Jeremiah 39:7
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze chains to take him to Babylon.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
As the prophet Isaiah, after he had largely foretold the deliverance of Jerusalem out of the hands of the king of Assyria, gave a particular narrative of the story, that it might appear how exactly the event answered to the prediction, so the prophet Jeremiah, after he had largely foretold the delivering of Jerusalem into the hands of the king of Babylon, gives a particular account of that sad event for the same reason. That melancholy story we have in this chapter, which serves to disprove the false flattering prophets and to confirm the word of God's messengers. We are here told, I. That Jerusalem, after eighteen months' siege, was taken by the Chaldean army (Jer 39:1-3). II. That king Zedekiah, attempting to make his escape, was seized and made a miserable captive to the king of Babylon (Jer 39:4-7). III. That Jerusalem was burnt to the ground, and the people were carried captive, except the poor (Jer 39:8-10). IV. That the Chaldeans were very kind to Jeremiah, and took particular care of him (Jer 39:11-14). V. That Ebed-melech too, for his kindness, had a protection from God himself in this day of desolation (Jer 39:15-18).
Open source ↗39:7 After Nebuchadnezzar gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes, Zedekiah had to walk 400 miles to Babylon, blinded, in great pain, and with his arms in bronze chains.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die.
And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.
Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze shackles and forced to grind grain in the prison.
Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon, where he kept him in custody until his dying day.
I will keep Your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.