Jeremiah 52:1-3

The Fall of Jerusalem

52:1 ¹ Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem ²  for eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal ³  daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah. 52:2 He did what displeased the Lord ⁴  just as Jehoiakim had done.

52:3 What follows is a record of what happened to Jerusalem and Judah because of the Lord’s anger when he drove them out of his sight. ⁵  Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

[52:1]  ¹ sn This final chapter does not mention Jeremiah, but its description of the downfall of Jerusalem and exile of the people validates the prophet’s ministry.

[52:1]  ² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[52:1]  ³ tn Some textual witnesses support the Kethib (consonantal text) in reading “Hamital.”

[52:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.”

[52:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “Surely (or “for”) because of the anger of the Lord this happened in Jerusalem and Judah until he drove them out from upon his face.” For the phrase “drive out of his sight,” see 7:15.