Jeremiah 37:16

16 So Jeremiah entered an underground cell in a cistern turned into a dungeon. He stayed there 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 "That's a lie," protested Jeremiah. "I wouldn't think of deserting to the Chaldeans."

15 The police were furious with Jeremiah. They beat him up and threw him into jail in the house of Jonathan the secretary of state. (They were using the house for a prison cell.)

16 So Jeremiah entered an underground cell in a cistern turned into a dungeon. He stayed there a long time.

17 Later King Zedekiah had Jeremiah brought to him. The king questioned him privately, "Is there a Message from God?" "There certainly is," said Jeremiah. "You're going to be turned over to the king of Babylon."

18 Jeremiah continued speaking to King Zedekiah: "Can you tell me why you threw me into prison? What crime did I commit against you or your officials or this people?