.39:1-18.

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The fall of Jerusalem (Jer 39:1-18)

After eighteen months of siege, the Babylonian armies finally broke through the walls of Jerusalem (Jer 39:1-2).

Zedekiah tried to escape by night, but was quickly captured and brought face to face with the king of Babylon, as Jeremiah foretold. Although he was not executed, Zedekiah suffered cruel treatment before being taken captive to Babylon (Jer 39:3-7; cf. Jer 34:2-3).

The Babylonians then burnt Jerusalem, destroyed the city walls and took the citizens into captivity. They left behind only the poorest of the people, who were of no use to them (Jer 39:8-10).

God protected his servant Jeremiah through the enemy invasion, as he had promised (cf. Jer 1:8). The Babylonians released him from imprisonment and placed him in the care of Gedaliah, the son of Jeremiah’s friend Ahikam (Jer 39:11-14; cf. Jer 26:24).

God also protected the African who saved Jeremiah’s life. Through Jeremiah, God assured the man that he would be safe from both the Judean rulers and the enemy soldiers (Jer 39:15-18; cf. Jer 38:8-9).