Jeremiah 52:29
in Nebuchadnezzar's eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem;
in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year
This phrase situates the event in a specific historical context, referring to the eighteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar II's reign. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon, a powerful empire that played a significant role in the history of Israel and Judah. His reign is well-documented both in the Bible and in extra-biblical sources, such as the Babylonian Chronicles. The eighteenth year corresponds to approximately 587/586 BC, a pivotal time when Jerusalem was besieged and eventually destroyed. This historical context underscores the fulfillment of prophetic warnings given by Jeremiah and other prophets about the consequences of Judah's disobedience to God.

832 people from Jerusalem
This specific number highlights the precision of the biblical record and the gravity of the exile. The deportation of 832 people from Jerusalem represents a significant portion of the population, indicating the severity of the Babylonian conquest and the fulfillment of God's judgment upon Judah for their persistent idolatry and rebellion. The mention of Jerusalem, the city of David and the location of the Temple, emphasizes the loss and devastation experienced by the people of Judah. This deportation is part of a series of exiles that stripped the land of its leaders, skilled workers, and many inhabitants, leaving behind a remnant. Theologically, this event serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from God, yet it also sets the stage for future restoration and hope, as prophesied by Jeremiah and realized in the return from exile under Persian rule.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Nebuchadnezzar
The king of Babylon who led the conquest of Jerusalem. His reign is marked by the expansion of the Babylonian Empire and the exile of the Jewish people.

2. Jerusalem
The capital city of Judah, significant in Jewish history as the location of the Temple and the center of Jewish worship. Its fall to Babylon marked a pivotal moment in Jewish history.

3. The Exile
This event refers to the forced deportation of the Jewish people to Babylon. It was a period of great trial and transformation for the Jewish nation.

4. Eighteenth Year
This refers to the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, a specific time marker that helps us understand the timeline of the Babylonian conquest.

5. 832 People
A specific number of people taken into exile from Jerusalem, highlighting the precision and historical nature of the biblical record.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty in Judgment
The exile demonstrates God's control over nations and history, using even foreign powers to accomplish His purposes.

The Consequences of Disobedience
The exile serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's commands and covenant.

Hope in Exile
Despite the judgment, God’s promises of restoration and hope remain, as seen in the prophetic messages of Jeremiah and others.

Faithfulness in Adversity
The account of the exile encourages believers to remain faithful to God even in difficult circumstances, trusting in His ultimate plan.

Historical Accuracy of Scripture
The specific details, such as the number of exiles, underscore the reliability and historical accuracy of the biblical record.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the account of the exile in Jeremiah 52:29 reflect God's sovereignty over nations and history?

2. What lessons can we learn from the consequences faced by Jerusalem due to disobedience, and how can we apply these lessons in our own lives?

3. In what ways does the experience of the Jewish people during the exile encourage us to remain faithful in our own times of trial?

4. How do the parallel accounts in 2 Kings and the book of Daniel enhance our understanding of the events described in Jeremiah 52:29?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced a "personal exile" or period of difficulty. How did your faith sustain you, and what promises of God provided hope during that time?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Kings 24-25
These chapters provide a parallel account of the fall of Jerusalem and the exile, offering additional details and context.

Daniel 1
Describes the beginning of the Babylonian captivity and the experiences of Daniel and his friends, who were among those taken to Babylon.

Psalm 137
Reflects the emotional and spiritual impact of the Babylonian exile on the Jewish people, capturing their longing for Jerusalem.

Lamentations 1
Offers a poetic lament over the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of its people during the exile.
The March of DoomS. Conway Jeremiah 52:4-34
People
Babylonians, Evilmerodach, Hamutal, Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim, Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar, Nebuzaradan, Seraiah, Solomon, Zedekiah, Zephaniah
Places
Arabah, Babylon, Hamath, Jericho, Jerusalem, Libnah, Riblah
Topics
832, Carried, Eight, Eighteenth, Hundred, Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar, Nebuchadrez'zar, Persons, Prisoners, Souls, Thirty, Thirty-two
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 52:4-30

     7217   exile, in Babylon

Library
'As Sodom'
'Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3. For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4. And it came to pass, in the ninth year of his reign,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Iranian Conquest
Drawn by Boudier, from the engraving in Coste and Flandin. The vignette, drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a statuette in terra-cotta, found in Southern Russia, represents a young Scythian. The Iranian religions--Cyrus in Lydia and at Babylon: Cambyses in Egypt --Darius and the organisation of the empire. The Median empire is the least known of all those which held sway for a time over the destinies of a portion of Western Asia. The reason of this is not to be ascribed to the shortness of its duration:
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9

The End
'1. And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. 2. And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. 3. And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 4. And the city was broken up, and all the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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