John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. Her gates are sunk into the ground , etc.] Either the gates of the city or temple, or both; being broke and demolished, and laid level with the ground, and covered with rubbish; for as for the Midrash, or exposition, that Jarchi mentions, that the gates sunk into the earth upon the approach of the enemy, that they might not have power over them, through which the ark passed, is a mere fable of their Rabbins; and equally as absurd is the additional gloss of the Targum, “her gates sunk into the earth, because they sacrificed a hog, and brought of the blood of it to them:” he hath destroyed and broken her bars ; with which the gates were bolted and barred, that so the enemy might enter; it was God that did it, or suffered it to be done, or it would not have been in the power of the enemy: her king and her princes [are] among the Gentiles ; Zedekiah, and the princes that were not slain by the king of Babylon, were carried captive thither; and there they lived, even among Heathens that knew not God, and despised his worship: the law [is] no [more] ; the book of the law was burnt in the temple, and the tables of it carried away with the ark, or destroyed; and though, no doubt, there were copies of the law preserved, yet it was not read nor expounded; nor was worship performed according to the direction of it; nor could it be in a strange land. Mr. Broughton joins this with the preceding clause, as descriptive of the Heathens: “her king and her princes [are] among Heathen that have no law”; (see Romans 2:12); her prophets also find no vision from the Lord ; there was none but Jeremiah left in the land, and none but Ezekiel and Daniel in the captivity; prophets were very rare at this time, as they were afterwards; for we hear of no more after the captivity, till the coming of the Messiah, but Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi; so that there was very little open vision; the word of the Lord was precious or scarce; there was a famine of hearing it, ( <090301> Samuel 3:1 Amos 8:11 Psalm 74:9).
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The fate of Zedekiah. (Jer. 52:1-11) The destruction of Jerusalem (Jer. 52:12-23) The captivities. (Jer. 52:24-30) The advancement of Jehoiachin. (Jer. 52:31-34)
Jer. 52:1-11 This fruit of sin we should pray against above any thing Cast me not away from thy presence, Ps. 51:11. None are cast out of God's presence but those who by sin have first thrown themselves out Zedekiah's flight was in vain, for there is no escaping the judgment of God; they come upon the sinner, and overtake him, let him flee wher he will.
Jer. 52:12-23 The Chaldean army made woful havoc. But nothing is s particularly related here, as the carrying away of the articles in the temple. The remembrance of their beauty and value shows us the more the evil of sin.
Jer. 52:24-30 The leaders of the Jews caused them to err; but now the are, in particular, made monuments of Divine justice. Here is a account of two earlier captivities. This people often were wonders bot of judgment and mercy.
Jer. 52:31-34 See this history of king Jehoiachin in II Kin. 25:27-30 Those under oppression will find it is not in vain for them to hope an quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. Our times are in God' hand, for the hearts of all we have to deal with are so. May we be enabled, more and more, to rest on the Rock of Ages, and to loo forward with holy faith to that hour, when the Lord will bring agai Zion, and overthrow all the enemies of the church _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew טבעו2883 בארץ776 שׁעריה8179 אבד6 ושׁבר7665 בריחיה1280 מלכה4428 ושׂריה8269 בגוים1471 אין369 תורה8451 גם1571 נביאיה5030 לא3808 מצאו4672 חזון2377 מיהוה׃3068
