25:19 it is "five." Perhaps two were less illustrious persons and are therefore omitted.
principal scribe of the host—(Isa 33:18). His office was to preside over the levy and enroll recruits. Rawlinson observes that the Assyrian records are free from the exaggerated expressions found in the Egyptian. A minute account was taken of the spoil. Two "scribes of the host" are seen in every bas-relief, writing down the various objects brought to them: the heads of the slain, the prisoners, cattle, sheep, &c.
28. seventh year—in 2Ki 24:12, 14, 16, it is said "the eighth year" of Nebuchadnezzar. No doubt it was in part about the end of the seventh year, in part about the beginning of the eighth. Also in 2Ki 24:1-20, ten thousand (Jer 52:14), and seven thousand men of might, and a thousand craftsmen (Jer 52:16), are said to have been carried away, But here three thousand twenty-three. Probably the latter three thousand twenty-three were of the tribe of Judah, the remaining seven thousand out of the ten thousand were of the other tribes, out of which many Israelites still had been left in the land. The thousand "craftsmen" were exclusive of the ten thousand, as appears, by comparing 2Ki 24:14 with Jer 52:16. Probably the three thousand twenty-three of Judah were first removed in the end of "the seventh year"; the seven thousand and a thousand craftsmen in the "eighth year." This was at the first captivity under Jehoiachin.
29. eighteenth year—when Jerusalem was taken. But in Jer 52:15, and 2Ki 25:8, "the nineteenth year." Probably it was at the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth [Lyra].
eight hundred and thirty and two—The most illustrious persons are meant, who no doubt were carried away first, at the end of the eighteenth year.
30. Not recorded in Kings or Chronicles. Probably it took place during the commotions that followed the death of Gedaliah (Jer 41:18; 2Ki 25:26).
four thousand and six hundred—The exact sum-total of the numbers specified here, namely, three thousand twenty-three, eight hundred thirty-two, seven hundred forty-five, not including the general multitude and the women and children (Jer 52:15; Jer 39:9; 2Ki 25:11).
31. (2Ki 25:27-30).
five and twentieth day—but in 2Ki 25:27, it is "the twenty-seventh day." Probably on the twenty-fifth the decree for his elevation was given, and the preparations for it made by releasing him from prison; and on the twenty-seventh day it was carried into effect.
Evil-merodach—son and successor of Nebuchadnezzar [Lyra]; and the Hebrew writers say that during Nebuchadnezzar's exclusion from men among beasts, Evil-merodach administered the government. When Nebuchadnezzar at the end of seven years was restored, hearing of his son's misconduct and that he had exulted in his father's calamity, he threw him into prison, where the latter met Jeconiah and contracted a friendship with him, whence arose the favor which subsequently he showed him. God, in his elevation, rewarded his having surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar (compare Jer 38:17 with 2Ki 24:12).
lifted up … head—(Compare Ge 40:13, 20; Ps 3:3; 27:6).
32. set his throne above—a mark of respect.
the kings—The Hebrew text reads (the other) "kings." "The kings" is a Masoretic correction.
33. changed … garments—gave him garments suitable to a king.
did … eat bread before him—(2Sa 9:13).
34. every day a portion—rather, "its portion," (compare 1Ki 8:59, Margin).