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 . 17 Now King Zedekiah sent and took him out; and in his palace the king secretly asked him and said , "Is there a word from the Lord ?" And Jeremiah said , "There is!" Then he said , "You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon !" 18 Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah , " In what way have I sinned against you, or against your servants , or against this people , that you have put me in prison e ? 19 " Where then are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying , 'The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land '? 20 "But now , please listen , O my lord the king ; please let my petition come before you and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe , that I may not die there ." 21 Then King Zedekiah gave commandment , and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guardhouse and gave him a loaf of bread daily from the bakers' street , until all the bread in the city was gone . So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guardhouse .

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 37:11-21

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.