Jeremiah 37:1-3

Jeremiah in Prison

1 Zedekiah son of Josiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he reigned in place of Jehoiachin[a] son of Jehoiakim.
2 Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.
3 King Zedekiah, however, sent Jehukal son of Shelemiah with the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah the prophet with this message: “Please pray to the LORD our God for us.”

Jeremiah 37:1-3 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 8

  • 1. S 2 Kings 24:17
  • 2. 1 Samuel 11:1; Ezekiel 17:13
  • 3. S 2 Kings 24:8,12; 2 Chronicles 36:10; Jeremiah 22:24
  • 4. S 2 Kings 24:19; 2 Chronicles 36:12,14
  • 5. ver 17; Jeremiah 38:14
  • 6. Jeremiah 38:1
  • 7. S 2 Kings 25:18; Jeremiah 29:25; Jeremiah 52:24
  • 8. S Exodus 8:28; S Numbers 21:7; 1 Samuel 12:19; 1 Kings 13:6; 2 Kings 19:4; Jeremiah 21:1-2; Jeremiah 42:2

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew "Koniah," a variant of "Jehoiachin"
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