Jeremiah 52:6
On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse pinpoints a specific, agonizing date, marking the moment the common people of Jerusalem literally had no bread left. This detail emphasizes that while the elite might have had reserves, the widespread, crushing hunger had reached its absolute limit for everyone else.
This passage marks a critical moment as Jerusalem is under siege, detailing the devastating effects of prolonged famine on the city's inhabitants. The text describes the dire conditions leading up to the city's fall, emphasizing the lack of food for the common people, a situation echoed in the book of Lamentations. This specific date, the ninth day of the fourth month, would become a somber reminder, later observed as a day of fasting.
Imagine a day so devastating, its memory is still marked thousands of years later. Jeremiah 52 pinpoints such a moment.
The chronicler of Jerusalem's fall doesn't just give a general account; he's precise. "On the ninth day of the fourth month" marks a specific, terrible point. This date (around July) became a solemn fast day in Jewish tradition, a stark reminder of suffering and judgment.
This precision emphasizes:
It’s one thing to hear about a siege; it’s another to grasp the gut-wrenching reality of empty bowls.
This verse cuts to the core of human need: food. "No food for the people of the land" paints a grim picture.
Understand the original words
ra'ab · Hebrew Noun
A state of extreme scarcity of food, often used in Scripture as a sign of divine judgment against a nation or individual for disobedience or covenant unfaithfulness.
This verse highlights the devastating climax of Jerusalem's final siege, a date so significant it was later observed as a fast day, underscoring the immense suffering caused by war and famine.
c. 605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's First Siege
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem, taking some of the royal family and skilled citizens captive. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation to Babylon.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation of Jerusalem
Following a rebellion by Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem again and deports more citizens, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel. Zedekiah is installed as king.
c. 588 BC
Third Siege of Jerusalem Begins
King Zedekiah rebels against Babylon, leading Nebuchadnezzar to launch a final, devastating siege of Jerusalem. The city is surrounded and cut off from supplies.
c. July 587 BC— this verse
Famine Grips Jerusalem
After over a year of siege, starvation becomes extreme within Jerusalem. Food supplies are exhausted, leading to widespread hunger and desperation among the population.
This passage vividly describes the same desperate conditions of famine and starvation in Jerusalem, mirroring the severity mentioned in Jeremiah 52:6.
Ezekiel 4:16Ezekiel parallels Jeremiah's account by describing a future siege and the intense scarcity of food, illustrating the profound impact of such extreme famine.
Zechariah 8:19This verse points to a fast established in remembrance of this exact date (the ninth day of the fourth month), showing the lasting sorrow and significance of Jerusalem's suffering from siege and famine.
Jeremiah 38:9This earlier passage from Jeremiah depicts a similar dire famine within the city, providing context for how the situation escalated to the catastrophic level described in chapter 52.
clarkeJeremiah 52:6: "And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land."
And in the fourth month - See the notes on Jeremiah 39:1 , etc. The fourth month answers nearly to our July.
ellicottJeremiah 52:6: "And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land."
(6) And in the fourth month. —Omitted in the Hebrew of 2Kings 25:3 , but supplied in the English version.
This verse pinpoints a specific, agonizing date, marking the moment the common people of Jerusalem literally had no bread left. This detail emphasizes that while the elite might have had reserves, the widespread, crushing hunger had reached its absolute limit for everyone else.
This passage marks a critical moment as Jerusalem is under siege, detailing the devastating effects of prolonged famine on the city's inhabitants. The text describes the dire conditions leading up to the city's fall, emphasizing the lack of food for the common people, a situation echoed in the book of Lamentations. This specific date, the ninth day of the fourth month, would become a somber reminder, later observed as a day of fasting.
This passage marks a critical moment as Jerusalem is under siege, detailing the devastating effects of prolonged famine on the city's inhabitants. The text describes the dire conditions leading up to the city's fall, emphasizing the lack of food for the common people, a situation echoed in the book of Lamentations. This specific date, the ninth day of the fourth month, would become a somber reminder, later observed as a day of fasting.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Jeremiah 52:6 is available in the Sola app.
c. July 587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
The Babylonians breach Jerusalem's walls. King Zedekiah is captured, his sons are killed, and he is blinded. Most of the remaining population is deported to Babylon.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians systematically destroy Jerusalem, including its houses and the Temple of Solomon, leaving only a remnant to work the land.
"On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land." — This verse pinpoints a specific, agonizing date, marking the moment the common people of Jerusalem literally had no bread left. This detail emphasizes that while the elite might have had reserves, th…
