Jeremiah 52:24-30 Numbers Taken

Today we get to see the numbers taken from Judah during Nebuchadnezzar’s attacks. The numbers go down as there are fewer people left in the land.

This section of our reading surprised me. I had no idea that Nebuchadnezzar took captives from Judah THREE times. I only knew of two. I THOUGHT the first was when he took Jehoiachin and all the nobles; the second when Zedekiah was taken and the walls fell. I have been doing some investigating to find out the facts. I’m still a bit on the confused side. I’m laying that at the feet of the ‘counting’ concerns I pointed out previously. I’m going to show you what I’ve found and let God take it from there.

Dates and numbers from today’s reading:

Attack 1: 7^th year of Nebuchadnezzar 3,023 people

Attack 2: 18^th year of Nebuchadnezzar 832 people

Attack 3: 23^rd year of Nebuchadnezzar 745

Dates and events taken from scripture:

Jehoiakim reigned 11 years (2 Kings 23:36); rebelled against Babylon three years in (2 Kings 24:1). Removed and taken bound in chains during the 11^th year (2 Chronicles 36:6).

Nebuchadnezzar attacked 3 years into Jehoiakim’s reign (Daniel 1:1).

Jehoiachin reigned 3 months. He surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar who had SENT for him (2 Chronicles 36:10).

Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin in his 7^th year (math conclusion: 11-4=7).

Zedekiah reigned 11 years (2 Chronicles 36:11); rebelled against Babylon 9 years in. Jerusalem fell in his 11^th year.

Nebuchadnezzar’s 19^th year (Jeremiah 52:12) was Zedekiah’s 11^th year Jeremiah 52:5).

My conclusions:

Because of the dates provided from my chart of Israel’s kings and the known dates for Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Jehoiakim started his reign 3-4 years before Nebuchadnezzar took the throne; Jehoiakim 609-598, Nebuchadnezzar 605-562. This puts Nebuchadnezzar’s first conquest we see in our reading at the end of Jehoiakim’s reign. This would be his biggest deportation.

Somehow, in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, captives were taken to Babylon. Because of the date issues, this would have been in Jehoiakim’s third year. Nebuchadnezzar took some of the captives and educated them and put them in places of power. Because of the dates, I don’t see how this could be the first deportation in the numbers listed for us today.

In Nebuchadnezzar’s seventh year, he came to deal with the rebellious Jehoiakim and install Jehoiachin in his place. This would be the first deportation in mass. Second Kings 24:15-17 has a record of more than 8,000 people taken to Babylon. I’m wondering if the difference in numbers is that Babylon didn’t count those that surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar. Is it also possible that the numbers listed here are for the total number who were taken voluntarily and involuntarily to Babylon?

We are told in many places that when the people were taken, those that remained were the poor. Somehow, those poor became the leaders of the town when the higher-ranking people were gone. This would be those that remained when the walls of Jerusalem finally fell in Nebuchadnezzar’s 18^th/19^th year. This is the second deportation we see listed in today’s reading.

I can’t find record of the attack on Judah in Nebuchadnezzar’s 23^rd year. I’m NOT saying it didn’t happen but that I don’t know history well enough to tease it out. Being that the first deportation took all but the poor and the second deportation took those who rose up, there were only the poorest of the poor left for this last battle. I’m also going to attribute the lower numbers in the last two conquests the judgments God told the people through Jeremiah would occur. They would die by famine, plague and the sword. These deaths would decrease the number.

Other interpretations:

I found a lot of my reference material on a website written by Dr. Ian Traill on the book of Daniel. He has given the three attacks and deportation of Judah to the three events we see in Nebuchadnezzar’s 1^st, 7^th and 19^th years. This moves everything back to Jehoiakim’s initial rebellion, Jehoiachin’s removal, and Zedekiah’s final fall. I would agree with this timeline if it weren’t for the timeline given in our reading today. Also, Jehoiachin’s deportation time is the only one where we see LARGE numbers of people being taken into exile.

Final thoughts:

Take what you want from what has been presented. God is the ONLY one who knows for CERTAIN what happened when and to whom. We have some records but they are NOT all complete. If this were a sticking point for faith, I’m certain God would have gone to greater detail to iron out all these dates and numbers. I trust Him with what happened in the past. I believe His word without question. And the questions raised today only prove to me that He puts mysteries in His word just so I will go searching and go deeper. Did I solve the mystery? No. Did it alter my faith in the authenticity of His word? Not in the least. Am I satisfied with what I have learned? To the best of my abilities, yes. I can let it rest, KNOWING that, if it is vital for me to know these things, He WILL reveal them to me.

Father God, thank You for taking me on an exploration today. I love being able to dig into Your word and see how things fit together. I do wish I had been able to resolve all my questions but then, what would be the purpose of faith if I did?

I’m glad You placed me in this time in history. I don’t want to know how I would deal with the things faced by Judah during the three years of siege. Especially knowing what waited on the other side of it. You left no room for questions. Judah was going into captivity for her sins. But, there was also a light at the end of the tunnel because You ALSO promised that their captivity would end. “If I’m not free, at least my children will be” must have been a comfort for many.

Thanks for the journey today Holy Spirit.