Jeremias 37:11-21

11

12 Thus saith the Lord; I have brought on destruction; thy stroke is painful.

13 There is none to judge thy cause: thou hast been painfully treated for healing, there is no help for thee.

14 All thy friends have forgotten thee; they shall not ask at all, for I have smitten thee with he stroke of an enemy, severe correction: thy sins have abounded above all thine iniquity.

15 Thy sins have abounded beyond the multitude of thine iniquities, they have done these things to thee. Therefore all that devour thee shall be eaten, and all thine enemies shall eat all their flesh.

16 And they that spoil thee shall become a spoil, and I will give up to be plundered all that have plundered thee.

17 For I will bring about thy healing, I will heal thee of thy grievous wound, saith the Lord; for thou art called Dispersed: she is your prey, for no one seeks after her.

18 Thus said the Lord; Behold, I will turn the captivity of Jacob, and will have pity upon his prisoners; and the city shall be built upon her hill, and the people shall settle after their manner.

19 And there shall go forth from them singers, the sound of men making merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not at all be diminished.

20 And their sons shall go in as before, and their testimonies shall be established before me, and I will visit them that afflict them.

21 And their mighty ones shall be over them, and their prince shall proceed of themselves; and I will gather them, and they shall return to me: for who is this that has set his heart to return to me? saith the Lord.

Jeremias 37:11-21 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.