Jeremiah 37:12

12 Jeremiah started to leave the city to go to the territory of Benjamin to get his share of the property among the people there.

Jeremiah 37:12 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
12 Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
12 Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to receive his portion there among the people.
New Living Translation (NLT)
12 Jeremiah started to leave the city on his way to the territory of Benjamin, to claim his share of the property among his relatives there.
The Message Bible (MSG)
12 Jeremiah left Jerusalem to go over to the territory of Benjamin to take care of some personal business.
American Standard Version (ASV)
12 then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
12 So Jeremiah wanted to leave Jerusalem and go to the territory of Benjamin to take possession of his property there among the people.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
12 Jeremiah [started to] leave Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to claim his portion there among the people.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
12 So I started to leave the city. I was planning to go to the territory of Benjamin. I wanted to get my share of the property among the people there.

Jeremiah 37:12 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 37:12

Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem
At least he attempted to do so, taking the opportunity of the siege of the city being broke up: what were his reasons for it are not certain; whether that he might not be put into prison, which he might fear for what he had just prophesied of concerning the return of the Chaldean army, that should take the city, and burn it; or to save himself from the destruction which he was sure would come upon it; or because he found he could do no good by his preaching and prophesying in it: however his view was to go into the land of Benjamin;
his native country, the tribe he belonged to; and very likely to Anathoth in that tribe, where he was born, and had lived. Josephus F5 is express for it, which he says was twenty furlongs from Jerusalem: to separate himself thence in the midst of the people:
or, "to slip away thence in the midst of the people" F6; the siege being raised, the people that had fled to Jerusalem for safety crowded out again to go into their own countries, which the prophet thought to take the advantage of, and slip away in a crowd unobserved; though the words may be rendered, "to take part from thence in the midst of the people" F7; either to take part of the spoil left there by the Chaldean army; or with the priests there, of what belonged to them, of whose number he was, ( Jeremiah 1:1 ) . The Targum is,

``to divide an inheritance which he had there in the midst of the people;''
and to the same sense are the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions F8.
FOOTNOTES:

F5 Antiqu. l. 10. c. 7. sect. 3.
F6 (Meh Kwtb Mvm qlxl) "ad lubrificandum seipsum", Montanus; "ad delabendum", Junius & Tremellius; "elabendo", Piscator; "ut subduecret se", Grotius.
F7 "Ut partem acciperet ibi in medio populi", Schmidt.
F8 Vid. Gloss. in T. Bab. Sota, fol. 42. 1. & Pesikta apud Yalkut in loc.

Jeremiah 37:12 In-Context

10 Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down.”
11 After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army,
12 Jeremiah started to leave the city to go to the territory of Benjamin to get his share of the property among the people there.
13 But when he reached the Benjamin Gate, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, arrested him and said, “You are deserting to the Babylonians!”
14 “That’s not true!” Jeremiah said. “I am not deserting to the Babylonians.” But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Jeremiah 32:9
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