Jeremiah 52:1-2
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While the verse plainly states Zedekiah's age and mother's name, it subtly highlights his lineage. Hamutal, his mother, was from Libnah, a detail that connects him not just to his father Josiah but also hints at his family ties with Jeremiah, the prophet, creating an interesting echo of names in a time of intense national crisis.
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This chapter serves as a historical appendix, detailing the final days of Jerusalem and its people, recounting King Zedekiah's reign and the city's destruction by the Babylonians. It picks up after Jeremiah's prophecies of doom, laying out the grim fulfillment of those warnings with the king's capture and the city's devastation.
Jeremiah 52 opens with stark facts about a new king, Zedekiah. But these aren't just historical footnotes; they mark the dramatic closing chapter of Judah's story.
The Final King
Jeremiah 52:1-3 sets the scene for the end of Jerusalem. Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, was only twenty-one when he ascended the throne, reigning for eleven years until the city’s fall.
His lineage is also mentioned: his mother was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah. This detail, while seemingly minor, connects him to the broader narrative of his time. It’s interesting to note that Zedekiah was not the first of his family to rule; he was brother to Jehoahaz and uncle to Jehoiachin, the king before him. This succession highlights the tumultuous political landscape, with multiple kings reigning in quick succession, often placed or removed by foreign powers like Babylon.
A Kingdom's Last Breath
Zedekiah’s reign, though detailed here as a simple record of years, was anything but simple. It was a time of profound crisis, marked by rebellion against Babylon and culminating in the city's utter destruction. The eleven years of his reign were the final, agonizing moments of the Davidic kingdom in Jerusalem.
Why does the Book of Jeremiah end with such detailed historical accounts? This final chapter is more than just a summary; it's a crucial historical anchor.
The Purpose of the Appendix
Jeremiah 52 is often seen as a historical appendix, a supplement to the prophecies that make up the bulk of the book. While some scholars suggest it was taken from the books of Kings, its inclusion here serves a vital purpose.
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It provides concrete historical evidence for the prophecies Jeremiah delivered. The destruction of Jerusalem, the exile of its people, and the fates of its kings were not abstract warnings but lived realities. This chapter grounds Jeremiah’s message in the devastating historical events that proved its truth.
Echoes of Judgment and Hope
The chapter details the fall of Jerusalem, the blinding of Zedekiah, and the subsequent exile. It also recounts the eventual release and favorable treatment of King Jehoiachin, Zedekiah’s predecessor, by the Babylonian king. These specific events underscore God's faithfulness to His covenant, even in judgment. The detailed account of the downfall emphasizes the consequences of disobedience, while Jehoiachin's later release hints at a future restoration, a quiet echo of God’s enduring mercy.
Understand the original words
melek · Hebrew Noun
A title used for a sovereign ruler or monarch. Biblically, it often refers to human rulers, but ultimately serves as a reminder that God is the true, supreme King over all the earth.
Yerušālayim · Hebrew Noun
The capital city of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. It is biblically significant as the location of the Temple, the dwelling place of God's presence, and represents the center of worship and covenant life for the people of God.
raʿ · Hebrew Adjective
A moral or ethical category denoting that which is contrary to God’s nature, will, or commands. It encompasses anything that opposes divine holiness and brings about separation or judgment.
ʿayin · Hebrew Noun
A common Hebrew idiom for divine judgment or appraisal. It signifies that God is the omniscient observer of human actions, and nothing escapes His holy scrutiny or evaluation.
Yahweh · Hebrew Noun
A personal name for the God of the covenant, the Creator who revealed Himself to Israel. It represents the self-existent One who enters into a relational and redemptive covenant with His people.
This chapter, appearing as a historical appendix, grounds the prophet Jeremiah's pronouncements in the stark reality of Judah's final, devastating collapse and Zedekiah's failed leadership.
c. 609 BC
Jehoiakim reigns in Judah
After Pharaoh Necho of Egypt deposed Jehoahaz, he installed Jehoiakim (originally Eliakim), Jehoahaz's older half-brother, as king. Jehoiakim's mother was Zebidah, not Hamutal, making Zedekiah a half-brother to Jehoiakim.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Judah and begins deporting skilled workers and members of the royal family to Babylon, including the prophet Daniel.
597 BC
Jehoiakim rebels and dies
Jehoiakim rebels against Babylonian rule. He dies during the ensuing siege, and his son Jehoiachin is installed as king.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar deposes the young king Jehoiachin after only three months, deporting him and thousands more of Judah's elite to Babylon. Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle and Zedekiah's original name, is placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar.
597 BC - 586 BC— this verse
Zedekiah's troubled reign
Zedekiah, son of Josiah and Hamutal, reigns as the last king of Judah. He is placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar but ultimately chooses to rebel.
588-586 BC
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem for nearly two years, leading to widespread famine and suffering. The city walls are breached, and Jerusalem is utterly destroyed.
586 BC
Zedekiah's capture and punishment
Zedekiah attempts to flee Jerusalem but is captured. His sons are executed before his eyes, and his own eyes are put out before he is taken in chains to Babylon.
This passage provides the exact same historical information about Zedekiah's age and reign, highlighting the textual overlap and the focus on the tragic end of the Judean monarchy.
2 Chronicles 36:11This verse mirrors the information about Zedekiah's age and reign, reinforcing the historical account and placing it within the broader narrative of Israel's decline and exile.
Jeremiah 39:2This verse immediately follows the historical account, detailing the siege and eventual fall of Jerusalem, showing the direct consequence of the events leading up to Zedekiah's reign and its conclusion.
Lamentations 1:1This opening verse of Lamentations describes Jerusalem as a desolated city, reflecting the tragic outcome of the reign of Zedekiah and the subsequent Babylonian conquest mentioned in Jeremiah 52.
Ezekiel 17:15This passage directly condemns Zedekiah for breaking his covenant with Babylon, underscoring the spiritual and political reasons for Jerusalem's downfall that Jeremiah 52 records.
barnesJeremiah 52:1: "Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah."
Jeremiah 52 is an historical appendix to the Book of Jeremiah, giving details of the capture of Babylon additional to those contained in Jeremiah 39 :The last words of the foregoing chapter affirm that Jeremiah was not the author, and the view adopted by most commentators is, that this chapter is taken from…
expositorsJeremiah 52:1: "Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah."
CHAPTER XIIIGEDALIAH Jeremiah 39:1-18 ; Jeremiah 40:1-16 ; Jeremiah 41:1-18 ; Jeremiah 52:1-34 "Then arose Ishmael ben Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote with the sword and slew Gedaliah ben Ahikam ben Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon had made king over the land." Jeremiah 41:2 WE now…
While the verse plainly states Zedekiah's age and mother's name, it subtly highlights his lineage. Hamutal, his mother, was from Libnah, a detail that connects him not just to his father Josiah but also hints at his family ties with Jeremiah, the prophet, creating an interesting echo of names in a time of intense national crisis.
This chapter serves as a historical appendix, detailing the final days of Jerusalem and its people, recounting King Zedekiah's reign and the city's destruction by the Babylonians. It picks up after Jeremiah's prophecies of doom, laying out the grim fulfillment of those warnings with the king's capture and the city's devastation.
This chapter serves as a historical appendix, detailing the final days of Jerusalem and its people, recounting King Zedekiah's reign and the city's destruction by the Babylonians. It picks up after Jeremiah's prophecies of doom, laying out the grim fulfillment of those warnings with the king's capture and the city's devastation.
"Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jeh…" — While the verse plainly states Zedekiah's age and mother's name, it subtly highlights his lineage. Hamutal, his mother, was from Libnah, a detail that connects him not just to his father Josiah but a…
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Last reviewed October 2026
