And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.
JEREMIAH 39:2KJVWhat does Jeremiah 39:2 mean?
Jeremiah 39:2 records the exact date when Jerusalem was breached by the Babylonian army: in the eleventh year of King Zedekiah’s reign, on the ninth day of the fourth month. This verse marks the moment when the city’s defenses failed and the Babylonians broke into Jerusalem.
The verse is part of a historical account, with the prophet Jeremiah describing the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon. Jeremiah is reporting a factual event to his readers, not speaking directly to anyone in the verse. The specific date highlights the seriousness and reality of the disaster, showing that this was a real moment of crisis for the people of Judah.
The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 39:2
- עָשָׂר (ʿāśār, "eleventh") and שָׁנָה (shānāh, "year"): These words set the timing precisely, emphasizing the historical accuracy and importance of the event.
- צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tsidqiyyāhū, "Zedekiah"): Naming Zedekiah connects the event to a specific ruler, grounding the fall of Jerusalem in a particular reign.
- רְבִיעִי (rĕvîʿî, "fourth") and חֹדֶשׁ (ḥōdesh, "month"): The mention of both the month and the day (תְּשִׁעִי, tĕshiʿî, "ninth") shows the precision with which this disaster was remembered.
- נִבְקְעָה (nibqāʿāh, "was broken up"): This verb means to be split or breached, vividly describing the city walls being broken through by the enemy, not just a general defeat but a physical breach.
Why Jeremiah 39:2 matters
- The verse clears up any uncertainty about when Jerusalem fell, giving a precise date that anchors the event in history.
- By naming Zedekiah and the exact time, the verse connects the fall of Jerusalem to earlier warnings Jeremiah gave, showing that what was prophesied actually happened.
- The detail about the city being "broken up" highlights the severity of the event—the defenses were not just overcome, but physically shattered, marking the end of Jerusalem’s resistance.