Against Jerusalem

Jeremiah 39:1-4 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 they besieged it. And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up. And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon. And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain. 

‘In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon…’ In the 10th month of the 9th year of the reign of Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem to besiege it. This was after he had left the city temporarily because of the Egyptian army coming to oppose him. He had now conquered Egypt and come back to complete the conquest of Judah, Moab, Ammon, Edom and other countries. In the 4th month of the 11th year of Zedekiah, the city was taken. The last siege lasted 16 months (39:1-2). A more complete date is given in Jeremiah 54:4-6 – the 10th day of the 9th year; and the 9th day of the 4th month of the 11th year the city was broken up.

‘Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rabmag.’ Four princes of Babylon named: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris (the last word meaning Chief of the Chamberlains) and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag (the last word meaning Chief of the Physicians or Chief of the Magi).

‘With all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.’ How many other princes there were is not stated, but all came into the city and sat in the middle gate. When Zedekiah saw them and all the men of war from Babylon inside Jerusalem, he and his men fled by night by the way of the king’s garden and went toward the plains (39:4). The Chaldean army pursued them, and being on swift horses overtook them in the plains of Jericho (39:5).