Jeremiah 39

IN the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth moneth, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon This exactly agreeth with the historical part of Scripture, 2 King. 25.1. and w th the repetition of it, chap. 52.4. This Moneth was called T beth, Esther 2.16. and answers to part of our D cemb r and Ianuary. Princes are said to do that which is done by their great Officers by their Order, yet some think N buchadrezzar came first in Person, though he quickly left his Army, and was not there at the taking of the City., and all his army, against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.

And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth moneth, the ninth day of the moneth, the city was broken up The Siege lasted a year and half, for it was the 4th. Moneth of Zedekiah's eleventh year before it was taken, it is said here to be broken up, because their way of taking fortified places then, was by beating down the Walls of the Besieged with iron R ms and Engines, as we now do with great Guns. This Kingdom had now held 380 years, from Rehobo m their first King, in which they had had twenty Kings (besides Athaliah). The ten Tribes, had been now in Captivity 130 years so as the Kingdom of Israel stood but 250 years after the division in which time they had had 18 Princes, but of several Families all the Kings of Iudah were of the house of David, lineally descended from him..

And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sate in the middle gate All the great men of Babylon, that were imployed in the conduct of the Babylonian Army (the City being taken by storm, or surprize) entred into it, but rested at the middle gate. The City they say was incompassed with two Walls, before they came to the Wall of the Temple, the gate in the inner Wall, is supposed to have been that which is called the middle gate, they would not at first adventure in further, the City being large and well fortified, there might have been some Traps laid for them, they would therefore have their Souldiers first clear the streets, and search all places, that they might enter further into the City without hazarding their persons., even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sar-sechim; Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon Some Interpreters have examined the signification of the names of these Prince, but I know of no use it can be to us, whither they were the names of the Persons, or significative of the Offices they bare..

¶ And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war It should seem that the City was taken by a surprize, the Chaldeans battering the Walls incessantly with their Rams and Engines of War, on a sudden made such a breach as gave them a liberty to enter in., then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night The King either heard of it, or possibly might be in some place where he might see it, then he begins to think of escaping, but for greater privacy stayeth till he had the covert of the Night,, by the way of the kings garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls, and he went out the way of the plain and then goeth out towards the plains of Iericho, (for there the Chaldeans overtook him, as we read in the next verse) he is said here to have gone by the way side of the Kings garden by the gate betwixt the two Walls. It is very hard for us at this distance of time to pretend to any certainty in determining the way by which he made his escape. They seem to judge most probably, that think that the king had prepared for himself a private passage out of his Garden betwixt two Walls, leading to the Wall of the City, which they had before so weakned, as on a sudden they might dig it thorough, possibly, these particulars are the rather set down, to show us how God verified what he had revealed in this matter to the Prophet Ezek. 12. where God set the Prophet, ver. 3. To prepare stuff for removing, and to remove by day; in the sight of the People from his own place to another place, and ver. 4. To go out at even in their sight, as they that go out into Captivity. To dig through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby: In their sight to bear it on his shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight; to cover his face, so as not to see the ground, and ver. 6. he told him, that in all this he was to be a sign; and ver. 10. tells him. This burden concerneth the prince in Ierusalem (who was this Zedekiah) ver. 12 And the Prince that is among them, shall bear upon his shoulder, in the twilight, and shall go forth, they shall dig through the wall, to go out thereby; he shall cover his face, that he se not the ground with his eyes..

But the Chaldeans army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him Thus God by his Providence fulfilled his threatning by hi Prophet 17.12. Ribl was upon the borders of as appeareth from N. 34.11. it was in the land of of which we read 2 Ki g. 17.24. being one of those Provinces in the dominion of the King of Ass ia, from whence he brought m n to place th m in the land of Israel after that he had conquered the ten Tribes. It is not usual for Princes upon Conq ests o sit in judgment upon Princes conquered, but the reas n of it in this case was because Ze ekiah, was a Tributary to the king of Bab on, and so subject to his power, having made a Covenant with him, and secured his Allegiance by his Oath to him, and then rebelled against him, as we read, Ez k. 17.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18..

Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah Thus the stubbornness of this Prince, and his Nobles, proved the Ruine of his Family, and of themselves, and of the whole people. The Nobles were great Authors of this mischief and brought Zedekiah into that obstinacy which he showed to the Prophets admonitions and exhortations upon them, therefore a more exemplary punishment is taken. The Hebrew calls the Nobles white men, either from their white garments, or from that Candor of Spirit which should be found in persons of their Quality..

Moreover he put out Zedekiahs eyes, and bound him with chains to carry him to Babylon Thus the two Prophecies were fulfilled that of this Prophet, chap. 34.4. that Zedekiah should not die by the Sword: and that of Ezekiel, that he should not see Babylon, though he should die there, Ezek. 12.13. Riblah was at a great distance from Babylon, where the king was at this time probably to be nearer his army, while the siege lasted at Ierusalem, and to give orders about it, and to divert himself, the place being a pleasant place and the king not willing to trouble himself about the siege to go thither in person, but the siege being over, he now removeth to Babylon, and carrieth Zedekiah and the rest of the Prisoners along with h..

¶ And the Chaldeans burnt the kings house, and the houses of the people with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem Still it is observable, how punctual the Holy Ghost is in recording the fulfillings of the words of the Lord. This Prophet, had at least four times foretold, that this would be one consequent of the Kings and the Nobles stubbornness, in not submitting to the King of Babylon. See chap. 37.8. and 38.18.23..

Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained This Nebuzaradan was in that place, which we call the Provost-Marshalls, with them it was call'd the Captain of the Guards, and here are two sorts of Prisoners reckoned up, whom he carried away. 1 Such as after the Armies were come into Iudea had yielded themselves. 2 Such as when they took the City, re mained in it not being before consumed by the Sword, Famine, and Pestilence; and so were taken upon the storming or surprizal of the City. Both sorts were carried away Prisoners although it is probable that the Conquerour treated the former much more gently than he tre ted the latter, as is usual in those cases..

But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, left of the poor of the people which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards, and fields at the same time This is usuall with Conquerors, for whose profit it is not that the Countries conquered by them, should lie wast, like wildernesses, but be peopled, and manured that they may render, some tribute to them, withall the Justice of God is often seen in this, thus restoring to them oft-times with advantage by the hands of Enemies that prove Conquerors, those Estates which in corrupt times their proper Magistrates by violence, and oppression took from them, or at least more than compensating their losses by acts of Violence and injustice..

Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying,

Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm, but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee It is more then probable, that Nebuchadn zzar hall been informed by some of the chief Commanders of his Army, who had it from some of the I ws, that had escaped out of the City to the Chaldean Army, that Ie miah had constantly told the King, and the Nobles, that the Chaldeans should take the City, and as stedily persuaded both the King and Princes and People to surrender it to them, and prevent the e fusion of blood, and that he was imprison d for this, and had bin a great sufferer that way, and that this made this Heathen Prince so kind to the Prophet, as to give this order. In the mean time the hand of God is to be taken notice of, who undoubtedly put this into the heart of this Pagan Prince, and we may learn that none shall lose any thing at last by being faithful to the Commands of God, though they may be for the present loser. What we translate, look well to him, is in the Hebrew, set thine yes upon him; and expounded by the following words, commanding him to do him no harm, and to give or grant to him, whatever he desired..

So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rab-saris and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the king of Babylons princes,

Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: So he dwelt among the people The King of Bab lons Officers were very Religious to their Princes order, and take the Prophet out of Prison, for the latter part of the 14 ver. it seems but an anticipation of what we shall find related more fully, and particularly chap. 40. or else so ought to be translated yet, as appeareth from the first verse of the next Chapter, from whence it is plain that the Prophet was also bo d in chains, amongst them that were carried away captive; and not discharged until he came at Ramah, which probably might be in that hurry of affairs, though the Princes at first freed him from prison, the under Officers not so diligently observing their special charge relating to Ieremiah, the neglect of which the Captain of the Guard observing when he came as far as Ramah himself took care in it, as we shall find chap. 40. after which upon his choice, he was committed to Gedaliah the son of A ikam whom the King of Babylon made Governour over the Country..

¶ Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying These words let us know that these four verses (which contain mostly a promise to Ebedmelech for his kindness to Ieremiah while he was in the Dungeon of Malchiah, of which we read chap. 38.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.) mention a matter that happened before the things mentioned in the foregoing verses.,

Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian Ebedmelech is here again called the Ethiopian to the reproach of the Iews, that a stranger should show more kindness to a Prophet of the Lord than any of that Nation to whom he was specially sent, which was a Type of the calling of the Gentiles, and rejection of the Iewes., saying, Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil and not for good, and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee God assures Ebedmelech, the City should be taken and burnt, and the people carried into Captivity..

But I will deliver thee in that day, says the LORD, and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid But promiseth Ebedmelech he should be delivered in that evil day, and whether he feared the Chaldeans, that he should lose his life by them when they should break up the City, or the Princes whom he had anger'd by complaining to the King of their hard usage of the Prophet, he should come into none of their Power..

For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword For God would deliver him, so as he should not die by the Sword., but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee But how little else soever he saved, he should save his Life,, because thou hast put thy trust in me, says the LORD because he had put his trust in God, not fearing the wrath of men in the doing of what was his duty. We read no more in Holy Writ of this man, and so cannot tell how otherwise God dealt with him; only may be assured that he was not slain by the Chaldeans. And from this we may observe, 1 How kind God has always declared himself to those who have showed the least kindness, to those that have been his true and faithful Ministers. 2 That the root of such good works as God rewardeth must be Faith, a trusting in the Lord. 3 That those who do good works out of a principle of Faith, may yet be incumbred with slavish fears..