Jeremiah 37:16

16 The cistern had been made into a dungeon, and Yirmeyahu was put in one of its cells; there he remained for a long time.

Jeremiah 37:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 37:16

When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon
Or, "into the house of the pit" ^F12; a dungeon, like a pit or ditch, dark, dirty, or dismal: and into the cabins;
or "cells" ^F13; into a place more inward than the cells, as the Targum; into the innermost and worst part in all the prison, where a man could not well lie, sit, nor stand: and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
in this very uncomfortable condition; very probably till the Chaldean army returned to Jerusalem, as he foretold it should.

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FOOTNOTES:

F12 (rwbh tyb la) "in, [vel] ad domum laci", Pagninus, Montanus; "in domum foveae", Schmidt.
F13 (twynxh law) "et in cellulas illius", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "et ad cellas", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 37:16 In-Context

14 Yirmeyahu answered, "That is a lie! I am not deserting to the Kasdim"; but Yir'iyah wouldn't listen to him. So he arrested Yirmeyahu and brought him to the officials.

15 The officials, furious with Yirmeyahu, had him beaten and jailed in the house of Y'honatan the secretary, which had been made over into a prison.

16 The cistern had been made into a dungeon, and Yirmeyahu was put in one of its cells; there he remained for a long time.

17 Then Tzidkiyahu the king sent and had him brought; and the king asked him secretly, in his palace, "Is there any word from ADONAI?" "There is," Yirmeyahu said. "You will be handed over to the king of Bavel."

18 Yirmeyahu asked King Tzidkiyahu, "In what way have I sinned against you or against your officials or against this people, that has caused you to put me in prison?