Jeremiah 39:4

Translation
King James Version
And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah H6667 the king H4428 of Judah H3063 saw H7200 them, and all the men H582 of war H4421, then they fled H1272, and went forth H3318 out of the city H5892 by night H3915, by the way H1870 of the king's H4428 garden H1588, by the gate H8179 betwixt the two walls H2346: and he went out H3318 the way H1870 of the plain H6160.
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Complete Jewish Bible
When Tzidkiyahu the king of Y'hudah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, leaving the city by night through the king's garden, exiting from the gate between the two walls, and continuing out by the route through the 'Aravah.
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Berean Standard Bible
When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and they went out along the route to the Arabah.
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American Standard Version
And it came to pass that, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, through the gate betwixt the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.
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World English Bible Messianic
When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And when Zedekiah the King of Iudah saw them, and all the men of warre, then they fled, and went out of the citie by night, through the Kings garden, and by the gate betweene the two walles, and he went toward the wildernes.
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Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, when Zedekiah king of Judah, and all the men of war, have seen them, that they flee and go forth by night from the city, the way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls, and he goeth forth the way of the plain.
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See also
Amos 2:142 Chronicles 32:5Deuteronomy 32:24Deuteronomy 32:30Jeremiah 38:18Jeremiah 38:20Jeremiah 52:7
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The Fall of Jerusalem and Zedekiah's Capture
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In the KJVVerse 19,928 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Jeremiah 39:4 vividly chronicles the desperate and ultimately futile attempt of King Zedekiah of Judah to escape Jerusalem during its final, devastating siege by the Babylonian forces. As the city's defenses were breached and the enemy poured in, the king, accompanied by his remaining military personnel, sought to evade capture under the cloak of night. Their chosen clandestine route, through the royal gardens and a concealed gate within the city's fortifications, was a last, desperate maneuver intended to lead them to the open plain, yet it proved to be a failed bid to circumvent the divine judgment and prophetic warnings that had relentlessly pursued Judah's disobedient monarchy.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 39 marks a climactic and tragic turning point within the book of Jeremiah, detailing the long-prophesied fall of Jerusalem and the capture of King Zedekiah. The preceding chapters have meticulously documented the relentless Babylonian siege, the severe suffering endured by the inhabitants, and Jeremiah's unwavering, though unpopular, prophetic message of surrender as God's decreed will. Specifically, Jeremiah 38 recounts Zedekiah's secret consultations with Jeremiah, during which the prophet reiterated the inevitability of Jerusalem's fall and Zedekiah's personal capture if he continued his resistance. This verse, Jeremiah 39:4, directly follows the account of the city's breach and the Babylonian officers' entry in Jeremiah 39:2-3, setting the immediate scene for the king's desperate flight as the enemy secured their positions within the capital. It serves as the dramatic and undeniable fulfillment of Jeremiah's dire prophecies concerning the king's fate and the city's destruction.

  • Historical & Cultural Context: The events described in Jeremiah 39:4 transpired in 586 BC, signifying the devastating culmination of the Babylonian Empire's prolonged campaign against the kingdom of Judah. King Zedekiah, installed as a vassal king by Nebuchadnezzar after the first deportation of Judah's elite in 597 BC, had defiantly rebelled against Babylonian suzerainty, unwisely seeking military alliances with Egypt, a course of action explicitly warned against by God through the prophet Jeremiah. Jerusalem, renowned for its formidable fortifications, had endured a grueling siege lasting over a year, which led to widespread famine, disease, and immense suffering within its walls. The "king's garden" was a well-known royal estate, likely situated in the Kidron Valley, south of the Temple Mount. The "gate betwixt the two walls" strongly suggests a clandestine or postern exit, possibly a hidden passage between an inner and outer wall, or a fortified corridor designed for emergency egress or discreet movement, indicating a pre-planned escape contingency. The "plain" refers to the Arabah, the low-lying Jordan Valley, which was the intended escape route towards Jericho and potentially beyond, away from the besieged city and towards the relative safety of the wilderness. This desperate flight powerfully underscores the complete collapse of Judah's sovereignty and the finality of God's judgment upon His disobedient people.

  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prominent within the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Primarily, it vividly illustrates the Futility of Resistance Against Divine Judgment, demonstrating with stark clarity that no human strategy, no matter how desperate or well-planned, can ultimately thwart God's determined will when His judgment is due. Zedekiah's subsequent capture, detailed in the verses immediately following, highlights the direct and unavoidable Consequences of Disobedience for both the nation's leadership and its people, as his rebellion against Babylon was fundamentally perceived as a rebellion against God's ordained path for Judah. Furthermore, this event serves as a dramatic and precise Fulfillment of Prophecy, particularly Jeremiah's repeated and specific warnings to Zedekiah regarding his capture and exile (e.g., Jeremiah 32:4-5). The detailed description of the king's escape route also remarkably resonates with prophecies from other contemporary prophets, such as Ezekiel's symbolic vision of the prince fleeing by night through a breach in the wall (Ezekiel 12:12-13). Ultimately, this pivotal event signifies the tragic End of the Davidic Monarchy in Jerusalem and the ushering in of the Babylonian Exile, a transformative and traumatic moment in Israelite history that reshaped their identity and understanding of God's covenant.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • fled (Hebrew, bârach', H1272): A primitive root meaning "to bolt, i.e., figuratively, to flee suddenly." This word powerfully emphasizes the sudden, desperate, and hurried nature of Zedekiah's departure. It conveys a sense of panic and urgency, highlighting that this was not an orderly retreat but a frantic, unceremonious escape attempt from an overwhelming and imminent threat. The king and his men were not merely leaving but attempting to escape capture and the inevitable consequences of their defeat.
  • night (Hebrew, layil', H3915): Properly "a twist (away of the light), i.e., night; figuratively, adversity." The deliberate choice to flee "by night" underscores the stealth and desperation inherent in the escape. It suggests a clandestine maneuver designed to evade detection and pursuit, adding to the ignominious and undignified nature of the king's flight. Figuratively, "night" also subtly hints at the profound "adversity" or dark period that had irrevocably fallen upon Jerusalem and its last king.
  • walls (Hebrew, chôwmâh', H2346): A feminine active participle meaning "a wall of protection." The specific phrase "betwixt the two walls" refers to the city's formidable fortifications, likely indicating a double wall system or a specific fortified passage. This detail is crucial, as it points to a particular, perhaps less obvious or more secure, passage through Jerusalem's otherwise impenetrable defenses. The very presence of "walls" inherently signifies protection and security, yet here, they are being circumvented by the king himself in a desperate, last-ditch effort to escape the very destruction they were built to prevent, underscoring their ultimate failure against divine judgment.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war,": This opening clause immediately establishes the critical trigger for the king's desperate flight. "Them" refers to the Babylonian officers and their army who had just successfully breached the city walls and taken up strategic positions within Jerusalem, as vividly described in the preceding verses (Jeremiah 39:2-3). Zedekiah, the final reigning king of Judah, along with his remaining military forces, witnessed firsthand the enemy's successful penetration, signaling the complete collapse of their defenses and the utter eradication of any lingering hope for continued resistance or victory.
  • "then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night,": This segment describes the immediate and frantic reaction of Zedekiah and his accompanying soldiers. The verb "fled" (bârach) powerfully conveys a profound sense of panic, urgency, and disarray. Their departure was not an organized evacuation or strategic retreat but a desperate, uncoordinated escape attempt undertaken under the cover of darkness, with the desperate hope of evading the Babylonian forces who had now infiltrated and secured parts of the city. Fleeing "by night" was a common tactical maneuver for clandestine movements, further emphasizing the ignominy and desperation of the king's dire situation.
  • "by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls:": This clause precisely specifies the pre-planned, intricate escape route. The "king's garden" was a well-known royal landmark, likely situated on the southern side of Jerusalem, possibly in the Kidron Valley near the Pool of Siloam. The "gate betwixt the two walls" strongly suggests a hidden or less-guarded passage, perhaps a secret postern or a fortified corridor between an inner and outer defensive wall, indicating a desperate attempt to slip out unnoticed from the heavily besieged and now compromised city. This detail highlights the king's forethought in planning an escape, even as his kingdom crumbled.
  • "and he went out the way of the plain.": This final clause delineates the intended direction and destination of their escape. The "plain" (Hebrew: 'arabah) refers to the low-lying Jordan Valley, a relatively open and flat expanse stretching towards Jericho and the Dead Sea. This route offered the most direct and relatively unobstructed path away from the Judean hills, providing the best chance for Zedekiah and his men to escape the immediate pursuit of the Babylonian forces and potentially reach a place of temporary safety.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 39:4 is rich with literary devices that amplify the gravity and pathos of Zedekiah's flight. Irony pervades the scene, as the king, whose primary duty was to lead and defend his people, is instead depicted in a desperate, undignified flight from his own capital. His clandestine attempt to escape God's judgment through a hidden route is profoundly ironic, given Jeremiah's public and persistent warnings to surrender. The detailed description of the escape route—"the king's garden," "the gate betwixt the two walls," "the way of the plain"—functions as powerful Specific Detail and Symbolism. These precise geographical and architectural references ground the narrative in historical reality, while simultaneously symbolizing the ultimate futility of human efforts to evade divine decree. The "garden," typically a place of peace or royal retreat, here becomes a conduit for desperate escape, subverting its usual connotation. The "walls," constructed for protection, are now merely a means for clandestine exit, underscoring the city's compromised and fallen state. The entire scene is imbued with profound Pathos, evoking a deep sense of pity and sorrow for the king's abject situation, despite his culpability. His desperate flight by night highlights his vulnerability, isolation, and the complete collapse of his power and the kingdom he once ruled.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 39:4 stands as a powerful testament to the unwavering sovereignty of God and the inevitable, inescapable consequences of persistent disobedience. Zedekiah's desperate flight, despite his royal status and the city's once-formidable defenses, underscores the profound futility of human resistance against divine judgment. It unequivocally demonstrates that God's word, delivered faithfully through His chosen prophets, will ultimately be fulfilled with absolute certainty, regardless of human attempts to thwart or evade it. This event is far more than a mere historical record; it is a profound theological statement about God's unyielding justice, His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant warnings, and His ultimate, sovereign control over the destinies of nations and kings. It powerfully highlights the timeless biblical principle that rebellion against God's revealed will inevitably leads to certain downfall and disgrace.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 39:4 offers profound and enduring lessons for contemporary believers. Zedekiah's desperate flight serves as a stark and sobering reminder that attempts to evade the natural and divine consequences of our choices, especially when those choices involve deliberate rebellion against God's clear commands or warnings, are ultimately futile. Like Zedekiah, we might devise elaborate escape routes, rely on our own ingenuity, or seek to hide from accountability, but divine judgment and the inevitable consequences of sin will eventually catch up to us. This passage calls us to profound humility and unwavering obedience, urging us to heed God's voice, whether conveyed through the explicit teachings of Scripture, the quiet conviction of conscience, or the wise counsel of godly mentors, rather than stubbornly pursuing self-willed paths. It challenges us to honestly examine areas in our lives where we might be resisting God's will or ignoring His warnings, encouraging us to surrender fully to His sovereignty and trust implicitly in His perfect wisdom, even when His path seems difficult, counter-intuitive, or demands sacrifice. The faithfulness of God in fulfilling His word, even in the context of judgment, should instill within us both a healthy, reverent fear and a profound, unshakable trust in His righteous and loving character.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life might I be attempting to "flee" from God's will or the natural consequences of my actions, rather than facing them with humility, repentance, and trust?
  • How does Zedekiah's reliance on human strategy and evasion, rather than prophetic warning and surrender, challenge my own tendencies to trust in my own plans more than God's divine guidance?
  • What specific "warnings" or "truths" from God's Word might I be tempted to ignore or rationalize away in my current circumstances or future plans?
  • How can I cultivate a deeper, more profound sense of trust in God's absolute sovereignty, even when His plans for my life involve difficulty, discipline, or seemingly adverse circumstances?

FAQ

Why did King Zedekiah attempt to flee Jerusalem by night?

Answer: King Zedekiah attempted to flee Jerusalem by night because the city had finally fallen to the Babylonians, and his capital was actively being overrun by the enemy forces. His flight was a desperate, last-ditch effort to escape imminent capture and the severe consequences of his rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, which was also, fundamentally, a rebellion against God's declared will for Judah. Fleeing under the cover of darkness was a common tactical maneuver employed to evade detection and pursuit, highlighting the clandestine, urgent, and ignominious nature of his escape from an overwhelming and victorious enemy. This act was a direct and tragic fulfillment of prophecies delivered by both Jeremiah and Ezekiel concerning his inescapable fate (e.g., Jeremiah 32:4-5 and Ezekiel 12:12-13).

What happened to Zedekiah after his capture?

Answer: After his capture in the plains of Jericho, King Zedekiah was brought before Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, the Babylonian headquarters. There, in a horrific and deeply punitive act of retribution, his sons were executed before his very eyes. Immediately afterward, Zedekiah's own eyes were put out, permanently blinding him. He was then bound in bronze chains and taken as a prisoner to Babylon, where he remained in captivity until his death. This tragic and brutal end for Zedekiah is meticulously detailed in Jeremiah 39:5-7 and corroborated in 2 Kings 25:6-7.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Zedekiah's desperate, ignominious flight in Jeremiah 39:4 stands in stark, profound contrast to the voluntary, purposeful submission of Jesus Christ, the true and eternal King of Judah. Zedekiah fled from the judgment he deserved, seeking to preserve his earthly life and kingdom by clandestine means, only to be captured, blinded, and exiled in disgrace. His "way of the plain" led directly to destruction and ultimate humiliation. In profound contrast, Jesus, the Son of David and the rightful heir to the throne, did not flee from judgment but willingly and purposefully embraced it. In the "garden" of Gethsemane, unlike Zedekiah's garden of desperate escape, Jesus surrendered His perfect will to the Father, praying with agonizing submission, "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). He allowed Himself to be captured, not by stealth or surprise, but by divine design, in order to face the ultimate judgment for humanity's sin. He walked the "way" to Golgotha, not as a desperate escapee, but as the spotless Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), willingly laying down His life. While Zedekiah's flight marked the tragic end of an earthly kingdom and the beginning of exile, Christ's willing sacrifice inaugurated an eternal, unshakable kingdom, offering true freedom and ultimate escape from the judgment of sin for all who believe in Him (Colossians 1:13-14). He is the King who faced the "night" of suffering, betrayal, and death, not to escape it, but to conquer it and bring forth the glorious dawn of salvation and eternal life.

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Commentary on Jeremiah 39 verses 1–10

We were told, in the close of the foregoing chapter, that Jeremiah abode patiently in the court of the prison, until the day that Jerusalem was taken. He gave the princes no further disturbance by his prophesying, nor they him by their persecutions; for he had no more to say than what he had said, and, the siege being carried on briskly, God found them other work to do. See here what it came to.

I. The city is at length taken by storm; for how could it hold out when God himself fought against it? Nebuchadnezzar's army sat down before it in the ninth year of Zedekiah, in the tenth month (Jer 39:1), in the depth of winter. Nebuchadnezzar himself soon after retired to take his pleasure, and left his generals to carry on the siege: they intermitted it awhile, but soon renewed it with redoubled force and vigour. At length, in the eleventh year, in the fourth month, about midsummer, they entered the city, the soldiers being so weakened by famine, and all their provisions being now spent, that they were not able to make any resistance, Jer 39:2. Jerusalem was so strong a place that nobody would have believed the enemy could ever enter its gates, Lam 4:12. But sin had provoked God to withdraw his protection, and then, like Samson when his hair was cut, it was weak as other cities.

II. The princes of the king of Babylon take possession of the middle gate, Jer 39:3. Some think that this was the same with that which is called the second gate (Zep 1:10), which is supposed to be in the middle wall that divided between one part of the city and the other. Here they cautiously made a half, and durst not go forward into so large a city, among men that perhaps would sell their lives as dearly as they could, until they had given directions for the searching of all places, that they might not be surprised by any ambush. They sat in the middle gate, thence to take a view of the city and give orders. The princes are here named, rough and uncouth names they are, to intimate what a sad change sin had made; there, where Eliakim and Hilkiah, who bore the name of the God of Israel, used to sit, now sit Nergal-sharezer, and Samgar-nebo, etc., who bore the names of the heathen gods. Rab-saris and Rab-mag are supposed to be not the names of distinct persons, but the titles of those whose names go before. Sarsechim was Rab-saris, that is, captain of the guard; and Nergal-sharezer, to distinguish him from the other of the same name that is put first, is called Ram-mag - camp-master, either muster-master or quarter-master: these and the other great generals sat in the gate. And now was fulfilled what Jeremiah prophesied long since (Jer 1:15), that the families of the kingdoms of the north should set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem. Justly do the princes of the heathen set up themselves there, where the gods of the heathen had been so often set up.

III. Zedekiah, having in disguise perhaps seen the princes of the king of Babylon take possession of one of the gates of the city, thought it high time to shift for his own safety, and, loaded with guilt and fear, he went out of the city, under no other protection but that of the night (Jer 39:4), which soon failed him, for he was discovered, pursued, and overtaken. Though he made the best of his way, he could make nothing of it, could not get forward, but in the plains of Jericho fell into the hands of the pursuers, Jer 39:5. Thence he was brought prisoner to Riblah, where the king of Babylon passed sentence upon him as a rebel, not sentence of death, but, one many almost say, a worse thing. For, 1. He slew his sons before his eyes, and they must all be little, some of them infants, for Zedekiah himself was now but thirty-two years of age. The death of these sweet babes must needs be so many deaths to himself, especially when he considered that his own obstinacy was the cause of it, for he was particularly told of this thing: They shall bring forth thy wives and children to the Chaldeans, Jer 38:23. 2. He slew all the nobles of Judah (Jer 39:6), probably not those princes of Jerusalem who had advised him to this desperate course (it would be a satisfaction to him to see them cut off), but the great men of the country, who were innocent of the matter. 3. He ordered Zedekiah to have his eyes put out (Jer 39:7), so condemning him to darkness for life who had shut his eyes against the clear light of God's word, and was of those princes who will not understand, but walk on in darkness, Psa 82:5. 4. He bound him with two brazen chains or fetters (so the margin reads it), to carry him away to Babylon, there to spend the rest of his days in misery. All this sad story we had before, Kg2 25:4, etc.

IV. Some time afterwards the city was burnt, temple and palace and all, and the wall of it broken down, Jer 39:8. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! this comes of killing the prophets, and stoning those that were sent to thee. O Zedekiah, Zedekiah! this thou mightest have prevented if thou wouldst but have taken God's counsel, and yielded in time."

V. The people that were left were all carried away captives to Babylon, Jer 39:9. Now they must bid a final farewell to the land of their nativity, that pleasant land, and to all their possessions and enjoyments in it, must be driven some hundreds of miles, like beasts, before the conquerors, that were now their cruel masters, must lie at their mercy in a strange land, and be servants to those who would be sure to rule them with rigour. The word tyrant is originally a Chaldee word, and is often used for lords by the Chaldee paraphrast, as if the Chaldeans, when they were lords, tyrannized more than any other: we have reason to think that the poor Jews had reason to say so. Some few were left behind, but they were the poor of the people, that had nothing to lose, and therefore never made any resistance. And they not only had their liberty, and were left to tarry at home, but the captain of the guard gave them vineyards and fields at the same time, such as they were never masters of before, Jer 39:10. Observe here, 1. The wonderful changes of Providence. Some are abased, others advanced, Sa1 2:5. The hungry are filled with good things, and the rich sent empty away. The ruin of some proves the rise of others. Let us therefore in our abundance rejoice as though we rejoiced not, and in our distresses weep as though we wept not. 2. The just retributions or Providence. The rich had been proud oppressors, and now they were justly punished for their injustice; the poor had been patient sufferers, and now they were graciously rewarded for their patience and amends made them for all their losses; for verily there is a God that judges in the earth, even in this world, much more in the other.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–10. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN
[Daniel 7:1] "In the first year of Belshazzar, King of Babylon, Daniel beheld a dream. And a vision of his head upon his bed. And when he wrote the dream down, he comprehended it in a few words and gave a brief summary of it, saying..." This section which we now undertake to explain, and also the subsequent section which we are going to discuss, is historically prior to the two previous sections. For this present section and that which follows it are recorded to have taken place in the first and third years of the reign of King Belshazzar (Jeremiah 39) [Jerome's citation of Jeremiah 39 seems quite pointless in this connection]. But the section which we read previously to the one just preceding this, is recorded to have taken place in the last year, indeed on the final day, of Belshaz-zar's reign. And we meet this phenomenon not only in Daniel but also in Jeremiah [cf. Jeremiah 35 and Jeremiah 34] and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 17), as we shall be able to show, if life spares us that long. But in the earlier portion of the book, the historical order has been followed, namely the events which occurred in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, and Belshazzar, and Darius or Cyrus. But in the passages now before us an account is given of various visions which were beheld on particular occasions and of which only the prophet himself was aware, and which therefore lacked any importance as signs or revelations so far as the barbarian nations were concerned. But they were written down only that a record of the things beheld might be preserved for posterity.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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