Jeremiah 52:6

By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The narrative records the siege of Jerusalem during the eleventh year of King Zedekiah’s reign, immediately preceding the city’s breach and the military’s flight by night.

The words — The Hebrew phrase בַּ/חֹ֤דֶשׁ הָֽ/רְבִיעִי (ba./Cho.desh ha./re.vi.'I) literally means "in the fourth month," while וַ/יֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָ/רָעָ֖ב (va/i.ye.che.Zak ha./ra.'Av) translates to "and the famine was severe."

The thread — This date and famine description run parallel to 2 Kings 25:3, marks the same chronological point as Jeremiah 39:2, and fulfills the supply removal declared in Isaiah 3:1.

Why it lands — The text states the people of the land had no food because the famine became so severe. It requires readers to face the unvarnished physical reality of siege before drawing any further conclusions.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁba./Cho.deshin the/ month הָֽרְבִיעִי֙ha./re.vi.'I<the>/ fourth בְּתִשְׁעָ֣הbe./tish.'Ahon/ [day] nine לַחֹ֔דֶשׁla./Cho.deshof the/ month וַיֶּחֱזַ֥קva/i.ye.che.Zakand/ it was severe הָרָעָ֖בha./ra.'Avthe/ famine בָּעִ֑ירba./'Irin the/ city וְלֹא־ve./lo'-and/ not הָיָ֥הha.Yahit belonged לֶ֖חֶםLe.chemfood לְעַ֥םle./'Amto/ [the] people of הָאָֽרֶץ׃ha./'A.retzthe/ land

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Isaiah 3:1 For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water,
Jeremiah 39:2 And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city was breached.
2 Kings 25:3 By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food.
Jeremiah 38:9 “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.”
Leviticus 26:26 When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and dole out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied.
Deuteronomy 28:52 They will besiege all the cities throughout your land, until the high and fortified walls in which you trust have fallen. They will besiege all your cities throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you.
Deuteronomy 32:24 They will be wasted from hunger and ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will send the fangs of wild beasts against them, with the venom of vipers that slither in the dust.
Jeremiah 15:2 If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’
Jeremiah 19:9 I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’
Jeremiah 21:9 Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who besiege you will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war.