What is the meaning of Jeremiah 52:5? And “And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year.” (Jeremiah 52:5) • The verse opens with a connecting “And,” tying this detail to the previous verse, which records Nebuchadnezzar’s armies encircling Jerusalem (Jeremiah 52:4; cf. 2 Kings 25:1). • Scripture’s flow reminds us that God’s judgments unfold in a continuous, purposeful sequence (Isaiah 55:11). • Nothing here is random; the conjunction anchors this event within the larger prophetic narrative Jeremiah has been giving since chapter 1 (Jeremiah 1:9-10). The city • “The city” is Jerusalem, the covenant center where God placed His Name (1 Kings 11:36). • Jerusalem’s walls had long stood as a symbol of security (Psalm 125:2), yet sin had eroded that safety (Jeremiah 5:1; Micah 3:9-12). • By calling it simply “the city,” the text highlights how its former glory is now eclipsed by impending ruin (Lamentations 1:1). Was kept under siege • The Babylonian army maintained a relentless blockade—no food in, no people out (2 Kings 25:2-3). • This fulfilled specific prophecies: Jeremiah 21:10 foretold, “I have set My face against this city for harm and not for good,” and Ezekiel 24:2 marked “this very day” of the siege. • The siege showcases divine justice: disobedience brought covenant curses (Deuteronomy 28:52-57). • It also exposes the futility of trusting in human allies; Egypt never arrived with help (Jeremiah 37:5-8). Until • “Until” signals a fixed limit ordained by God. Judgment has a timetable (Habakkuk 2:3). • Patience and mercy had run their course (2 Chronicles 36:15-16); now consequences would march forward to their appointed end (Jeremiah 15:2). • For the faithful remnant, “until” hints that suffering, though severe, would not be endless (Jeremiah 29:10-11). King Zedekiah’s eleventh year • The siege began in Zedekiah’s ninth year, tenth month (Jeremiah 39:1) and stretched to his eleventh year, fourth month (Jeremiah 52:6), roughly eighteen months. • This precise dating underscores Scripture’s historical reliability (Luke 1:3-4). • Zedekiah had ignored repeated warnings (Jeremiah 38:20-23). His rule ends in blindness and chains (Jeremiah 52:11), illustrating Proverbs 29:1: “A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed.” • The length of the siege reflects both divine patience (2 Peter 3:9) and inevitable judgment (Galatians 6:7). summary Jeremiah 52:5 records more than a military stalemate; it is the culmination of long-foretold discipline. The simple sentence links God’s steadfast word (“And”), His once-chosen city, the grim reality of siege, a divinely set limit (“until”), and the tragic close of Zedekiah’s reign. Through it all, Scripture affirms that God’s warnings are literal, His timing precise, and His purposes sure, inviting us to trust His Word and walk in obedience while His mercy is still extended. |
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