And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, [even] Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.
These princes were four:
(1) Nergal, Sharezer, i. e., Nirgal-sar-usur (May Nergal protect the king);
(2) Samgar-Nebo (Be gracious, O Nebo);
(3) Sarsechim. No explanation is given at present of this name. He was Rab-saris, i. e., chief of the eunuchs (2Ki 18:17 note).
(4) another Nergal-sharezer, who was Rab-mag, i. e., chief of the Magians. He is known in history as Neriglissar, the son-in-law of Nebuchadnezzar, and probably his vicegerent during his seven years of madness. Two years after his death Neriglissar murdered Evil-Merodach, Nebuchadnezzars son, and seized the crown, but after a reign of four years was slain in battle against Cyrus, when disputing with him the crown of Media. See Dan 5:1 note.
The middle gate – Probably that which separated the city of Zion from the lower town.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Sat in the middle gate] The city of Jerusalem stood upon two hills, Sion to the south, and Acra to the north, with a deep valley between them. The gate of the centre, as the term seems plainly to import, was a gate of communication in the middle of the valley, between the two parts of the city, sometimes called the higher and the lower city. The Chaldeans entered the city on the north side by a breach in the walls, and rushing forward and posting themselves in this gate, in the very heart or centre of the city, became thereby masters at will of the whole. Zedekiah with his troop, perceiving this, fled out of the opposite gate on the south side. See Blayney. This is likely; but we know nothing positively on this subject.
Nergal-sharezer] These were the principal commanders; but Dr. Blayney thinks that instead of six persons, we have in reality but three, as the name that follows each is a title of office. Thus, Nergal-sharezer, who was Samgar; Nebusarsechim, who was Rab-saris; and Nergal-sharezer, who was Rab-mag. As Nergal-sharezer occurs twice here, and we know that Nebuzaradan was general-in-chief, the first Nergal-sharezer is probably a mistake for Nebuzar-adan, or some other of the commanders. But these things are as uncertain as they are unimportant.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
All the great men of Babylon that were employed in the conduct of the Babylonian army (the city being taken by storm or surprise) entered into it, but rested at the middle gate. The city, they say, was encompassed with two walls, before they came to the wall of the temple; the gate in the inner wall is supposed to have been that which is called the middle gate: they would not at first adventure in further; the city being large and well fortified, there might have been some traps laid for them; they would therefore have their soldiers first clear the streets, and search all places, that they might enter further into the city without hazarding their persons. Some interpreters have examined the signification of the names of these princes, but I know of no use it can be to us, whether they were the names of the persons, or significative of the offices they bare.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. satexpressing militaryoccupation or encampment.
middle gatethe gatefrom the upper city (comprehending Mount Zion) to the lower city(north of the former and much lower); it was into the latter(the north side) that the Chaldeans forced an entry and tookup their position opposite the gate of the “middle” wall,between the lower and upper city. Zedekiah fled in the opposite, thatis, the south direction (Jer 39:4).
Nergalsharezer,Samgarneboproper names formed from those of the idols, Nergaland Nebo (2Ki 17:30; Isa 46:1).
Rab-sarismeaning”chief of the eunuchs.”
Rab-magchief of themagi; brought with the expedition in order that its issue might beforeknown through his astrological skill. Mag is a Persianword, meaning “great,” “powerful.” The magi werea sacerdotal caste among the Medes, and supported the Zoroastrianreligion.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in,…. Into the city: a breach being made in the walls to take possession of it:
and sat in the middle gate; according to Jarchi, this was a gate of the temple; the gate Nicanor, the eastern gate, which was between the gate of the court of the women and the gate of the temple; who observes, that their Rabbins say, the middle gate was the gate in which the wise men made their decrees and constitutions: so that, in “the place of judgment, wickedness was there”; as in Ec 3:16; and Josephus g says, that the city was taken in the middle of the night, when the enemies’ generals went into the temple; but rather, according to Kimchi, it was one of the gates of the city of Jerusalem; according to Abarbinel, Jerusalem had three walls, and this was the gate of the middle wall; but others take it to be the gate in the middle wall, between the upper and lower city; perhaps it is the same called the second gate, Zep 1:10; and might be the chief and principal gate where these princes placed their seats in triumph as victors, and so fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah, Jer 1:15; though they might have another reason for it, their own safety; here they sat till the city was well searched and cleared, lest there should be any ambush laid for them, and cut them off as they entered. The names of some of them were as follow:
[even] Nergalsharezer: according to Kimchi, these are two names of two distinct persons; but generally thought to be one name of the same person; so Josephus, who calls him Nergelearus. The first part of the name “Nergal” was the name of an idol with the Cushites, 2Ki 17:30; and it was usual with the Heathens to give the names of their idols to their kings, princes, and great men. The other part, “Sharezer”, is a name of one of Sennacherib’s sons; and seems to be an Assyrian name,
Isa 37:38. The next is called
Samgarnebo; though, according to Hillerus h, this is a surname of the former, to distinguish him from another Nergalsharezer after mentioned, taken from his office: this name signifying the “strict keeper of Nebo”, the temple of the idol Nebo; see Isa 46:1. The next is
Sarsechim Rabsaris; for these are not two names of different persons, but of the same person. The first is his proper name, which signifies the “prince of the Scythians”; the other his name of office, and signifies the “chief eunuch”, or the “chief of the eunuchs”. The last name is
Nergalsharezer Rabmag; these names belong to the same person, who is called from his office “Rabmag”, the “chief magician”, or the “chief of the magicians”, to distinguish him from the other Nergalsharezer before mentioned: these,
with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon, entered the city and took it.
g Antiqu. l. 10. c. 8. sect. 2. h Onomastic. Sacr. p. 608.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
IT is proved here that the prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled; so that it became really evident that he had not spoken unadvisedly, but from the mouth of God. And thus was fulfilled also what is said as a common proverb, that fools become wise too late; for they never obey good and wise counsels while they may, but at length they are made to know by their own miseries and their teacher, experience, that what they despised is true, but without any benefit. This happened to Zedekiah, who had been often exhorted by the Prophet to surrender himself to King Nebuchadnezzar. As, then, he had obstinately refused the yoke, he was at length constrained to reap the fruit of his obstinacy.
Now Jeremiah says, that the princes of King Nebuchadnezzar, that is, those he had set over his forces, entered the city, the wall being broken down, and sat in the middle gate; for it was necessary for them to be wary, lest there should be ambushes; and even conquerors do not immediately penetrate into every part when a city is taken, but search whether all the places be free from enemies. This then was done by the leaders of the army, for they stood in the middle gate, that they might exercise authority over the city, and yet be safe from all ambushes. Jeremiah mentions some of them by name, but it is uncertain whether he adds a surname to some of them. But as this is doubtful and is of no great moment, it is enough for us that the chief of the leaders are named, in order to accredit the narrative.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) In the middle gate.The term indicates a position in the line of walls between the citadel of Zionthe upper city of Josephus (Ant. v. 20. 2), which as yet was not surrendered (Jer. 39:4)and the lower city, in the walls of which a breach had been effected. Here an open space, originally used as a forum, or place of judgment, now gave the Chaldan generals a central encampment, from which they could command both quarters of the city, and by taking their place in the heart of its life, formally assert their mastery. Each of the names that follow has a meaning and history of its own.
Nergal-sharezer.The first half of the name appears in 2Ki. 17:30 as that of a Cuthite, or Assyrian deity, and means the great hero. It occurs frequently in the inscriptions of Tiglath-pileser and Assur-banipal (e.g., Records of the Past, i. 77, 103). The whole name appears in Assyrian monuments as Nergal-shar-uzur. Two of the generals mentioned here bore the same name, and each apparently was distinguished by a special title.
Samgarnebo.Here the second half is the name of a Babylonian deity (Isa. 46:1; Jer. 48:1), possibly connected with the Hebrew Nabi (= prophet), and so answering to the Egyptian Thoth and the Greek Hermes. The great temple at Borsippa, known as Birs Nimroud, was dedicated to him (Records of the Past, vii. 77). The first half has been explained by some scholars as meaning warrior, by others as cupbearer, and so equivalent to Rabshakeh (Isa. 36:2), and as such is attached to the foregoing name of Nergal-sharezer. As a rule, the name of Nebo appears always in the beginning of compound words, as in Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzar-adan, &c.; and probably we should connect it here with the name that follows.
Sarsechim, Rab-saris.Probably, as indicated in the previous Note, the name should stand as Nebo-sarsechim. The two names go together, the first as a proper name, the second as a title, meaning the chief eunuch. In Jer. 39:13, Nebushasban appears as bearing the same title. In 2Ki. 18:17 it appears simply as a title, as in Rabshakeh we have the chief cupbearer.
Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag.Here also the second name is the title of office, meaning probably chief of the Magi, or chief of the priests. The man thus named, who appears on the Assyrian monuments as Nergal-shar-uzur Rubu-emga, played a prominent part afterwards as murdering Evil-merodach, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, whose sister he had married. He reigned for three or four years, and appears in Berosus (Joseph. 100 Apion, i. 20) under the name of Neriglissar. The older name is found on the bricks of a palace at Babylon, on the right bank of the Euphrates (Smiths Dict. of Bible. Art. Nergal-sharezer).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. All the princes, etc. As above intimated, (Jer 38:17,) the king of Babylon was absent at Riblah, and hence the attacking army was under the command of these “princes.” As to their names, certain difficulties have been pointed out by the expositors, such as: 1) One name is repeated. 2) Another has the name of the god Nebo at the end, while all other known compounds of this name place it at the beginning, as Nebuchadnezzar, etc. 3) From this name, too, is omitted the title of office, though it is used with the following. 4) In Jer 39:13 the Babylonian grandees are again spoken of, but there are three and not four. For such reasons as these, all of which are really very inconclusive, some have conjectured that the text here is corrupt. But this harsh conjecture is totally unwarranted. Two princes of a name are certainly by no means impossible, as history has abundantly illustrated.
Middle gate The conjecture is, that this was a gate in the wall which divided Zion from the lower city.
From this point both divisions could be most easily commanded. FAITH OF ZEDEKIAH AND Jeremiah , 4-14.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 39:3. The princescame in, and sat in the middle gate The gate between the wall which encompassed the city, and that which inclosed the temple. It was customary among the Chaldeans to give the names of their idols, as an additional title or mark of honour to persons of distinction. We may render the names thus: Nergal-Sharezer, keeper of the temple of Nebo; Sarsechim, prince of the eunuchs; Nergal-Sharezer, prince of the Magi, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 39:3 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, [even] Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.
Ver. 3. In the middle gate. ] Called the second gate (Zep 2:10 ; see Jer 1:15 ). Jeremiah lived to see many of his prophecies fulfilled. Jerusalem was taken in or about the fortieth year of his prophesying, as it was afterwards by the Romans, in or about the fortieth year after our Saviour’s ministry started.
Even Nergalsharezer, Shamgarnebo.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Sarsechim. Some codices, with four early printed editions, read “Sar-sechim”. It is the plural of the Akkadian Sar-sak = king’s son. R
ab-saris = chief of the chamberlains. Compare 2Ki 18:17. Dan 1:3, Dan 1:7.
Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag = Nergal-sharezer, chief of the physicians (or magi). Only four names of persons in this verse, not six.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
all the: Jer 1:15, Jer 21:4, Jer 38:17
Nergalsharezer: Jer 39:13, 2Ki 17:30
Sarsechim: These were the principal commanders; but Dr. Blayney thinks that, instead of six persons, we have in reality but three, as the name that follows each is the title of the office. Thus Nergal-Sharezer, who was Samgar-nebo, or keeper, i.e., priest of Nebo; Sarsechim, who was Rab-saris, or chief eunuch; and Nergal-sharezer, who was Rab-mag, or chief magi; as the words mog in Persian, magoos in Arabic, magooshai in Syriac, and [Strong’s G3097], in Greek, signify; and we learn from Justin and Curtius that the magi attended the king in war.
Reciprocal: 2Ki 25:4 – the city Jer 12:10 – pastors Jer 38:18 – then Dan 2:49 – sat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 39:3. The men named were important military leaders of the Babylonian Empire who took possession of the city. Middle gate signifies the central or most important gate of the city. The chief transactions between cities in ancient times were done at the gates since that would be the spot for direct contact with the people coming and going. The passages showing the importance of the city gates are too nu-merous to mention all, but the reader will do well to note the following. Gen 19:1; Gen 22:17; Deu 25:7; 2Sa 19:8; Job 29:7.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
All the officials of the Babylonian army entered the city and eventually took their places at a gate in the middle of the city, in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy in Jer 21:4. This Middle Gate was evidently an opening in a wall that separated two parts of Jerusalem. This is the only reference to this gate in the Bible.
The writer mentioned two, three, or four of the Babylonian officials by name: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the Rab-saris or chief official, and perhaps another Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag or chief magi. Nergal-sar-ezer was probably Nebuchadnezzar’s son-in-law who ascended the throne of Babylon in 560 B.C. The writer may have described him with two different titles in this verse, or there may have been two men with the same name. Samgar may be the title of Nergal-sar-ezer, and Nebu may describe a geographical district that he ruled. [Note: Keown, p. 229; Harrison, Jeremiah and . . ., p. 157.]
"In its context Jer 39:3 is a parenthesis describing one of the things that was done soon after the fall of Jerusalem. Its true context is at Jer 39:13, where it is inserted again in the first account of Jeremiah’s release." [Note: Thompson, p. 645.]