Question 1

Who was King Zedekiah in this passage and how long did he reign?

Accepted Answer

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah before Jerusalem fell to Babylon. He began to reign when he was twenty‑one years old and ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. He had been placed on the throne by the king of Babylon, but he did not walk in God’s ways. The passage says he did what was evil in the Lord’s eyes, like his brother Jehoiakim had done. His mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. His reign ends with the siege of Jerusalem, his attempted escape, capture, and exile.

Question 2

What does it mean that God cast Jerusalem and Judah out from his presence?

Accepted Answer

When the passage says God cast them out from his presence, it points to God removing his people from the land and city where he had shown his nearness. The temple and Jerusalem had been signs of God’s favour and care. Because the people kept sinning and would not listen, God’s anger meant they were driven out of that place and those blessings. It does not mean God stopped existing, but that they lost the special joy and protection of living where he was pleased to dwell among them.

Question 3

Why did Zedekiah rebel against the king of Babylon, and why was that so serious?

Accepted Answer

Zedekiah’s rebellion was both a political and a spiritual failure. He had made an oath of loyalty to the king of Babylon, and that oath was made in God’s name. When he broke it and rebelled, he was not only defying Babylon, he was also showing he did not fear God’s word or honour his promise. The passage hints that God allowed him to follow this stubborn choice as part of judgment on Judah’s long‑standing sins. His rebellion helped bring the Babylonian army back to Jerusalem and led to ruin for himself and his people.

Question 4

What happened during the siege of Jerusalem in Zedekiah’s time?

Accepted Answer

The siege began in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, when Nebuchadrezzar and his army surrounded Jerusalem and built siege works around it. They stayed until the eleventh year, about eighteen months. Over time, food ran out and the famine became very severe, so there was no bread for the people of the land. With the defenders weakened and discouraged, a breach was made in the city, the wall was broken, and the city could no longer be held. This led to the soldiers’ night escape and the fall of the kingdom.

Question 5

How severe was the famine in the city, and what did it lead to?

Accepted Answer

The famine is described as very sore, meaning it was extreme. Because the city was surrounded for so long, supplies could not get in. Eventually there was no bread for the people of the land, likely hitting soldiers and ordinary people hardest. This kind of hunger weakens bodies and hearts, so the army could not defend the city well. The famine helped bring things to a breaking point, so when the wall was breached the men of war fled by night instead of standing their ground. Hunger had made it impossible to continue resisting the Babylonian army.

Question 6

How and where was Zedekiah captured after fleeing Jerusalem?

Accepted Answer

When the city wall was breached, Zedekiah and the men of war tried to escape at night through a gate between two walls near the king’s garden, heading toward the plain. Even though the Chaldeans were all around the city, they attempted this secret route. However, the Babylonian army pursued the king, caught up with him in the plains of Jericho, and his army was scattered from him. Left without support, Zedekiah was taken and brought up to the king of Babylon, who was at Riblah in the land of Hamath, to face judgment.

Question 7

What judgment did the king of Babylon carry out on Zedekiah and his family?

Accepted Answer

At Riblah, the king of Babylon passed sentence on Zedekiah. In a very painful judgment, he had Zedekiah’s sons killed before his eyes, and also killed all the princes of Judah there. After Zedekiah had seen this, his eyes were put out. Then he was bound with chains, taken to Babylon, and put in prison. He remained there until the day of his death. This harsh treatment showed both Babylon’s anger at his rebellion and how far God’s judgment had gone because of the sins of the king and the people.

Question 8

What does this passage show about God’s response to ongoing sin and rebellion?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God is patient, but he does not ignore ongoing sin. For a long time, the people of Judah had turned away from him and refused to listen. Even when warned, Zedekiah did not humble himself or obey God’s word. God’s anger is described as the reason he allowed events to reach this point, until the people were cast out from his presence in the land. The fall of Jerusalem, the famine, the capture of the king, and his exile all display that ignoring God’s warnings and breaking faith has real and painful results.

Question 9

How can this story of Zedekiah and Jerusalem’s fall speak to readers today?

Accepted Answer

This story reminds readers that choices have real consequences and that ignoring God’s word is not harmless. Zedekiah trusted his own plans, broke promises, and would not listen, even when warned. In the end he could not escape judgment, no matter how far he ran. While many details are tied to that time, the pattern still speaks: pride, broken promises, and stubborn sin lead to loss and sorrow. It also warns against thinking we are safe while we keep resisting God, and encourages us to seek his mercy before hearts grow hard.

Jeremiah 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.

The Fall of Jerusalem Recounted

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Jeremiah 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.

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The Fall of Jerusalem Recounted

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