John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 39:1-2

"And it came to pass when Jerusalem was taken, (in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and besieged it; in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city,)" — Jeremiah 39:1-2 (ASV)

Jeremiah seems here indeed to undertake the office of a historian rather than that of a Prophet; but he seals his previous prophecies and, at the same time, shows that he had brought forward nothing rashly or thoughtlessly. There is, then, a proof here of all his former doctrine; he brings before us the reality and shows that whatever he had predicted was accomplished by God’s hand, and in a manner almost incredible. We now understand what this chapter contains.

He says that King Nebuchadnezzar came, though he soon departed from the siege, for, as we shall soon see, he went to Riblah, which, as some think, was the Antioch of Syria; but of this we shall speak in its proper place. When, therefore, the king came with his army, he soon departed. His purpose was to live at leisure and in the enjoyment of pleasures as long as the city was besieged; he was not disposed to undertake the trouble and weariness of a long warfare. Yet, in order to spread more terror, he came himself to the City and gave instructions to his army.

We must notice the time: he came in the ninth year, in the tenth month, that is, about the end of the year. Zedekiah, no doubt, entertained a good hope, though reports were flying about concerning the coming of the Chaldean army, for the king had not prepared for the war as soon as he ought to have done. He thought that his revolt from the king of Babylon would be passed by unpunished. But the Prophet here reminds us that it was a false confidence, for though God spared him for a time and suspended His judgment, He eventually punished the impiety of his revolt, to which ingratitude was also added, as has been stated before. This much concerns the ninth year and the tenth month.

It then follows, In the eleventh year, in the fourth month, the city was broken up. From this we see that the city was besieged for a year and a half. For there was the whole of the tenth year, and then two months of the ninth year and four months of the eleventh year must be added; thus, a year and a half was the whole time.

Here also we must remember how much the Jews must have suffered. For if a city today were to bear a siege for a few months, it would appear a rare instance of valor; but Jerusalem was besieged for a year and a half. Let us now consider how many people must have been there, as we have seen that the Prophet threatened them with famine.

And the Prophet has not only testified elsewhere to how much scarcity there was in the city, but in the book of Lamentations he has shown it most fully (Lamentations 4:10). And there was not only famine, but it was followed by pestilence. From this we learn how ferocious the king's character must have been, that he could see miserable men perishing by scores and yet persist in his obstinacy.

Nor is there any doubt that the people, on their part, were also obstinate and eventually became stupefied through their sufferings. For nearly everyone, from the least to the greatest, despised what the Prophet taught; and thus they were all blinded by madness and stupidity.

It should be noted that they bore a siege for a year and six months and were not even then persuaded to surrender themselves until the city was broken up—that is, until the walls were beaten down by battering rams and other warlike engines.

The city was broken when the wall, beaten by the engines, fell down.

In short, the city was gained by storm. This is what is meant and will be expressed more fully later.

But I cannot proceed further now.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as we are surrounded by so many dangers and bring on ourselves daily, through our sins, so many miseries. O grant that we may at least yield to Your threats and learn in due time to seek Your favor and to anticipate Your judgment. May we so humble ourselves under Your mighty hand that we may find You propitious to us miserable sinners, who flee to Your mercy, until, having at last been freed from all our sins, we shall appear before Your tribunal and there receive the reward of our faith: that blessed immortality, which Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, has procured for us by His own blood. Amen.