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Jeremiah 39:8

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The Chaldeans set fire to the palace of the king and to the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

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Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 8

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).

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 8

כַּשְׂדִּי (Kasdîy, H3778) — a Kasdite, or descendant of Kesed; by implication, a Chaldaean (as if so descended); also… שָׂרַף (sâraph, H8313) — to be (causatively, set) on fire מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) עַם (ʻam, H5971) — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence… אֵשׁ (ʼêsh, H784) — fire (literally or figuratively) נָתַץ (nâthats, H5422) — to tear down חוֹמָה (chôwmâh, H2346) — a wall of protection יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yᵉrûwshâlaim, H3389) — Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine

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Cross-references

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Nehemiah 1:3rank 5

And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

Jeremiah 21:10rank 4

For I have set My face against this city to bring disaster and not good, declares the LORD. It will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, who will destroy it with fire.’

Jeremiah 38:18rank 4

But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’”

Micah 3:12rank 3

Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.

II Chronicles 36:19rank 2

Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value.

Jeremiah 34:22rank 2

Behold, I am going to give the command, declares the LORD, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, capture it, and burn it down. And I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”

Lamentations 2:7rank 2

The Lord has rejected His altar; He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has delivered the walls of her palaces into the hand of the enemy. They have raised a shout in the house of the LORD as on the day of an appointed feast.

Jeremiah 34:2rank 2

The LORD, the God of Israel, told Jeremiah to go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him that this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down.

Amos 2:5rank 2

So I will send fire upon Judah to consume the citadels of Jerusalem.”

Lamentations 2:2rank 2

Without pity the Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob. In His wrath He has demolished the fortified cities of the Daughter of Judah. He brought to the ground and defiled her kingdom and its princes.

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