Jeremiah 37:5-11

5 Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt, and when the Babylonians^[a] who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

6 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet:

7 “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of me, ‘Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to support you, will go back to its own land, to Egypt.

8 Then the Babylonians will return and attack this city; they will capture it and burn it down.’

9 “This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, ‘The Babylonians will surely leave us.’ They will not!

10 Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian^[b] 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11 After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army,

Jeremiah 37:5-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 37

This chapter makes mention of the reign of Zedekiah, and what happened in it; of his message to Jeremiah, to pray for the kingdom; of the king of Babylonian's raising the siege of Jerusalem, on hearing the king of Egypt was coming to its relief; of the assurance the prophet gave that the Chaldean army would return again, and destroy the city; of the prophet's attempt to depart the city, his imprisonment, conversation with Zedekiah, and his clemency to him. A short account is given of Zedekiah, and of the disobedience of him and his people to the word of the Lord, Jer 37:1,2; of the message sent by him to the prophet to pray for them, Jer 37:3; the time, when Jeremiah was at liberty, and the siege of Jerusalem was raised, Jer 37:4,5; the prophet's answer to them from the Lord, assuring them the Chaldeans would return and burn the city, Jer 37:6-10; the prophet attempting to go out of the city is stopped, and charged as a deserter to the Chaldeans; is had before the princes, and beat and imprisoned, Jer 37:11-15; but the king sending for him out of prison, and having some private discourse with him, upon the prophet's expostulation and intercession, his confinement was mitigated, and bread allowed him, Jer 37:16-21.

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 15:18; Isaiah 31:1; Ezekiel 17:15
• 2. Jeremiah 34:21
• 3. S Isaiah 30:5; Jeremiah 34:11; 2 Kings 24:7
• 4. S Genesis 25:22; S 2 Kings 22:18
• 5. ver 5
• 6. S 2 Kings 18:21; S Jeremiah 2:36; Lamentations 1:7; Lamentations 4:17
• 7. Jeremiah 38:3
• 8. Jeremiah 21:10; Jeremiah 34:22; Jeremiah 38:18; Jeremiah 39:8
• 9. Jeremiah 29:8; S Mark 13:5
• 10. Jeremiah 21:10
• 11. ver 5

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "Chaldeans" ; also in verses 8, 9, 13 and 14
• [b]. Or "Chaldean" ; also in verse 11