Further Details About the Fall of Jerusalem

Here are some further details expanding upon the text we read today that hopefully provide further understanding or at least some interesting tidbits:

• Nebuchadnezzar wasn't present at the fall of Jerusalem. Riblah, 200 miles north of Jerusalem in Syria, was his base of operations for overseeing the siege of Jerusalem as well as the other concerns of his overall empire. Riblah is where the Babylonians brought King Zedekiah and his officials when they caught them.
• In Jeremiah 52:27-30 the low count on Jews carried into exile might be because those outside of Judah, as well as women and children, were excluded.
• In Jeremiah 39:15-18, in case you forgot (like I did already one day later), Ebed-Melech the Cushite is the man who saved Jeremiah from the cistern. That is why God here promises him that he will be okay even through all the destruction.
• In 39:11-14 and 40:1-5 it's interesting that Nebuchadnezzar and his commander are watching out for the wellness of Jeremiah and even recalling Jeremiah's prophecies. Obviously God was watching out for his prophet. These Babylonians heard of Jeremiah's prophecies and respected Jeremiah as a man of God. Their experience with Daniel and other faithful Jews probably helped instill this fear of God.
• In 40:1 Ramah is basically a staging area for captives. Ramah is five miles north of Jerusalem. In 40:6 Mizpah, where the new governor Gedaliah was living to whom Jeremiah was sent--Mizpah is eight miles north of Jerusalem and a couple miles from Ramah.