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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Zedekiah and his warriors didn't just flee; they chose a specific, hidden escape route through the king's garden and a gate between defensive walls. This wasn't a desperate scramble, but a planned, albeit futile, attempt to sneak away under the cover of night towards the Jordan Valley.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Babylonian army has breached Jerusalem's walls, and their princes are now entering the city. King Zedekiah, seeing the overwhelming enemy presence and the city's defenses collapsing, decides to flee under the cover of night with his soldiers, hoping to escape through a hidden route near the royal gardens. Their desperate attempt to reach the Arabah, the Jordan valley, marks the beginning of their capture and the fulfillment of prophecy.
When the walls of Jerusalem finally fell, King Zedekiah didn't go down fighting. Instead, he chose a secret, desperate escape under the cover of night.
Jeremiah 39:4 paints a vivid picture of King Zedekiah's final moments in Jerusalem. As the Babylonian army breached the city walls, Zedekiah and his soldiers didn't mount a final defense. Instead, they panicked and fled. Their chosen route was not a heroic charge, but a stealthy escape through the king's garden, a private passage between the city's walls, and out towards the Jordan Valley (the Arabah).
This wasn't a plan hatched in a moment of bravery, but a last-ditch effort born of fear. The details—the king's garden, the gate between two walls—suggest a pre-planned, secret exit, perhaps an underground passage. It highlights Zedekiah's character: a leader who, even at the end, sought to save himself rather than stand with his people or trust in God's promises.
Zedekiah's attempt to escape through secret tunnels and the darkness of night ultimately proved futile. Why did his plans fail so spectacularly?
Zedekiah's flight wasn't just a military maneuver; it was the tragic, final act of a prophecy fulfilled. God had spoken through Jeremiah and Ezekiel about Zedekiah's capture and exile. His attempt to sneak away in the night was a desperate bid to circumvent God's word, not realizing that God's eyes see all, even in the deepest darkness.
The prophet Calvin noted that Zedekiah, like many who reject divine counsel, learned 'too late.' He had been warned to surrender and had refused. His escape attempt, a last-ditch effort through hidden paths, was an act of defiance against God's declared judgment. The precise details of the escape route—the king's garden, the gate between the walls—served to underscore how meticulously God's word was being played out, even in the king's most secret actions.
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Understand the original words
Arabah · Hebrew Noun
The dry, low-lying rift valley region surrounding the Jordan River, often used as a place of refuge or a strategic route for travel and military movement.
Zedekiah's desperate night flight through a secret passage reveals his final, futile attempt to escape God's judgment, underscoring the tragic consequences of his rebellion and defiance.
c. 597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and many Judean citizens to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
c. 589 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Nebuchadnezzar's forces lay siege to Jerusalem after King Zedekiah rebels against Babylonian rule. The siege lasts for over a year.
c. 588 BC
Egyptian Army Advances
An Egyptian army approaches Jerusalem, causing the Babylonian forces to temporarily withdraw. This gives Zedekiah false hope.
c. 586 BC
Babylonian Army Returns
The Egyptian army is defeated, and the Babylonians resume their relentless siege of Jerusalem. Famine and desperation grip the city.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Jerusalem Falls to Babylon
The Babylonians breach Jerusalem's walls, ending the prolonged siege. King Zedekiah and his remaining soldiers attempt a desperate night escape.
c. 586 BC
Zedekiah Captured
Zedekiah and his men are overtaken by the Babylonians near Jericho. His sons are killed before his eyes, and his eyes are then gouged out.
c. 586 BC
Jerusalem Destroyed
Following Zedekiah's capture, the Babylonians systematically destroy Jerusalem, including the Temple, and deport most of the remaining population.
This passage provides a parallel account of Zedekiah's escape attempt, reinforcing the historical reality of this desperate flight.
Ezekiel 12:12This verse directly foreshadows and symbolizes Zedekiah's actions, describing the prince of Israel digging through a wall to escape in the night, highlighting the prophetic significance of the event.
2 Kings 25:4This provides another historical record of the same event, detailing Zedekiah's flight and capture, underscoring the catastrophic fall of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 38:17-23These verses show Jeremiah warning Zedekiah that his attempts to escape will be in vain and that he will be captured by the Babylonians, adding a layer of tragic irony to the king's flight.
barnesJeremiah 39:4: "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."
Compare the marginal reference. The differences between the two accounts are slight.
calvinJeremiah 39:3-4: "And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon."
And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.
Et ingressi sunt omnes duces regis Ba…
Zedekiah and his warriors didn't just flee; they chose a specific, hidden escape route through the king's garden and a gate between defensive walls. This wasn't a desperate scramble, but a planned, albeit futile, attempt to sneak away under the cover of night towards the Jordan Valley.
The Babylonian army has breached Jerusalem's walls, and their princes are now entering the city. King Zedekiah, seeing the overwhelming enemy presence and the city's defenses collapsing, decides to flee under the cover of night with his soldiers, hoping to escape through a hidden route near the royal gardens. Their desperate attempt to reach the Arabah, the Jordan valley, marks the beginning of their capture and the fulfillment of prophecy.
The Babylonian army has breached Jerusalem's walls, and their princes are now entering the city. King Zedekiah, seeing the overwhelming enemy presence and the city's defenses collapsing, decides to flee under the cover of night with his soldiers, hoping to escape through a hidden route near the royal gardens. Their desperate attempt to reach the Arabah, the Jordan valley, marks the beginning of their capture and the fulfillment of prophecy.
"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." — Zedekiah and his warriors didn't just flee; they chose a specific, hidden escape route through the king's garden and a gate between defensive walls. This wasn't a desperate scramble, but a planned, a…
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Last reviewed October 2026