In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:

JEREMIAH 52:29KJV
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Jeremiah 52:29 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 52:29 mean?

Jeremiah 52:29 reports that in the eighteenth year of King Nebuchadrezzar’s reign, 832 people were taken captive from Jerusalem. This verse is a historical record, noting a specific event during the Babylonian exile when a group of Jerusalem’s inhabitants was deported.

The book of Jeremiah ends with a summary of the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its people. Here, the writer is listing the numbers of people taken away by the Babylonians under Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon. This detail helps document the scale and timing of the exile, showing how Jerusalem’s population was gradually removed over several years.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 52:29

  • "Carried away captive" (גָּלָה, galah): This Hebrew word means to be exiled or taken away from one’s homeland, emphasizing forced removal rather than voluntary departure.
  • "Persons" (נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh): This word literally means "soul" or "life," but here it refers to individual people, highlighting the personal cost of the exile.
  • "Nebuchadrezzar" (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, Nevukhadretzar): The use of this specific name connects the event to the historical Babylonian king, grounding the verse in a real historical context.

Why Jeremiah 52:29 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the exile of Jerusalem’s people happened in stages, not all at once, with specific numbers recorded for each event.
  • By naming Nebuchadrezzar and giving exact figures, the verse emphasizes the historical reality and seriousness of the Babylonian conquest.
  • The detail about the number of captives helps readers understand the scale of loss and the impact on Jerusalem’s community, setting the stage for later hopes of return and restoration.

Where else these words appear

“Nebuchadrezzar” Hebrew H5019 · used in 59 verses

  • 2 Kings 24:1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.
  • Jeremiah 25:1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;
  • Jeremiah 43:10 And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.

“eighteenth” Hebrew H8083 · used in 105 verses

  • Genesis 5:4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
  • 1 Kings 7:10 And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
  • 2 Chronicles 34:8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.