Jeremiah 37:1-10

1 et regnavit rex Sedecias filius Iosiae pro Iechonia filio Ioachim quem constituit regem Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis in terra Iuda

2 et non oboedivit ipse et servi eius et populus terrae verbis Domini quae locutus est in manu Hieremiae prophetae

3 et misit rex Sedecias Iuchal filium Selemiae et Sophoniam filium Maasiae sacerdotem ad Hieremiam prophetam dicens ora pro nobis Dominum Deum nostrum

4 Hieremias autem libere ambulabat in medio populi non enim miserant eum in custodiam carceris igitur exercitus Pharao egressus est Aegyptum et audientes Chaldei qui obsidebant Hierusalem huiuscemodi nuntium recesserunt ab Hierusalem

5 et factum est verbum Domini ad Hieremiam prophetam dicens

6 haec dicit Dominus Deus Israhel sic dicetis regi Iuda qui misit vos ad me ad interrogandum ecce exercitus Pharaonis qui egressus est vobis in auxilium revertetur in terram suam in Aegyptum

7 et redient Chaldei et bellabunt contra civitatem hanc et capient eam et incendent igni

8 haec dicit Dominus nolite decipere animas vestras dicentes euntes abibunt et recedent a nobis Chaldei quia non abibunt

9 sed et si percusseritis omnem exercitum Chaldeorum qui proeliantur adversum vos et derelicti fuerint ex eis aliqui vulnerati singuli de tentorio suo consurgent et incendent civitatem hanc igni

10 ergo cum recessisset exercitus Chaldeorum ab Hierusalem propter exercitum Pharaonis

Jeremiah 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.