Jeremiah 37:15

15 Wherefore the princes were wroth against Jeremy, and beat him, and sent him into the prison, that was in the house of Jonathan, the scribe; for he was sovereign on the prison (for he was the ruler of the prison).

Jeremiah 37:15 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 37:15

Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah
For attempting to depart the city, and go off to the Chaldeans, as Irijah had suggested to them, and to whom they hearkened; and perhaps would not hear what the prophet had to say for himself; and if they did, it had no weight with them: and smote him;
either with their fists, or with rods, or a scourge; perhaps he underwent the punishment of forty stripes save one, according to the law; and they may be said to smite or beat him, because they ordered it to be done: and put him in prison, in the house of Jonathan the scribe;
or secretary of state; such an one as Elishama was in Jehoiakim's time, who had a house or apartment at court as he had, who was now dead or removed, ( Jeremiah 36:12 ) ; for they had made that the prison;
which had not used to be; but by the courtiers, and with the consent of this scribe, secretary, or chancellor, it was made a prison; not for common malefactors, but for state prisoners; and a bad prison it seems it was. Very probably this scribe was a very cruel wicked man, who used those very ill that were his prisoners; and indeed, if he had not been of such a character, he would scarcely have suffered his house to have been made a prison.

Jeremiah 37:15 In-Context

13 And when he was come to the gate of Benjamin, there was a keeper of the gate by whiles (the guard, or the gate-keeper, was there), Irijah by name, the son of Shelemiah, son of Hananiah; and he took (hold of) Jeremy, the prophet, and said, Thou fleest to [the] Chaldees.

14 And Jeremy answered, It is false; I flee not to [the] Chaldees. And he heard not Jeremy, but Irijah took Jeremy, and brought him to the princes. (And Jeremiah answered, That is false; I do not flee to the Chaldeans. But Irijah would not listen to him, and he took Jeremiah, and brought him to the officers.)

15 Wherefore the princes were wroth against Jeremy, and beat him, and sent him into the prison, that was in the house of Jonathan, the scribe; for he was sovereign on the prison (for he was the ruler of the prison).

16 Therefore Jeremy entered into the house of the pit, and into the prison of travail; and Jeremy sat there many days (and Jeremiah sat there for many days).

17 Therefore king Zedekiah sent, and took him away, and asked him privily in his house, and said, Guessest thou, whether a word is of the Lord? And Jeremy said, There is. And Jeremy said, Thou shalt be betaken into the hand of the king of Babylon. (And so King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah, and had him brought to his house, and privately asked him, Knowest thou, is there a word from the Lord? And Jeremiah said, There is. And Jeremiah said, Thou shalt be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon.)