Here’s how the study works: Read the chapters mentioned in the heading during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for several chapters creates the opportunity to revisit them and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
51:5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD Almighty, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel.
Not forsaken, though guilty. God does not forsake us even when we are guilty.
51:5 For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD Almighty, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel.
Not forsaken, though guilty. God does not forsake us even when we are guilty.
52:28-30 This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem; in his twenty-third year, 745 Jews taken into exile by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard. There were 4,600 people in all.
Numbers of people are tricky in the Bible because sometimes they only counted adult males. However here we are told that 4,600 were exiled. There was a previous exile (2 Kings 14 & 16) where 10,800 were taken.
However in the three groups that returned in 586 BC, 458 BC and 444 BC the numbers were: 50,000, 5,000 and 42,000 – totalling 97,000.
Even if they earlier figures were adult males and the later figures were everybody, it is still a huge increase. God grows his people even in exile.
52:28-30 This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews; in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year, 832 people from Jerusalem; in his twenty-third year, 745 Jews taken into exile by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard. There were 4,600 people in all.
Numbers of people are tricky in the Bible because sometimes they only counted adult males. However here we are told that 4,600 were exiled. There was a previous exile (2 Kings 14 & 16) where 10,800 were taken.
However in the three groups that returned in 586 BC, 458 BC and 444 BC the numbers were: 50,000, 5,000 and 42,000 – totalling 97,000.
Even if they earlier figures were adult males and the later figures were everybody, it is still a huge increase. God grows his people even in exile.