John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 32

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord

The word of prophecy, as the Targum, concerning Jeremiah's buying the field of his uncle's son, (Jeremiah 32:6); and concerning the delivery of the city of Jerusalem into the hands of the Chaldeans, (Jeremiah 32:26); and the return of the captivity, (Jeremiah 32:36);

in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar;

the same with Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, a year before the taking of the city by him; for that was in the eleventh of Zedekiah, and the nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar; see (Jeremiah 52:1Jeremiah 52:5Jeremiah 52:12).

For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem And had done so for some time; for the siege began in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, (Jeremiah 52:4) ; and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which [was] in the king of Judah's house ;

which showed great stupidity and hardness of heart in the king, and his courtiers, and in the people, to imprison a prophet of the Lord, when surrounded by an enemy's army, and that according to the prediction of the prophet; by which it appeared that he was a true prophet; and they might reasonably expect that the rest of his predictions, which related to the taking of their city, and carrying them captive, would be fulfilled.

It is true, indeed, he was in a better prison than before, more honourable, being within the limits of the king's house; and, besides, was not closely confined, but allowed to walk in the court of the prison; and so had a free air to breathe in, and more company to converse with, and could exercise himself by walking about;

perhaps he was placed here to keep him from prophesying to the people to their discouragement, and the more to awe him, as he was under the eye of the king and his ministry.

Of this prison and its court mention is made in (Nehemiah 3:25) ; it seems to have been for state prisoners.

For Zedekiah king of Judah has shut him up
In prison, at least in the court of the prison; he had given orders for his imprisonment, which wereexecuted, and it was the same as if he had done it himself; the reason of which was, as follows:saying, wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, thus saith the Lord ,
behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and
he shall take it ?
meaning the city of Jerusalem, now besieged by the king of Babylon. This prophecy stands in (Jeremiah 34:1–3) ; the prophecies of this book not being put together in proper order of time.

And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans. This is a continuation of the prophecy of Jeremiah, repeated by the king to him, and which concerns himself more especially; who, upon the taking of the city, would endeavour to make his escape, as he did; but should not be able (Jeremiah 52:8); but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon; not only into the hands of his army, and of his generals, but into his own hand personally; since it follows:

and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes; converse together face to face, eye to eye; but no doubt with different tones and looks; the king of Babylon upbraiding the king of Judah with perjury and ingratitude, and looking upon him with indignation and contempt; the other speaking faintly, and looking down with grief, shame, and confusion; moreover, the eyes of the king of Babylon beheld the eyes of Zedekiah, and ordered them to be put out, as they were (2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 39:7; Jeremiah 52:11).

And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon As he did in chains, from Riblah, where he was brought to him after he was taken, endeavouring to make his escape, (Jeremiah 52:8Jeremiah 52:9Jeremiah 52:11) ;

and there shall he until I visit him, says the Lord ; in taking him away by death; for he continued in Babylon to the time of his death, which was not violent, but natural; and, considering his circumstances, his captivity, imprisonment, and loss of sight, might be reckoned a visitation in mercy: though some understand this of God's visiting the people at the return of them from their seventy years' captivity; if Zedekiah lived till then, he must be a very old man; but of this we have no account, nor is it probable:

though you fight with the Chaldeans, you shall not prosper ; though they should sally out upon them, in order to beat them out of their trenches, and drive them from the walls of the city, yet without success.