Jeremiah 39:4
New International Version
When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah.

New Living Translation
When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw that the Babylonians had broken into the city, they fled. They waited for nightfall and then slipped through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley.

English Standard Version
When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah.

Berean Standard Bible
When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and they went out along the route to the Arabah.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So it was, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city by night, by way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went out by way of the plain.

New American Standard Bible
And when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and left the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.

NASB 1995
When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.

NASB 1977
And it came about, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened that when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.

Amplified Bible
When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and escaped from the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and the king went out toward the Arabah (Jordan Valley).

Christian Standard Bible
When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the fighting men saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the city gate between the two walls. They left along the route to the Arabah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When he saw them, Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls. They left along the route to the Arabah.

American Standard Version
And it came to pass that, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, through the gate betwixt the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.

Contemporary English Version
When King Zedekiah and his troops saw that Jerusalem had been captured, they tried to escape from the city that same night. They went to the king's garden, where they slipped through the gate between the two city walls and headed toward the Jordan River valley.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass that when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, 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 Arabah.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king's garden through the gate between the two walls, and they took the road to the plain [of Jericho].

Good News Translation
When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers saw what was happening, they tried to escape from the city during the night. They left by way of the royal garden, went through the gateway connecting the two walls, and escaped in the direction of the Jordan Valley.

International Standard Version
When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled and went out of the city at night through the king's garden through the gate between the two walls. Then he went out on the road toward the Arabah.

Majority Standard Bible
When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and they went out along the route to the Arabah.

NET Bible
When King Zedekiah of Judah and all his soldiers saw them, they tried to escape. They departed from the city during the night. They took a path through the king's garden and passed out through the gate between the two walls. Then they headed for the Jordan Valley.

New Heart English Bible
It happened that, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went 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.

World English Bible
When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled and went out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, when Zedekiah king of Judah and all the men of war have seen them, that they flee and go forth by night from the city, the way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and he goes forth the way of the plain.

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, when Zedekiah king of Judah, and all the men of war, have seen them, that they flee and go forth by night from the city, the way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls, and he goeth forth the way of the plain.

Smith's Literal Translation
And it will be as Zedekiah king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, and they will flee and go forth at night from the city the way of the king's garden, in the gate between the two walls: and he will go forth the way of the desert.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when Sedecias the king of Juda and all the men of war saw them, they fled: and they went forth in the night out of the city by the way of the king's garden, and by the gate that was between the two walls, and they went; out to the way of the desert.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when Zedekiah, the king of Judah, with all the men of war, had seen them, they fled. And they departed from the city at night, by way of the king’s garden, and through the gate which was between the two walls. And they departed along the way of the desert.

New American Bible
When Zedekiah, king of Judah, and all his warriors saw this, they fled, leaving the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through a gate between the two walls. He went in the direction of the Arabah,

New Revised Standard Version
When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And it came to pass, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out of the city by night by the way of the king's garden by the gate between the two walls; and they went out by the way of the plain.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And when Tsedeqia King of Judea saw them and all the men Warriors, they fled and they went out from the city in the night in the road of the garden of the King, by the gate of the house of the walls, and they went out in the road of the valley
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, 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 Arabah.
Audio Bible



Context
The Fall of Jerusalem
3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon entered and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon. 4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled. They left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and they went out along the route to the Arabah. 5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him.…

Cross References
2 Kings 25:4-7
Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah, / but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army deserted him. / The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they pronounced judgment on him. ...

Jeremiah 52:7-11
Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled the city by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah, / but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army deserted him. / The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on Zedekiah. ...

Ezekiel 12:12-13
And at dusk the prince among them will lift his bags to his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land. / But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die.

2 Chronicles 36:17-20
So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, / who carried off everything to Babylon—all the articles of the house of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king and his officials. / Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value. ...

Lamentations 4:19-20
Those who chased us were swifter than the eagles in the sky; they pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness. / The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.”

Isaiah 30:16
“No,” you say, “we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee! “We will ride swift horses,” but your pursuers will be faster.

Jeremiah 38:18-23
But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’” / But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me.” / “They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the voice of the LORD in what I am telling you, that it may go well with you and you may live. ...

Jeremiah 21:4-7
this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will turn against you the weapons of war in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall, and I will assemble their forces in the center of this city. / And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, with anger, fury, and great wrath. / I will strike down the residents of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a terrible plague.’ ...

Jeremiah 32:4
Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the hands of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye.

Jeremiah 34:3
And you yourself will not escape his grasp, but will surely be captured and delivered into his hand. You will see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face; and you will go to Babylon.

Matthew 24:16-18
then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. / Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. / And let no one in the field return for his cloak.

Luke 21:21-24
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city. / For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. / How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people. ...

Mark 13:14-16
So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. / Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house. / And let no one in the field return for his cloak.

2 Thessalonians 2:8
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival.

Revelation 6:15-17
Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. / And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. / For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”


Treasury of Scripture

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 between the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

when

Jeremiah 38:18-20
But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand…

Leviticus 26:17,36
And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you…

Deuteronomy 28:25
The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

betwixt.

Jeremiah 52:7
Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain.

2 Chronicles 32:5
Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.

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Jeremiah 39
1. Jerusalem is taken.
4. Zedekiah is made blind and sent to Babylon.
8. The city laid in ruins,
9. and the people captivated.
11. Nebuchadrezzar's charge for the good usage of Jeremiah.
15. God's promise to Ebed Melech.














When King Zedekiah of Judah
King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, reigned during a tumultuous period marked by the Babylonian siege. His name in Hebrew, "צִדְקִיָּהוּ" (Tzidkiyahu), means "Yahweh is my righteousness," which is ironic given his eventual downfall due to disobedience to God's commands. Historically, Zedekiah was a vassal king under Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and his reign was characterized by political instability and spiritual decline. His account is a poignant reminder of the consequences of failing to heed prophetic warnings and the importance of aligning leadership with divine will.

and all the soldiers saw them
The soldiers, representing the military strength of Judah, were witnesses to the advancing Babylonian forces. The Hebrew word for "soldiers" here is "אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה" (anshei hammilchamah), literally "men of war." This phrase underscores the futility of relying solely on human strength and military might when God’s judgment is at hand. The soldiers' inability to defend Jerusalem highlights the overarching biblical theme that true security and victory come from obedience to God rather than reliance on human power.

they fled
The act of fleeing signifies a moment of desperation and fear. In Hebrew, "נָסוּ" (nasu) conveys a sense of panic and retreat. This flight is emblematic of the broader spiritual flight from God’s protection and guidance. Zedekiah and his soldiers' decision to flee rather than repent and seek God’s mercy illustrates the tragic consequences of ignoring divine counsel. It serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of seeking refuge in God rather than in human strategies.

They left the city at night
Leaving the city at night suggests a clandestine and hurried escape, indicative of fear and shame. The cover of darkness symbolizes the spiritual darkness that had enveloped Judah due to its leaders' disobedience. Biblically, night often represents a time of danger and uncertainty, contrasting with the light of God’s truth and guidance. This imagery reinforces the idea that turning away from God leads to a path of confusion and peril.

by way of the king’s garden
The king’s garden, likely a place of beauty and tranquility, becomes a route of escape, symbolizing the loss of peace and prosperity due to sin. Gardens in Scripture often represent places of divine blessing and provision, yet here it becomes a passage to exile. This transformation from a place of potential blessing to a route of escape underscores the consequences of forsaking God’s covenant.

through the gate between the two walls
The gate between the two walls suggests a narrow and secretive passage, highlighting the desperation of Zedekiah’s escape. In ancient cities, such gates were often used for strategic purposes, yet here it becomes a symbol of the narrow options left to those who reject God’s ways. The imagery of walls, typically symbols of protection, now serve as barriers to freedom, illustrating how sin entraps and limits.

and headed toward the Arabah
The Arabah, a desert region, represents desolation and barrenness. In Hebrew, "עֲרָבָה" (Aravah) can mean wilderness or desert, a place devoid of life and sustenance. This destination signifies the spiritual and physical desolation that results from abandoning God. The journey toward the Arabah is a metaphor for the spiritual journey away from God’s presence, leading to a place of emptiness and judgment. This serves as a powerful reminder of the need to remain within the life-giving boundaries of God’s will.

(4) When Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them . . .--The hasty flight is narrated again in Jeremiah 52:7. The gate between the two walls was one apparently that opened from the park-like garden of the palace, near the pool of Siloah (Nehemiah 3:15); probably identical with the garden of Uzza, which was used as a burial-place for Manasseh and Amon (2Kings 21:18-26); and led to the Arabah, the plain (always known by this distinctive name) of the valley of the Jordan (Deuteronomy 1:1; Deuteronomy 3:17; Deuteronomy 4:49; Joshua 12:1, and elsewhere). The "two walls" appear as part of the defence of the city in Isaiah 22:11, and connected Zion with the fortress known as Ophel (2Chronicles 27:3; 2Chronicles 33:14). . . . Verse 4. - Here begins the second parenthesis, to be read apart from the principal, though shorter, narrative (see introduction to chapter). Observe elsewhere in the Book of Jeremiah events known from other sources are only briefly referred to (comp. Jeremiah 29:2; Jeremiah 32:1-5; Jeremiah 34:1, 7; Jeremiah 35:11; Jeremiah 37:5); see 2 Kings 25:4-12.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Zedekiah
צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ (ṣiḏ·qî·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6667: Zedekiah -- 'Yah is righteousness', six Israelites

king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Judah
יְהוּדָ֜ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

and all
וְכֹ֣ל ׀ (wə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the soldiers
אַנְשֵׁ֣י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

saw them,
רָ֠אָם (rā·’ām)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7200: To see

they fled.
וַֽ֠יִּבְרְחוּ (way·yiḇ·rə·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1272: To bolt, to flee suddenly

They left
וַיֵּצְא֨וּ (way·yê·ṣə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

the city
הָעִיר֙ (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

at night
לַ֤יְלָה (lay·lāh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity

by way
דֶּ֚רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

of the king’s
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

garden,
גַּ֣ן (gan)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1588: An enclosure, garden

through the gate
בְּשַׁ֖עַר (bə·ša·‘ar)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

between
בֵּ֣ין (bên)
Preposition
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

the two walls,
הַחֹמֹתָ֑יִם (ha·ḥō·mō·ṯā·yim)
Article | Noun - fd
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

and they went out
וַיֵּצֵ֖א (way·yê·ṣê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

along the route
דֶּ֥רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

to the Arabah.
הָעֲרָבָֽה׃ (hā·‘ă·rā·ḇāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6160: Arabah -- a steppe or desert plain, also a desert valley running south from the Sea of Galilee


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 39:4 It happened that when Zedekiah the king (Jer.)
Jeremiah 39:3
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