What is the meaning of Jeremiah 52:3?

For because of the anger of the LORD

• The verse begins by rooting every event in God’s righteous anger—His settled opposition to sin (2 Kings 24:20; Deuteronomy 29:24–28).

• Centuries of idolatry, injustice, and rejection of the prophets (Jeremiah 25:3–7) fueled this anger; judgment was not sudden but patiently delayed.

• God’s anger is never capricious; it is the just response of a holy God who had warned that covenant disobedience would bring curses (Leviticus 26:14–17).

---

all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah

• “All this” points to the Babylonian siege, famine, slaughter, destruction of the temple, and social collapse (Jeremiah 39:1–8; 2 Kings 25:8–10).

• These horrors were concentrated in the very places that housed God’s name and David’s throne, underscoring the seriousness of rebellion in the light of greater privilege (Luke 12:48).

• The devastation fulfilled earlier prophecies that Judah would drink the same cup of wrath Israel had drunk (Jeremiah 25:15–18; Amos 3:2).

---

until He finally banished them from His presence

• Exile to Babylon meant removal from the land and from the temple—the visible symbol of God’s dwelling (Jeremiah 7:14–15; Ezekiel 10:18–19).

• “Finally” conveys that judgment was the last step after relentless calls to repent (2 Chronicles 36:15–17).

• Even in banishment, God preserved a remnant and promised restoration after seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10–14), showing judgment and mercy can coexist.

---

And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon

• Zedekiah’s revolt (2 Kings 24:17–20) was both political and spiritual, breaking his oath sworn in God’s name (Ezekiel 17:12–19).

• His rebellion ignored Jeremiah’s counsel to submit to Babylon as God’s appointed instrument (Jeremiah 27:12–15).

• The verse links Zedekiah’s choice to the broader national sin, illustrating how individual leadership can accelerate corporate judgment (Proverbs 29:2).

---

summary

Jeremiah 52:3 traces Judah’s fall to a single cause: God’s righteous anger against persistent sin. The calamities that befell Jerusalem, the exile that removed the people from God’s presence, and Zedekiah’s ill-fated rebellion all flowed from covenant violation. The verse reminds us that God’s warnings are real, His patience has limits, and yet His unfolding plan still holds hope for restoration to those who turn back to Him.