Yirmeyah 37:1-10

1 7 And Melech Tzidkiyah Ben Yoshiyah reigned instead of Coneyahu [Yehoyakin] Ben Y’hoyakim, whom Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel put on the throne in Eretz Yehudah.

2 But neither he, nor his avadim, nor the Am HaAretz, did pay heed unto the Divrei Hashem, which He spoke by Yirmeyah HaNavi.

3 And HaMelech Tzidkiyah sent Yehukhal Ben Shelemyah and Tzephanyah Ben Maaseiyah the Kohen to Yirmeyah HaNavi, saying, Hitpalel na (pray now) unto Hashem Eloheinu for us.

4 Now Yirmeyah came in and went out among HaAm; for they had not put him into bais hakeleh (prison).

5 Then the army of Pharaoh was come forth out of Mitzrayim; and when the Kasdim (Chaldeans) that besieged Yerushalayim heard news of them, they withdrew from Yerushalayim.

6 Then came the Devar Hashem unto Yirmeyah HaNavi saying,

7 Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel; Thus shall ye say to Melech Yehudah, that sent you unto Me to enquire of Me; Hinei, the army of Pharaoh, which is come forth l’ezrah (to help, support) you, shall return to Mitzrayim into their own land.

8 And the Kasdim (Chaldeans) shall return, and fight against HaIr hazot (this City, i.e., Jerusalem) and capture it, and burn it down with eish.

9 Thus saith Hashem; Deceive not nafshoteichem, saying, The Kasdim (Chaldeans) shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart.

10 For though ye had struck down kol chayil Kasdim (the whole army of the Chaldeans) that fight against you, and there remained but anashim medukarim (wounded men) among them, yet should they rise up every ish in his ohel, and with eish burn down HaIr hazot.

Yirmeyah 37:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 37

This chapter makes mention of the reign of Zedekiah, and what happened in it; of his message to Jeremiah, to pray for the kingdom; of the king of Babylonian's raising the siege of Jerusalem, on hearing the king of Egypt was coming to its relief; of the assurance the prophet gave that the Chaldean army would return again, and destroy the city; of the prophet's attempt to depart the city, his imprisonment, conversation with Zedekiah, and his clemency to him. A short account is given of Zedekiah, and of the disobedience of him and his people to the word of the Lord, Jer 37:1,2; of the message sent by him to the prophet to pray for them, Jer 37:3; the time, when Jeremiah was at liberty, and the siege of Jerusalem was raised, Jer 37:4,5; the prophet's answer to them from the Lord, assuring them the Chaldeans would return and burn the city, Jer 37:6-10; the prophet attempting to go out of the city is stopped, and charged as a deserter to the Chaldeans; is had before the princes, and beat and imprisoned, Jer 37:11-15; but the king sending for him out of prison, and having some private discourse with him, upon the prophet's expostulation and intercession, his confinement was mitigated, and bread allowed him, Jer 37:16-21.