Jeremiah 37:1-16
Jeremiah Imprisoned
371 Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah , reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim . 2 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet . 3 Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah , and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah , the priest , to Jeremiah the prophet , saying , " Please pray to the Lord our God on our behalf ." 4 Now Jeremiah was still coming in and going out among the people , for they had not yet put him in the prison e . 5 Meanwhile, Pharaoh's army had set out from Egypt ; and when the Chaldeans who had been besieging e Jerusalem heard the report about them, they lifted the siege from Jerusalem . 6 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet , saying , 7 "Thus says the Lord God of Israel , ' Thus you are to say to the king of Judah , who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: "Behold , Pharaoh's army which has come out for your assistance is going to return to its own land of Egypt . 8 "The Chaldeans will also return and fight against this city , and they will capture it and burn it with fire ."' 9 "Thus says the Lord , 'Do not deceive yourselves , saying , "The Chaldeans will surely go away from us," for they will not go . 10 'For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men left among them, each man in his tent , they would rise up and burn this city with fire .' "
11 Now it happened when the army of the Chaldeans had lifted the siege from Jerusalem because e of Pharaoh's army , 12 that Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin in order to take possession of some property there e among the people . 13 While he was at the Gate of Benjamin , a captain of the guard whose name was Irijah , the son of Shelemiah the son of Hananiah was there ; and he arrested Jeremiah the prophet , saying , "You are going over to the Chaldeans !" 14 But Jeremiah said , " A lie ! I am not going over to the Chaldeans "; yet he would not listen to him. So Irijah arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials . 15 Then the officials were angry at Jeremiah and beat him, and they put him in jail e in the house of Jonathan the scribe , which they had made into the prison e . 16 For Jeremiah had come into the dungeon , that is, the vaulted cell ; and Jeremiah stayed there many days .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 37:1-16
Commentary on Jeremiah 37:1-10
(Read Jeremiah 37:1-10)
Numbers witness the fatal effects of other men's sins, yet heedlessly step into their places, and follow the same destructive course. When in distress, we ought to desire the prayers of ministers and Christian friends. And it is common for those to desire to be prayed for, who will not be advised; yet sinners are often hardened by a pause in judgments. But if God help us not, no creature can. Whatever instruments God has determined to use, they shall do the work, though they seem unlikely.
Commentary on Jeremiah 37:11-21
(Read Jeremiah 37:11-21)
There are times when it is the wisdom of good men to retire, to enter into their chambers, and to shut the doors, Isaiah 26:20. Jeremiah was seized as a deserter, and committed to prison. But it is no new thing for the best friends of the church to be belied, as in the interests of her worst enemies. When thus falsely accused, we may deny the charge, and commit our cause to Him who judges righteously. Jeremiah obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful, and would not, to obtain mercy of man, be unfaithful to God or to his prince; he tells the king the whole truth. When Jeremiah delivered God's message, he spake with boldness; but when he made his own request, he spake submissively. A lion in God's cause must be a lamb in his own. And God gave Jeremiah favour in the eyes of the king. The Lord God can make even the cells of a prison become pastures to his people, and will raise up friends to provide for them, so that in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.