Chapter 39

Yirmiyahu A Teachers' Guide

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The teacher should assign chapter 38 for the students, as homework. This chapter provides background information necessary for a full understanding of chapter 39.

The Abarbanel notes that this chapter's purpose is not to present a historical description of the destruction of the First Temple, as this has already been done in Melachim II, chapter 25 and at the end of the book of Yirmiyahu. Rather, this description is here to serve as a vindication of Yirmiyahu's prophecies.

At some point the teacher should learn the Shulchan Aruch and the Mishnah Brurah, section 549, on the matter of the four fast days.

Verse 1:

בשנה התשיעית לצדקיהו מלך יהודה בחודש העשירי בא נבוכדראצר מלך בבל וכל חילו אל ירושלים ויצורו עליה

בחודש העשירי... ויצורו עליה

See Yirmiyahu 52:4 for the exact date. We fast on the tenth of Tevet to mark the beginning of the destruction.

Verse 2:

בעשתי עשרה שנה לצדקיהו בחודש הרביעי בתשעה לחודש הובקעה העיר

בחודש הרביעי בתשעה לחודש

During the destruction of the First Temple the walls were broken on the 9th day of Tammuz. During the destruction of the Second Temple they were broken on the 17th day of Tammuz. (Ta'anit 28b)

הובקעה העיר

The verb used is in the form of הפעל , a passive verb. Since the people were so weak from hunger and could not defend themselves, it was as if the walls fell by themselves. (Metzudat David)

Verse 3:

ויבואו כל שרי מלך בבל וישבו בשער התווך נרגל שראצר סמגר נבו שרסכים רב סריס נרגל שראצר רב מג וכל שארית שרי מלך בבל

וישבו בשער התוך

1. This gate was in the middle wall surrounding Jerusalem. (Metzudat David)

2. This was a fulfillment of one of the first prophecies of Yirmiyahu - see chapter 1, verse 15. (Radak)

Verse 4:

ויהי כאשר ראם צדקיהו מלך יהודה וכל אנשי המלחמה ויברחו ויצאו לילה מן העיר דרך גן המלך בשער בין החומותיים ויצא דרך הערבה

דרך גן המלך

Tzidkiyahu tried to escape via a secret tunnel leading from his house to Jericho. Hashem caused a deer to run above the cave. The soldiers who followed the deer were able to capture the king and his family as they emerged from the tunnel. (Rashi)

The students should glean from this story the concept of הרבה שלוחים למקום - Hashem has many agents that can do His will.

 

 

Before learning the next group of verses, the students should read 34:2-5 and see the prophecy of Yirmiyahu concerning Tzidkiyahu. They should then compare the prophecy with its fulfillment.

Verse 5:

וירדפו חיל כשדים אחריהם וישיגו את צדקיהו בערבות ירחו ויקחו אותו ויעלוהו אל נבוכדראצר מלך בבל רבלתה בארץ חמת וידבר אתו משפטים

רבלתה

Since the siege lasted so long, Nebuchadnezzar went to Rivlah to capture that city. (Metzudat David)

משפטים

1. Nebuchadnezzar censured Tzidkiyahu for breaking the promise he had made to him. See Divrei Hayamim II 36:13. (Metzudat David)

2. Tzidkiyahu once dined with Nebuchadnezzar and watched with disgust as he ate a live rabbit. Nebuchadnezzar made Tzidkiyahu swear never to reveal this secret. But Tzidkiyahu later had his vow annulled, and told other kings of what he had seen. See Melachim II, chapter 24. (Mussar Hanevi'im)

** Tzidkiyahu told the other kings not in order to ridicule Nebuchadnezzar, but in order to warn them of his cruelty. (Mussar Hanevi'im)

Verse 6:

וישחט מלך בבל את בני צדקיהו ברבלה לעיניו ואת כל חורי יהודה שחט מלך בבל

ואת כל חורי יהודה

These were the Sanhedrin who had annulled Tzidkiyahu's vow. (Rashi)

According to the Yalkut Shimoni, Tzidkiyahu justified the verdict, and recognized the truth of Yirmiyahu's prophecy. (Yalkut Shimoni Melachim II, 250)

Verse 8:

ואת בית המלך ואת בית העם שרפו הכשדים באש ואת חומות ירושלים נתצו

ואת בית העם

1. The houses of all of the important people of the nation. (Metzudat David)

2. This is a reference to the Temple. Since the Shechinah had already departed from the structure, it is referred to as בית העם - house of the people. (Abarbanel)

The students should look in Melachim II 25:8-10 and note that the date of the destruction of the Temple is the 7th of Av. They should then look in Yirmiyahu 52:12, and see that the date brought there is the 10th of Av. The Mahari Kra explains the discrepancy according to a gemara in Ta'anit: On the 7th of Av they entered the Temple and wrecked it. On the 8th and 9th of Av they ate and drank. On the evening of the 9th they burned it, and on the 10th of Av it was completely consumed. We fast on the 9th, since אתחלתא דפורענותא עיקר - the beginning of the calamity is the main thing. (Mahari Kra on Yirmiyahu 52:12)

Verse 9:

ואת יתר העם הנשארים בעיר ואת הנופלים אשר נפלו עליו ואת יתר העם הנשארים הגלה נבוזראדן רב טבחים בבל

הנשארים

Those that had not been killed by the sword. (Metzudat David)

ואת הנופלים אשר נפלו עליו

Those that had made peace. (Metzudat David)

בבל

They were exiled to Babylon.

Verse 10:

ומן העם הדלים אשר אין להם מאומה השאיר נבוזראדן רב טבחים בארץ יהודה ויתן להם כרמים ויגבים ביום ההוא

אשר אין להם מאומה

Nebuchadnezzar knew that these people would not even think of rebelling. (Malbim)

ויתן להם כרמים ויגבים

He gave them fields to cultivate. (Radak)

Verse 12:

קחנו ועיניך שים עליו ואל תעש לו מאומה רע כי אם כאשר ידבר אליך כן עשה עמו

קחנו ועיניך שים עליו ואל תעש לו מאומה

1. Nebuchadnezzar was inspired from heaven to save Yirmiyahu. (Abarbanel)

2. Nebuchadnezzar heard about Yirmiyahu's prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem from those who had already been exiled. (Abarbanel)

Verse 14:

וישלחו ויקחו את ירמיהו מחצר המטרה ויתנו אותו אל גדליהו בן אחיקם בן שפן להוציאהו אל הבית וישב בתוך העם

וישב בתוך העם

The Babylonians took him from חצר המטרה where he had been imprisoned, and let him dwell among the people. (Metzudat David)

The last section of the chapter is a prophecy that Yirmiyahu received after he had been removed from the pit and was sitting in חצר המטרה. Although it was a dark time for the Jews, a time of destruction, nevertheless Yirmiyahu received this prophecy about Eved Melech the Cushite. We learn from this that אין הקב"ה מקפח שכר כל בריה ובריה - Hashem gives every being what it deserves. (Abarbanel)

Verse 16:

הלוך ואמרת לעבד מלך הכושי לאמור כה אמר ה' צבקות אלוקי ישראל הנני מבי את דברי אל העיר הזאת לרעה ולא לטובה והיו לפניך ביום ההוא

הלוך ואמרת לעבד מלך הכושי לאמר

1. Eved Melech was his name, and he was a kushi - black-skinned. (Metzudat David on Yirmiyahu 38:7)

2. Just like a kushi is recognizable by his skin, likewise he was notable for his good deeds in the house of Tzidkiyahu. (Yalkut Shimoni 326)

3. He was the one who recommended to Tzidkiyahu to remove Yirmiyahu from the pit. (Metzudat David)

והיו לפניך ביום ההוא

He will see the evil in front of his eyes on that day of destruction. (Metzudat David)

Verse 18:

כי מלט אמלטך ובחרב לא תיפול והיתה לך נפשך לשלל כי בטחת בי נאום ה'

כי בטחת בי נאום ה'

Eved Melech had demonstrated his faith in Hashem by speaking well about Yirmiyahu to Tzidkiyahu, thus going against the opinion of all the officers who wanted to have Yirmiyahu killed. (Metzudat David)

 

 

 

 

Summary - Chapter 39

Key phrases

 

· "בעשתי עשרה שנה לצדקיהו בחודש הרביעי בתשעה לחודש הובקעה העיר" [ב]

· "ויברחו ויצאו לילה מן העיר דרך גן המלך בשער בין החומתיים" [ד]

· "וישחט מלך בבל את בני צדקיהו ברבלה לעיניו... ואת עיני צדקיהו עיוור" [ו-ז]

· "ואת בית המלך ואת בית העם שרפו הכשדים באש" [ח]

· "קחנו ועיניך שים עליו ואל תעש לו מאומה" [יב]

Major Themes

 

· The capture of T.

· The destruction of the city of Jerusalem.

· The protection of Yirmiyahu.

· The reward of Eved Melech the Cushite.

Yirmiyahu A Teachers' Guide

Home || Intro || Gen. Intro || 1 || 2:1-29 || 2:30-3:5 || 7:1-28 || 8:13-9:23 || 16:19-17:14 || 19 || 23:13-40 || 26 || 27 || 28 || 29:1-14 || 31:1-19 || 36 || 39 || 40 || 41 || 42 || App.

Project of 613.org - Largest Archive to Date of Jewish Sound and Video on the Internet!