Jeremiah 37:2

2 He and his officers and the people of the land did not obey the words of the Lord that He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.

Jeremiah 37:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 37:2

But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land,
&c.] The king, his courtiers and subjects the royal family, nobility, and common people; they were all degenerate and corrupt. Jarchi observes, that Jehoiakim was wicked, and his people righteous; and that Zedekiah was righteous, and his people wicked but he seems to found his character on that single action of taking Jeremiah out of prison; whereas, according to this account, king and people were all wicked: for neither one or other did hearken unto the words of the Lord, which he spake by Jeremiah the
prophet;
neither those which were spoken in the former nor in the latter part of his reign, concerning the destruction of the city by the Chaldeans. This short count is given to show how just it was to give up such a prince and people to ruin.

Jeremiah 37:2 In-Context

1 Zedekiah son of Josiah reigned as king in the land of Judah in place of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made him king.

2 He and his officers and the people of the land did not obey the words of the Lord that He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.

3 Nevertheless, King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, the priest, to Jeremiah the prophet, requesting, "Please pray to the Lord our God for us!"

4 Jeremiah was going about his daily tasks among the people, for they had not [yet] put him into the prison.

5 Pharaoh's army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans, who were besieging Jerusalem, heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem.