1sn 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.

2map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

3tn Some textual witnesses support the Kethib (consonantal text) in reading “Hamital.”

4tn Heb “what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.”

5tn 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.

6tn Or “against.”

7sn This would have been January 15, 588 b.c. The reckoning is based on the calendar that begins the year in the spring (Nisan = March/April).

8sn According to modern reckoning that would have been July 18, 586 b.c. The siege thus lasted almost a full eighteen months.

9tn Heb “the people of the land.”

10sn The king’s garden is mentioned again in Neh 3:15 in conjunction with the pool of Siloam and the stairs that go down from the city of David. This would have been in the southern part of the city near the Tyropean Valley which agrees with the reference to the “two walls” which were probably the walls on the eastern and western hills.

11sn Heb “toward the Arabah.” The Arabah was the rift valley north and south of the Dead Sea. Here the intention was undoubtedly to escape across the Jordan to Moab or Ammon. It appears from 40:14; 41:15 that the Ammonites were known to harbor fugitives from the Babylonians.

12map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.

13sn Riblah was a strategic town on the Orontes River in Syria. It was at a crossing of the major roads between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Pharaoh Necho had earlier received Jehoahaz there and put him in chains (2 Kgs 23:33) prior to taking him captive to Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar had set up his base camp for conducting his campaigns against the Palestinian states there and was now sitting in judgment on prisoners brought to him.

14tn Heb “fetters of bronze.” The more generic “chains” is used in the translation because “fetters” is a word unfamiliar to most modern readers.

15tn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 25:8 has “seventh.”

16sn The tenth day of the month would have been August 17, 586 b.c. in modern reckoning.

17tn For the meaning of this phrase see BDB 371 s.v. טַבָּח 2 and compare the usage in Gen 39:1.

18tn Heb “stood before.”

19tn Heb “poor of the people.”

20tn Heb “Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard.” However, the subject is clear from the preceding and modern English style would normally avoid repeating the proper name and title.

21tn Heb “poor of the land.”

22sn For discussion of the items listed here, see the study notes at Jer 27:19.

23sn These shovels were used to clean the altar.

24sn These trimming shears were used to trim the wicks of the lamps.

25tn Heb “with which they served (or “fulfilled their duty”).”

26sn The censers held the embers used for the incense offerings.

27sn These vessels were used for drink offerings.

28tc The translation follows the LXX (Greek version), which reflects the description in 1 Kgs 7:25-26. The Hebrew text reads, “the twelve bronze bulls under the movable stands.” הַיָּם (hayyam, “The Sea”) has been accidentally omitted by homoioarcton; note that the following form, הַמְּכֹנוֹת (hamm˙khonot, “the movable stands”), also begins with the article.

29tn Heb “eighteen cubits.” A “cubit” was a unit of measure, approximately equivalent to a foot and a half.

30tn Heb “twelve cubits.” A “cubit” was a unit of measure, approximately equivalent to a foot and a half.

31tn Heb “four fingers.”

32tn Heb “five cubits.” A “cubit” was a unit of measure, approximately equivalent to a foot and a half.

33sn See the note at Jer 35:4.

34tn Heb “men, from the people of the land” (also later in this verse).

35tn Heb “struck them down and killed them.”

36tn Heb “these are the people.”

37sn This would be 597 b.c.

38sn This would be 586 b.c.

39sn This would be 581 b.c.

40sn The parallel account in 2 Kgs 25:28 has “twenty-seventh.”

41sn The twenty-fifth day would be March 20, 561 b.c. in modern reckoning.

42tn Heb “lifted up the head of.”

43tn Heb “made his throne above the throne of

44tn The subject is unstated in the Hebrew text, but Jehoiachin is clearly the subject of the following verb.