Jeremiah 37

King James Version

Full text for Jeremiah Chapter 37

1¶ And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.

2But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.

3And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us.

4Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.

5Then Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.

6Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

7Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.

8And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.

9Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.

10For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained [but] wounded men among them, [yet] should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

11¶ And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,

12Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.

13And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward [was] there, whose name [was] Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans.

14Then said Jeremiah, [It is] false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.

15Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.

16When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;

17Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there [any] word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.

18Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

19Where [are] now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?

20Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

21Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Zedekiah and the people of Judah disregarded the LORD's words through Jeremiah, yet Zedekiah sought Jeremiah's prayer when the Chaldean siege was temporarily lifted by Pharaoh's army. Jeremiah prophesied the Chaldeans' inevitable return and Jerusalem's destruction, warning against false hope. Subsequently, Jeremiah was falsely accused of defection, beaten, and imprisoned by the princes, though Zedekiah later moved him to a less severe confinement in the prison court.

Medium Summary

King Zedekiah, who reigned in Judah, and his people disregarded the LORD's words delivered by Jeremiah. When the Chaldeans besieged Jerusalem, Pharaoh's army advanced from Egypt, causing the Babylonians to withdraw temporarily. Zedekiah then sent messengers to Jeremiah, requesting prayer. The LORD, through Jeremiah, declared that Pharaoh's army would retreat, and the Chaldeans would inevitably return to conquer and burn Jerusalem, regardless of any perceived weakness. As the Chaldeans departed, Jeremiah attempted to leave the city but was apprehended at the Benjamin Gate by Captain Irijah, who falsely accused him of defecting to the Chaldeans. Despite Jeremiah's denial, the princes, in their wrath, beat him and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the scribe. Later, King Zedekiah secretly consulted Jeremiah, who reiterated the prophecy of the king's capture by Babylon. Jeremiah pleaded for better treatment, leading Zedekiah to command his transfer to the court of the prison, where he received daily bread.

Long Summary

Jeremiah chapter 37 opens with King Zedekiah's reign, noting that neither he nor his officials nor the people of Judah heeded the words of the LORD spoken through the prophet Jeremiah. During the Chaldean siege of Jerusalem, Pharaoh's army advanced from Egypt, causing the besieging Chaldeans to temporarily withdraw. In this respite, King Zedekiah dispatched Jehucal and Zephaniah to Jeremiah, requesting him to pray to the LORD on their behalf. Jeremiah, who was not yet imprisoned, received the word of the LORD in response. The prophecy declared that Pharaoh's army, which had come to assist Judah, would return to Egypt, and the Chaldeans would certainly return to fight against Jerusalem, take it, and burn it with fire. The LORD explicitly warned the people not to deceive themselves into believing the Chaldeans would permanently depart, asserting that even if their army were severely wounded, they would still rise to destroy the city. Following the Chaldeans' temporary withdrawal, Jeremiah attempted to leave Jerusalem for the land of Benjamin. At the Benjamin Gate, he was intercepted by Irijah, a captain of the ward, who falsely accused him of intending to defect to the Chaldeans. Jeremiah vehemently denied the accusation, but Irijah disregarded his protest and brought him before the princes. The princes, angered, had Jeremiah beaten and subsequently imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the scribe, which served as a prison. After Jeremiah had remained in the dungeon for many days, King Zedekiah secretly sent for him and inquired if there was any word from the LORD. Jeremiah confirmed that there was a word, prophesying that Zedekiah would indeed be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon. Jeremiah then questioned the king regarding his imprisonment, pointing out the failure of other prophets who had falsely assured them the king of Babylon would not attack. He pleaded with Zedekiah not to return him to Jonathan's house, fearing he would die there. In response, King Zedekiah commanded that Jeremiah be committed to the court of the prison and provided with a daily portion of bread from the bakers' street until the city's provisions were exhausted, thus ensuring his survival in less harsh conditions.

Core Concepts

  • Disobedience and Unheeded ProphecyKing Zedekiah and the people of Judah consistently disregarded the LORD's words spoken through Jeremiah, setting the stage for divine judgment despite repeated warnings.
  • False Hope and Divine CertaintyThe temporary withdrawal of the Chaldeans due to Pharaoh's army created a false sense of security, which Jeremiah's prophecy immediately dispelled by declaring the inevitable return and victory of Babylon.
  • Jeremiah's PersecutionDespite being a faithful messenger of God, Jeremiah was falsely accused of defection, beaten, and imprisoned by the princes for attempting to leave the city.
  • Royal Consultation in SecrecyKing Zedekiah, though responsible for Jeremiah's initial harsh imprisonment, secretly sought the prophet's word from the LORD, indicating a conflicted awareness of Jeremiah's divine authority.
  • Prophecy of CaptivityJeremiah unequivocally prophesied to Zedekiah that he would be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, reiterating the inescapable judgment upon Judah and its leadership.
  • Conditions of ImprisonmentJeremiah's confinement progressed from a harsh dungeon in Jonathan's house to the more lenient court of the prison, where he received daily sustenance by the king's command, ensuring his survival.