Jeremiah 39:7
Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.
Original Language Analysis
וְאֶת
H853
וְאֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
1 of 9
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
עֵינֵ֥י
eyes
H5869
עֵינֵ֥י
eyes
Strong's:
H5869
Word #:
2 of 9
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
וַיַּאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙
and bound
H631
וַיַּאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙
and bound
Strong's:
H631
Word #:
5 of 9
to yoke or hitch; by analogy, to fasten in any sense, to join battle
בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם
him with chains
H5178
בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם
him with chains
Strong's:
H5178
Word #:
6 of 9
copper, hence, something made of that metal, i.e., coin, a fetter; figuratively, base (as compared with gold or silver)
Cross References
Ezekiel 12:13My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.Jeremiah 52:11Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.2 Kings 25:7And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.Judges 16:21But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
Historical Context
Blinding was a common punishment for rebel vassal kings in the ancient Near East, serving multiple purposes: preventing future military leadership, creating a living warning to others, and inflicting maximum humiliation on royal captives. Archaeological evidence includes Assyrian reliefs depicting the blinding of captured kings. The bronze chains indicate Zedekiah's status as a high-value prisoner rather than execution.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Zedekiah's physical blindness picture the spiritual blindness that led to his downfall?
- What 'chains' result from refusing to walk in God's liberating truth?
- How does Jesus open the eyes of the blind (literally and spiritually) and proclaim freedom to captives (Luke 4:18)?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes (עֵינֵי צִדְקִיָּהוּ עִוֵּר, einei tzidqiyyahu iwwer)—After forcing Zedekiah to witness his sons' execution, Nebuchadnezzar blinded him, making that horror his final visual memory. This fulfilled Ezekiel's prophecy: 'he shall not see it with his eyes' (Ezekiel 12:13)—Zedekiah would go to Babylon but never see it. The verb iwwer (עִוֵּר) means to gouge out, blind.
And bound him with chains (נְחֻשְׁתַּיִם, nechushayyim)—Bronze fetters, dual form suggesting double chains or shackles on both hands and feet. The king who refused to see God's truth through Jeremiah now literally cannot see. He who would not be bound by covenant is bound by bronze. He who rejected prophetic light ends in physical and spiritual darkness—a terrifying picture of judgment.