The prophecy about Zedekiah based on the Books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel
The prophecy about Zedekiah king of Judah in the book of Jeremiah may seem somewhat contradictory to that uttered by the prophet Ezekiel. Let's cite these prophecies.
Jeremiah 32.4-5 "And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes; And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper."
Ezekiel 12.12-13 "And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. My 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."
The prophecy says that Zedekiah will be defeated, will talk to and see Nebukadnsesar (verse 4 of Jer.) and that he will be led to Babylon. In Ezekiel, on the other hand, we read that Zedekiah will be led to Babylon, but will not see it. How to explain this? With the answer comes the verse from:
2 Kings "And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. And 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."
Events in chronological order
- breach in the wall - Ezekiel
- escape from the besieged city - Ezekiel
- capture of Zedekiah - Jeremiah + Ezekiel
- being led to King Nebukadnesar - Jeremiah
- loss of sight - Ezekiel
- leading to Babylon - Jeremiah + Ezekiel
- Zedekiah's death in Babylon - Jeremiah + Ezekiel
