(7) Went forth out of the city.--Omitted in 2Kings 25:4.

They went by the way of the plain.--In 2Kings 25:4 "the king (not in the Hebrew) went (verb in the singular) the way toward the plain."

Verse 7. - Broken up; rather, broken into. The plain. The Hebrew has," the Arabah," the name constantly given to the chalky depression in the midst of which the Jordan ran.

52:1-11 This fruit of sin we should pray against above any thing; Cast me not away from thy presence, Ps 51:11. None are cast out of God's presence but those who by sin have first thrown themselves out. Zedekiah's flight was in vain, for there is no escaping the judgments of God; they come upon the sinner, and overtake him, let him flee where he will.Then the city was broken up,.... Either its gates were broke open, some one or other of them; or a breach was made in the walls of it, through which the Chaldean army entered:

and all the men of war fled; the soldiers, with their officers, not being able to stand before the army of the king of Babylon:

and went forth out of the city by night; at which time, very probably, the attack was made, and the gates of the city forced open, or the walls broke down; Josephus (p) says it was taken in the middle of the night:

by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden; See Gill on Jeremiah 39:4;

now the Chaldeans were by the city round about; as part of their army entered into it, the other part surrounded it; or, however, were placed at the gates and avenues all around, that none might escape:

and they went by the way of the plain; that is, the men of war or soldiers that fled, together with King Zedekiah, his family and princes; see Jeremiah 39:4.

(p) Antiqu. l. 10. c. 8. sect. 2. Ed. Hudson.