Contradiction with Jeremiah 38:17
This verse mentions the potential for peace if Jeremiah’s warnings were heeded, which contrasts with the siege and downfall described in Jeremiah 39:3.
Jeremiah 38:17: Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:
Contradiction with 2 Kings 25:4
Describes the escape of the king through a gate before the city was taken, contrasting with Jeremiah 39:3 where officials sat at the Middle Gate as the city was overtaken.
2 Kings 25:4: 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.
Contradiction with Jeremiah 32:5
Implies Zedekiah will be captured and see the king of Babylon, while Jeremiah 39:3 describes officials entering Jerusalem, not the king himself.
Jeremiah 32:5: 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.
Contradiction with Jeremiah 21:7
Predicts Zedekiah’s capture and Babylon's triumph, which aligns with broader context but focuses on the king’s fate rather than the city’s immediate capture scene depicted in Jeremiah 39:3.
Jeremiah 21:7: And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.
Contradiction with Jeremiah 38:23
Foretells Zedekiah being handed over to Babylonian officials but doesn't explicitly describe them entering the city, as seen in Jeremiah 39:3.
Jeremiah 38:23: So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire. [thou shalt cause...: Heb. thou shalt burn, etc]
Paradox #1
Jeremiah 39:3 mentions the names of Babylonian officials present during the fall of Jerusalem. There seems to be a historical inconsistency with these names and titles, as they don't match well-known historical records or other biblical passages. This raises questions about the accuracy of the details in this verse.