Jeremiah Chapter 39 Summary - Key Points & Themes

Read Jeremiah Chapter 39 Summary

In Zedekiah's ninth year, Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem; in the eleventh year the city is breached. Zedekiah flees but is captured at Jericho; his sons are slain before him, his eyes put out, and he is taken in chains to Babylon. Jerusalem is burned; most people are exiled. Nebuzaradan releases Jeremiah to Gedaliah's care. God promises to rescue Ebed-melech.

Original

Characters in This Chapter

Jeremiah

The weeping prophet who faithfully proclaimed judgment and hope

Baruch

Jeremiah's secretary who wrote down his prophecies

Judah

Son of Jacob, Ancestor of David and Christ

Nebuchadnezzar

King of Babylon

Places in This Chapter

Jerusalem

City Jeremiah loved and warned, which fell to Babylon

Babylon

Empire that conquered Judah as God's instrument of judgment

Jericho

Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world, was the first Canaanite city conquered by the Israelites after crossing the Jordan River. Its walls famously fell after the Israelites marched around it for seven days as commanded by God through Joshua. Jesus later passed through Jericho, healing blind Bartimaeus and dining with the tax collector Zacchaeus.

Position in Book

Call and Early MinistryChapters 1-6

Conflict and PersecutionChapters 7-29

Hope and RestorationChapters 30-33

Fall of JerusalemChapters 34-45

Events before and after Jerusalem's fall, Jeremiah's suffering.

Oracles Against NationsChapters 46-51

Historical AppendixChapters 52

Bible Bites

The Longest Book by Word Count

While Psalms has more chapters, Jeremiah is actually the longest book in the Bible by total word count. The weeping prophet's 52 chapters contain approximately 33,000 words in Hebrew, chronicling Judah's final days before exile.

Jeremiah