King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.
Complete Jewish Bible:
In the ninth year of Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah, in the tenth month, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel marched against Yerushalayim with his entire army and began to lay siege against it.
Berean Standard Bible:
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city.
American Standard Version:
(in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and besieged it;
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
In the ninth{H8671} year{H8141} of Zedekiah{H6667} king{H4428} of Judah{H3063}, in the tenth{H6224} month{H2320}, came{H935} Nebuchadrezzar{H5019} king{H4428} of Babylon{H894} and all his army{H2428} against Jerusalem{H3389}, and they besieged{H6696} it.
Cross-References (KJV):
Jeremiah 52:4
- And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the month, [that] Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.
Jeremiah 52:7
- Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which [was] by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans [were] by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain.
Ezekiel 24:1
- ¶ Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Ezekiel 24:2
- Son of man, write thee the name of the day, [even] of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.
2 Kings 25:1
- ¶ And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the month, [that] Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.
2 Kings 25:12
- But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land [to be] vinedressers and husbandmen.
Zechariah 8:19
- Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth [month], and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Jeremiah 39:1
Jeremiah 39:1 sets the scene for a pivotal moment in Jewish history, capturing the beginning of the end for the Kingdom of Judah. The verse specifically mentions the ninth year of King Zedekiah's reign, which dates the event to around 588 BCE. At this time, the Neo-Babylonian Empire, led by King Nebuchadnezzar II, was the dominant power in the region. The tenth month refers to the month of Tevet in the Hebrew calendar, which is significant because it falls during the winter season, a typical time for ancient armies to cease military campaigns due to the difficulty of campaigning in harsh weather conditions.
However, Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem was not a spontaneous event but the culmination of a series of rebellions by Judah against Babylonian rule. Zedekiah, placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar himself, had entered into an alliance with other nations against Babylon, violating his oath of loyalty. This act of defiance led to the inevitable response from the Babylonian king, who sought to reassert his control over the region and punish the rebellious vassal state.
The themes present in this verse include divine judgment, the consequences of disobedience, and the sovereignty of God over the nations. Jeremiah, the prophet through whom this book is written, had consistently warned of the impending doom if Judah did not repent and return to faithful worship of Yahweh. The besiegement of Jerusalem was seen as the fulfillment of these prophecies, demonstrating the reality of divine judgment for covenant unfaithfulness. It also underscores the political realities of the time, where small kingdoms like Judah were at the mercy of larger empires, and their survival often hinged on their ability to navigate complex international relations.
In summary, Jeremiah 39:1 describes the historical event of Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem, which is laden with theological significance. It reflects the political turmoil of the ancient Near East, the geopolitical consequences of rebellion against a superpower, and the biblical theme of God's judgment on a disobedient people. This verse serves as a prelude to the fall of Jerusalem, the destruction of the First Temple, and the beginning of the Babylonian Exile, which would profoundly shape the religious and national identity of the Jewish people.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H8671
There are 17 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תְּשִׁיעִי
Transliteration: tᵉshîyʻîy
Pronunciation: tesh-ee-ee'
Description: ordinal from תֵּשַׁע; ninth; ninth. - Strong's Number: H8141
There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁנֶה
Transliteration: shâneh
Pronunciation: shaw-neh'
Description: (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה; from שָׁנָה; a year (as a revolution of time); [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly). - Strong's Number: H6667
There are 62 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צִדְקִיָּה
Transliteration: Tsidqîyâh
Pronunciation: tsid-kee-yaw'
Description: or צִדְקִיָּהוּ; from צֶדֶק and יָהּ; right of Jah; Tsidkijah, the name of six Israelites; Zedekiah, Zidkijah. - Strong's Number: H4428
There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֶלֶךְ
Transliteration: melek
Pronunciation: meh'-lek
Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal. - Strong's Number: H3063
There are 754 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהוּדָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhûwdâh
Pronunciation: yeh-hoo-daw'
Description: from יָדָה; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory; Judah. - Strong's Number: H6224
There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֲשִׂירִי
Transliteration: ʻăsîyrîy
Pronunciation: as-ee-ree'
Description: from עֶשֶׂר; tenth; by abbreviation, tenth month or (feminine) part; tenth (part). - Strong's Number: H2320
There are 224 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֹדֶשׁ
Transliteration: chôdesh
Pronunciation: kho'-desh
Description: from חָדַשׁ; the new moon; by implication, a month; month(-ly), new moon. - Strong's Number: H935
There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בּוֹא
Transliteration: bôwʼ
Pronunciation: bo
Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. - Strong's Number: H5019
There are 59 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר
Transliteration: Nᵉbûwkadneʼtstsar
Pronunciation: neb-oo-kad-nets-tsar'
Description: or נְבֻּכַדְנֶאצַּר; (2 Kings 24:1,10), or נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר; (Esther 2:6; Daniel 1:18), or נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר; or נְבוּכַדְרֶאצּוֹר; (Ezra 2:1; Jeremiah 49:28), or foreign derivation; Nebukadnetstsar (or -retstsar, or -retstsor), king of Babylon; Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar. - Strong's Number: H894
There are 233 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּבֶל
Transliteration: Bâbel
Pronunciation: baw-bel'
Description: from בָּלַל; confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire; Babel, Babylon. - Strong's Number: H2428
There are 228 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חַיִל
Transliteration: chayil
Pronunciation: khah'-yil
Description: from חוּל; probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength; able, activity, ([phrase]) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, ([phrase]) valiant(-ly), valour, virtuous(-ly), war, worthy(-ily). - Strong's Number: H3389
There are 600 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם
Transliteration: Yᵉrûwshâlaim
Pronunciation: yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im
Description: rarely יְרוּשָׁלַיִם; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of יְרוּשָׁלֵם)); probably from (the passive participle of) יָרָה and שָׁלַם; founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine; Jerusalem. - Strong's Number: H6696
There are 38 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צוּר
Transliteration: tsûwr
Pronunciation: tsoor
Description: a primitive root; to cramp, i.e. confine (in many applications, literally and figuratively, formative or hostile); adversary, assault, beset, besiege, bind (up), cast, distress, fashion, fortify, inclose, lay siege, put up in bags.