Jeremiah 37:16

16 I was put into a prison cell that was below ground level. I remained 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 I said to Irijah, "That isn't true! I'm not going to the side of the Babylonians." But Irijah wouldn't listen to me. Instead, he arrested me. He brought me to the officials.

15 They were angry with me. So they had me beaten. Then they took me to the house of the secretary Jonathan. It had been made into a prison. That's where they put me.

16 I was put into a prison cell that was below ground level. I remained there a long time.

17 Then King Zedekiah sent for me. He had me brought to the palace. There he spoke to me in private. He asked, "Do you have a message from the LORD for me?" "Yes," I replied. "You will be handed over to the king of Babylonia."

18 Then I continued, "Why have you put me in prison? What crime have I committed against you? What have I done to your officials or these people?