Jeremiah 39:2

[And] in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth [day] of the month, the city was broken up.

And in the eleventh {H6249}{H6240} year {H8141} of Zedekiah {H6667}, in the fourth {H7243} month {H2320}, the ninth {H8672} day of the month {H2320}, the city {H5892} was broken up {H1234}.

On the ninth day of the fourth month of the eleventh year of Tzidkiyahu, they broke through into the city.

And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city was breached.

in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city),

Jeremiah 39:2 marks a pivotal and tragic moment in the history of ancient Israel: the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonian Empire. This verse provides the precise date when the city's defenses were finally breached, leading to its ultimate destruction and the exile of its people.

Context

This verse describes the culmination of an intense siege by Nebuchadnezzar's forces, which began in the tenth month of Zedekiah's ninth year (Jeremiah 39:1). King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, had rebelled against Babylon, despite Jeremiah's consistent warnings to submit to Babylonian rule (Jeremiah 27:8). The siege lasted approximately two and a half years, leading to severe famine and suffering within the city walls (Jeremiah 52:4-6). The breaching of the walls on this specific date opened the way for the Babylonians to enter, capture the king, and ultimately destroy the city and the Temple, fulfilling numerous prophecies.

Key Themes

  • Fulfillment of Prophecy: The fall of Jerusalem was not a random event but the direct fulfillment of prophecies delivered by Jeremiah and other prophets, warning Judah of the consequences of their persistent idolatry and disobedience to God's covenant (Jeremiah 25:9-11).
  • Divine Judgment: This event underscores God's justice and His willingness to bring judgment upon His own people when they continually reject His commands and refuse to repent. It demonstrates that God takes sin seriously and holds nations accountable.
  • The End of an Era: The breach of Jerusalem's walls marked the end of the Kingdom of Judah, the Davidic monarchy in Jerusalem, and the beginning of the Babylonian exile, a significant period in Israel's history that profoundly shaped its identity.

Linguistic Insight

The phrase "the city was broken up" translates the Hebrew verb baqa (בָּקַע), which means "to cleave," "to burst forth," or "to break open violently." It conveys a sense of forceful penetration and destruction, indicating that the walls were not merely entered but decisively shattered, signifying the complete collapse of Jerusalem's defenses.

Significance and Application

Jeremiah 39:2 serves as a powerful historical marker and a sober reminder. It highlights the serious consequences of ignoring divine warnings and the inevitability of God's judgment when a people persist in rebellion. For believers today, it emphasizes the importance of obedience, repentance, and heeding God's word. Just as Judah faced the consequences of its choices, so too are individuals and nations accountable before God. The meticulous detail of the date also underscores the historical reliability of biblical accounts and the precision with which God's plans unfold, whether in judgment or in promises of restoration (Jeremiah 29:10-14).

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 52:6

    And in the fourth month, in the ninth [day] of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

  • 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.

  • Micah 2:12

    ¶ I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men.

  • Micah 2:13

    The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.

  • 2 Kings 25:3

    And on the ninth [day] of the [fourth] month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

  • 2 Kings 25:4

    And the city was broken up, and all the men of war [fled] by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which [is] by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees [were] against the city round about:) and [the king] went the way toward the plain.

  • Zephaniah 1:10

    And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, [that there shall be] the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

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