Jeremiah 27:20 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 27:20 mean?

Jeremiah 27:20 refers to the valuable items from Jerusalem that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, did not take when he deported Jeconiah (also called Jehoiachin), the son of Jehoiakim, along with the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem to Babylon. The verse highlights that some treasures or objects remained in Jerusalem after this first wave of exile.

The prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah, reminding them about the earlier deportation led by Nebuchadnezzar (the Babylonian king) when Jeconiah and the leading citizens were taken from Jerusalem to Babylon. Jeremiah is pointing out that not everything was taken in that first exile—some items were left behind, which sets up his warning about what might happen to the rest.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 27:20

• נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר (Nevukhadnetzar, "Nebuchadnezzar"): This is the Babylonian king responsible for the exile, emphasizing the foreign power controlling Judah’s fate.
• גָּלָה (galah, "carried away captive"): This word means to remove or exile, highlighting the forced nature of the deportation.
• יְכָנְיָה (Yekhonyah, "Jeconiah"): Naming Jeconiah specifically ties the event to a known historical moment, giving the verse a clear context.
• חֹרֵי (khorei, "nobles"): This word refers to the leading citizens or officials, showing that the exile targeted not just the king but also the influential people of Judah and Jerusalem.

Why Jeremiah 27:20 matters

• Jeremiah 27:20 clarifies that the Babylonian conquest happened in stages, not all at once; some items and people were left in Jerusalem after the first deportation.
• By naming Jeconiah and the nobles, the verse anchors the warning in a specific historical event, making Jeremiah’s message more concrete and urgent for his listeners.
• This verse helps explain the context for the warnings in the surrounding passage: Jeremiah is building a case that what remains in Jerusalem is still at risk if the people do not listen to God’s message.