Jeremiah 37:14

14 And Jeremiah said, "That is a lie; I am not deserting to the Chaldeans." But Irijah would not listen to him, and arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.

Jeremiah 37:14 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 37:14

Then said Jeremiah, [it is] false
Or a "falsehood" ^F11; as undoubtedly it was; I fall not away to the Chaldeans;
for the Chaldean army was gone from the city; nor did Jeremiah like so well to be with an idolatrous people; for after the city was taken, when Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard gave him his choice, either to go with him to Babylon, where he promised to take care of him; or to go to Gedaliah, who was made governor of Judah; he chose rather to be with him, and his poor company: but he hearkened not to him;
would not hear his defence, or however would not give any credit to it, being unwilling to let slip this opportunity of doing him ill will: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes;
the princes of Zedekiah's court, or the princes of the people, the civil magistrates; or it may be the great sanhedrim, who he knew had no good disposition towards the prophet.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (rqv) "mendacium est", Vatablus; "falsitas, calumnia", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 37:14 In-Context

12 Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to receive his share of property among the people there.

13 When he reached the Benjamin Gate, a sentinel there named Irijah son of Shelemiah son of Hananiah arrested the prophet Jeremiah saying, "You are deserting to the Chaldeans."

14 And Jeremiah said, "That is a lie; I am not deserting to the Chaldeans." But Irijah would not listen to him, and arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.

15 The officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and imprisoned him in the house of the secretary Jonathan, for it had been made a prison.

16 Thus Jeremiah was put in the cistern house, in the cells, and remained there many days.