Jeremiah 39

Chap. XXXIX. ver. 2.—the city was broken up.] Such breaches were made in the walls, that the army of the Chaldeans entered. W. Lowth.

Jeremiah 39:3

3.—in the middle gate.] See the note on Isa. xxii. 1. “The middle gate,” or, “the gate of the centre,” seems to have been a gate of communication in the middle of the valley between the two parts of the city, sometimes called “the higher” and “the lower city.” The Chaldeans entered the city on the north side by a breach in the walls, and immediately rushing forward, and posting themselves in this gate, in the very heart or entrance of the city, they thereby became masters at will of the whole. Zedekiah with his troops, perceiving this, fled out at the opposite gate on the south side. Dr. Blayney.

—Nergal-sharezer, &c.] As Nergal-sharezer occurs twice, the next words seem to be an addition to the name by way of distinguishing the person. Probably “Samgar,” “Rab-saris,” and “Rab-mag,” were all titles of office; as we find “Rab-tebachim,” which we render “captain of the guard,” ver. 11; or it might be, “commander in chief of the forces,” was the title of Nebuzar-adan. Dr. Blayney.

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.

Jeremiah 39:4

4.—by the gate betwixt the two walls.] We find mention made of two walls, one exterior to the other, 2 Chron. xxxii. 5. Probably between these two walls might have been a private postern, through which the king and his followers might escape from the besiegers, who surrounded the city, and undoubtedly kept a strict watch at the principal gates. Dr. Blayney.

Jeremiah 39:5

5.—in the plains of Jericho.] Compare Josh. v. 10. This is called “the way of the plain” or “wilderness,” Josh. viii. 15; and “the plain of the wilderness,” 2 Sam. xv. 28; xvii. 16; and elsewhere “the wilderness of Judea;” see Matt. iii. 1. W. Lowth.

—Riblah] See the note on chap. xlv. 23. Most interpreters suppose this city to be the same which was called Antioch in aftertunes, when it was rebuilt by Seleucus. W. Lowth.

—where he gave judgment upon him.] Or, “proceeded judicially against him.” The Hebrew phrase is literally, “discourseed judgments with him;” and implies all the several steps of a judicial process; as the arraignment, trial, conviction, and condemnation. Zedekiah had sworn allegiance to the king of Babylon, and was therefore liable to be tried and condemned as a rebel and traitor. See 2 Chron. xxxvi. 13; Ezek. xvii. 16. 18. Dr. Blayney.

Jeremiah 39:7

7.—he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, &c.] See the notes on 2 Kings xxv. 7; Jer. xxxiv. 2; and Ezek. xii. 14; also on 1 Sam. xi. 2.

Among capital punishments in Abyssinia may be reckoned the plucking out of the eyes: this is generally inflicted upon rebels: it does not often prove fatal, though performed in the coarsest manner with an iron forceps, or pincers. Xenophon tells us, this was one of the punishments used by Cyrus: and Ammianus Marcellinus mentions, that Sapor king of Persia banished Arsaces, whom he had taken prisoner, to a certain castle, after having pulled out his eyes. Bruce.

9.—the remnant of the people that remained in the