Jeremiah 52 is a fitting end to the book of Jeremiah. Chapter 52 gives an account of when Babylon conquered Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, and either killed or took captive a large number of the people of Judah.
Understanding the Scriptures
Jeremiah 52
| Pitched against it (v. 4) | Camped around in preparation for war | |
| Besieged (v. 5) | Surrounded and cut off from anything and anyone going out or coming in | |
| Residue (v. 15) | Rest | |
| Vinedressers (v. 16) | People who take care of vineyards | |
| Husbandmen (v. 16) | People who work in and take care of fields of crops | |
| Pillars of brass, bases, brasen sea, caldrons, snuffers, basons, firepans, chapiter of brass (vv. 17–22) | Precious items from the temple | |
| Eunuch (v. 25) | Officer (see Bible Dictionary, “eunuch,” p. 667) | |
| Principal (v. 25) | Main, chief | |
| Mustered (v. 25) | Enlisted people into the army |
Studying the Scriptures
Do activities A and B as you study Jeremiah 52.
List the Events in Order
Jeremiah 52 tells about events in the fall of Jerusalem. Consider the following events and use what you read in the chapter to list them in order: King Zedekiah’s eyes put out, Nebuchadnezzar puts the city under siege, thousands of Jews taken captive, temple destroyed, and walls of Jerusalem destroyed. After each event, give the verse that describes the event.
Write an Explanation
Write a letter to the people of Judah who were captive in Babylon. Explain why their city was destroyed and why they were in captivity. Give at least two good reasons each for the Jews’ destruction and captivity, and give a scripture reference for each answer.
