“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
While it sounds like a straightforward declaration of doom, notice God starts this message to Zedekiah with a solemn, almost parental, instruction: "Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah." This highlights that even in the face of utter destruction, God is still calling His people to listen, emphasizing a personal address to their leader amidst impending judgment. The phrase "he shall burn it with fire" is not just descriptive but a specific, devastating detail of God's judgment that would have been uniquely terrifying to ancient ears.
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is commanded by God to deliver a grim message directly to King Zedekiah amidst the full might of Nebuchadnezzar's empire besieging Jerusalem. The city, along with its surrounding towns, is already surrounded and under attack by a massive, multi-national force, setting the stage for the devastating pronouncement that God Himself will hand the city over to be utterly destroyed by fire.
Jerusalem is under siege, its walls surrounded by a vast enemy force. Who truly holds the power in this devastating conflict?
The verse opens with Jeremiah delivering a message from the LORD, the God of Israel. This isn't just a political or military update; it's a divine decree. Nebuchadnezzar and his massive army are portrayed as instruments of God's judgment. The text emphasizes the overwhelming might of Babylon – 'all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people' – highlighting that their power is not inherent but granted by God. This underscores a crucial biblical truth: earthly powers, even those seemingly invincible, operate under God's sovereign hand. He is the ultimate commander, even when He allows enemies to advance.
The king of Babylon is coming to burn Jerusalem with fire. Is this simply conquest, or is there a deeper reason behind such utter devastation?
The prophecy isn't just about the fall of a city; it's about the consequence of sin. The burning of Jerusalem with fire is presented not as a random act of violence but as a direct result of God's judgment. Jeremiah is sent to King Zedekiah, the leader of Judah, to deliver this grim news. The destruction signifies a righteous, albeit severe, response to prolonged disobedience and idolatry. While the enemy carries out the act, God declares, 'I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon.' This highlights that the impending ruin is a judicial sentence, a consequence of the nation's spiritual adultery and rebellion against their covenant God.
Understand the original words
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esh · Hebrew Noun
The act of combustion or a state of intense heat, often used in Scripture as an instrument of divine judgment, purification, or destruction.
The prophecy comes at the height of the Babylonian siege, a dire moment when Jerusalem's fate is sealed. The stark message to Zedekiah highlights God's judgment, emphasizing that the city's destruction by fire is not merely a military defeat but a divine sentence.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar carries off many of Judah's nobility and skilled workers, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and more of Judah's elite to Babylon. Zedekiah, Jehoiachin's uncle, is installed as the new puppet king.
c. 588 BC— this verse
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to Jerusalem after Zedekiah breaks his treaty and allies with Egypt. This is the immediate context for Jeremiah's prophecy.
c. 587 BC
Siege Broken and Renewed
A temporary Egyptian advance forces the Babylonians to lift the siege, leading to a brief resurgence of hope in Jerusalem. However, the Babylonians soon return, tightening their grip.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
After a prolonged siege, Babylonian forces breach Jerusalem's walls. They burn the city and the magnificent Temple of Solomon, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy.
c. 586 BC
Zedekiah's Capture and Blinding
King Zedekiah is captured while trying to escape. His sons are killed before his eyes, and his own eyes are put out before he is taken captive to Babylon.
This passage recounts a very similar message given to Zedekiah, emphasizing God's sovereign hand in delivering Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar and detailing Zedekiah's personal fate.
2 Kings 25:8-10This historical account directly describes the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy, detailing the Babylonian army's arrival, the burning of the city, and the destruction of the Temple.
Deuteronomy 28:49-50This earlier prophetic warning from Moses directly foreshadows the coming of a foreign nation, described as swift and terrible, to conquer and devastate Israel, mirroring the Babylonian invasion.
Ezekiel 17:11-21Ezekiel delivers a scathing allegory to Zedekiah, directly addressing his broken covenant and rebellion against Babylon, which further explains the divine judgment detailed in Jeremiah 34.
calvinJeremiah 34:1-2: "The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying,"
- The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities ther…
pooleJeremiah 34:2: "Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:"
No text from Poole on this verse.
While it sounds like a straightforward declaration of doom, notice God starts this message to Zedekiah with a solemn, almost parental, instruction: "Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah." This highlights that even in the face of utter destruction, God is still calling His people to listen, emphasizing a personal address to their leader amidst impending judgment. The phrase "he shall burn it with fire" is not just descriptive but a specific, devastating detail of God's judgment that would have been uniquely terrifying to ancient ears.
Jeremiah is commanded by God to deliver a grim message directly to King Zedekiah amidst the full might of Nebuchadnezzar's empire besieging Jerusalem. The city, along with its surrounding towns, is already surrounded and under attack by a massive, multi-national force, setting the stage for the devastating pronouncement that God Himself will hand the city over to be utterly destroyed by fire.
Jeremiah is commanded by God to deliver a grim message directly to King Zedekiah amidst the full might of Nebuchadnezzar's empire besieging Jerusalem. The city, along with its surrounding towns, is already surrounded and under attack by a massive, multi-national force, setting the stage for the devastating pronouncement that God Himself will hand the city over to be utterly destroyed by fire.
"“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire." — While it sounds like a straightforward declaration of doom, notice God starts this message to Zedekiah with a solemn, almost parental, instruction: "Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah." This high…
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Last reviewed October 2026