Jeremiah 37 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Jeremiah 37 meaning explained in AI Summary

Chapter 37 of Jeremiah details the prophet's imprisonment during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah's Warning and Arrest:

King Zedekiah sends a delegation to Jeremiah, asking him to pray for Judah as the Babylonian army, led by Nebuchadnezzar, temporarily withdraws from Jerusalem (verses 1-5).
Jeremiah reiterates God's message: Babylon will conquer Jerusalem. Those who surrender will survive, but those who resist will die (verses 6-10).
As Jeremiah attempts to leave Jerusalem, he is arrested by the officials, accused of deserting to the Babylonians (verses 11-15).

Jeremiah's Imprisonment:

Despite Jeremiah's pleas of innocence, he is beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary (verses 16-21).
King Zedekiah secretly brings Jeremiah to the palace, seeking reassurance and asking if there is any word from the Lord (verses 17-21).
Jeremiah repeats God's message of impending doom and pleads for better treatment in prison (verses 17-21).
Zedekiah, fearing the officials, returns Jeremiah to the court of the guard, but orders him to be fed bread daily (verses 21).

Key Themes:

God's Sovereignty: Despite Judah's desperate situation, God's plan remains unchanged. Jeremiah serves as a mouthpiece for God's unwavering judgment.
Consequences of Disobedience: Judah's refusal to heed God's warnings leads to their inevitable downfall.
Jeremiah's Faithfulness: Despite facing persecution and imprisonment, Jeremiah remains faithful to God's message, even when it angers those in power.
Human Weakness: Zedekiah, though sympathetic to Jeremiah, lacks the courage to stand against his officials and obey God's word.

Overall, Chapter 37 portrays a bleak picture of Jerusalem's final days, highlighting the consequences of rejecting God and the unwavering faithfulness of his prophet, Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 37 bible study ai commentary

The unwavering truth of God's word clashes with the fragile hopes and political maneuvering of humanity. This chapter chronicles the personal cost of prophetic faithfulness, as Jeremiah is persecuted for speaking a truth that Jerusalem's leadership refuses to hear. Amid the temporary relief from the Babylonian siege, the prophet's message remains unchanged: judgment is certain and decreed by God, and human alliances (like with Egypt) are ultimately futile. The narrative highlights the stark contrast between Jeremiah's integrity and King Zedekiah's fearful, vacillating character.

Jeremiah 37 Context

The events occur around 588 BC during the final siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's forces. Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, was a vassal installed by Babylon but chose to rebel, likely placing his trust in a military alliance with Egypt under Pharaoh Hophra (Apries). The temporary retreat of the Babylonian army, caused by the approaching Egyptian forces, created a wave of optimistic delusion within Jerusalem, making Jeremiah's consistent message of doom seem treasonous and pessimistic. It is in this bubble of false hope that the chapter unfolds.

Jeremiah 37:1-2

1 Zedekiah son of Josiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he reigned in place of Coniah son of Jehoiakim. 2 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.

In-depth-analysis

This introduction immediately establishes Zedekiah's political and spiritual failure.
Political Context: He is a puppet king, installed by Babylon, yet he rebels. His authority is derivative and his actions foolish.
Spiritual Context: The core problem is stated plainly: a universal rejection of God's word, from the king ("he") to his court ("his servants") to the general populace ("the people of the land"). This sets the stage for the inevitability of judgment.
Coniah (Jehoiachin): Mentioning his predecessor reminds the reader of the curse against him (Jer 22:24-30) and the ongoing downward spiral of Judah's leadership.

Bible references

2 Kings 24:17-20: "And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah... he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD... for because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon." (Direct historical parallel and context).
2 Chr 36:11-13: "...he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD..." (Confirms his spiritual obstinacy).
Acts 7:51: "You stiff-necked people... you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you." (The recurring pattern of Israel rejecting God's messengers).

Cross references

Jer 22:24-30 (Curse on Coniah), Ezek 17:15-18 (Allegory of Zedekiah breaking his oath).

Jeremiah 37:3-5

3 King Zedekiah, however, sent Jehucal 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.” 4 Now Jeremiah was still moving about freely among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison. 5 Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt, and when the Babylonians who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

In-depth-analysis

A Hollow Request: Zedekiah's request, "Pray... for us," is not a sign of repentance but of desperation. He wants the benefits of God (deliverance) without the conditions of God (obedience).
False Hope: The arrival of the Egyptian army and the retreat of the Babylonians provide the tangible "evidence" that feeds the city's delusion. They believe their political strategy has worked, making God's word through Jeremiah seem irrelevant.
Verse 4 is a narrative note that sets up the subsequent arrest, emphasizing that Jeremiah's imprisonment was a direct result of the message he delivers next.

Bible references

Isa 30:1-2: "Woe to the rebellious children... who carry out a plan, but not mine... who set out to go down to Egypt without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh..." (Direct condemnation of the very policy Judah was pursuing).
Ezek 29:6-7: "Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the LORD. Because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel... you broke and tore all their shoulders." (God's own verdict on Egypt's reliability as an ally).
1 Sam 15:30-31: "Saul said, 'I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people... that I may bow down before the LORD your God.'" (Shows a similar desire for religious ritual without true repentance).

Cross references

Jer 21:1-2 (An earlier, almost identical request from Zedekiah), Jer 42:2-4, 20 (The remnant later makes the same false plea).

Jeremiah 37:6-10

6 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet: 7 “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ...'Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to support you, will go back to its own land... 8 Then the Babylonians will return and attack this city; they will capture it and burn it down.' ... 10 Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down.”

In-depth-analysis

Unchanging Word: God's response shatters the city's false optimism. The message has not changed despite the change in military circumstances. Divine decree overrides geopolitical maneuvering.
Do not deceive yourselves: A direct command against their self-inflicted delusion. Their hope was based on sight (the Babylonians leaving), not on God's word.
Divine Sovereignty: The hyperbolic statement in verse 10 is one of the strongest declarations of God's sovereign control over history in the book. It means the outcome is so certain that even an impossible military scenario (victory over Babylon) would not prevent Jerusalem's destruction. The agent of judgment is ordained by God.

Bible references

Num 23:19: "God is not a man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind." (Underlines the unchanging nature of God's word, spoken here through Jeremiah).
Acts 5:39: "...but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them; you may even be found fighting against God." (A principle Zedekiah and Judah are violating).
Jer 34:21-22: "And Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand... of the army of the king of Babylon which has withdrawn from you. Behold... they will return to this city and fight against it and take it and burn it with fire." (A reiteration of this same prophecy, showing its consistency).

Cross references

Jer 21:4-5 (God himself fights against Judah), Lam 4:17 (Looking to a nation that could not save).

Polemics

This section is a direct polemic against the standard ancient Near Eastern theology where military victory or retreat was a direct reflection of the power of national gods. The people believed Egypt's advance meant the Egyptian gods (and perhaps Yahweh, on their side) were more powerful than Babylon's. Jeremiah's prophecy declares that Yahweh is sovereign over all nations and is, in fact, using Babylon as His instrument of judgment. Egypt's army is irrelevant to His ultimate plan.

Jeremiah 37:11-16

11 After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army, 12 Jeremiah started to leave the city to go to the territory of Benjamin to claim his share of the property among the people there. 13 But when he reached the Gate of Benjamin, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah... arrested him and said, “You are deserting to the Babylonians!” ... 15 they were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had made into a prison. 16 Jeremiah was put into a vault in a dungeon, where he remained a long time.

In-depth-analysis

The Accusation's Irony: Jeremiah, who has consistently preached surrender to God's will through the Babylonians, is accused of deserting to them. His "crime" is fabricated by those who hate his message.
Land in Benjamin: He was not fleeing. Anathoth, his hometown, was in Benjamin's territory. He was likely attending to the legal matter of property, similar to his symbolic land purchase in chapter 32, which was an act of faith in God's future restoration.
bor (בּוֹר) - Dungeon: This Hebrew word often means a cistern or a pit. It was not a structured jail cell but a dark, subterranean, and likely filthy place of confinement, representing a severe form of punishment.
Personal Cost: Here we see the physical price of prophecy. For speaking truth, Jeremiah receives accusation, anger, a beating, and horrific imprisonment.

Bible references

Jer 32:6-9: "Jeremiah said, 'The word of the LORD came to me... Hanamel son of your uncle Shallum is going to come to you and say, “Buy my field... for the right of redemption... is yours.”'" (Shows his legitimate business and faith regarding land in Benjamin).
Gen 37:24: "and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it." (Joseph's brothers throwing him into a bor, a strong parallel of a righteous man suffering at the hands of his own people).
Matt 26:59-60: "The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any..." (A clear foreshadowing of Christ, the ultimate prophet, falsely accused).
2 Cor 11:23-25: "...with countless beatings, and often near death... five times I received... the forty lashes... three times I was beaten with rods..." (Paul's suffering as an apostle echoes Jeremiah's).

Cross references

Jer 20:1-2 (Beaten and put in stocks), Jer 38:6 (Thrown into an even worse cistern), Lam 3:53 (Poetic reflection on being silenced in a pit).

Jeremiah 37:17-21

17 Later King Zedekiah sent for him and had him brought to the palace, where he asked him privately, “Is there any word from the LORD?” “Yes,” Jeremiah replied, “you will be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon.” 18 Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “What crime have I committed against you or your officials or this people, that you have put me in prison?... 21 Then King Zedekiah gave orders, and Jeremiah was placed in the courtyard of the guard and given a loaf of bread from the street of the bakers each day until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

In-depth-analysis

Zedekiah's Cowardice: The meeting is "privately," revealing a king who is too afraid of his own officials to be seen consulting a true prophet. He fears man more than God.
Unwavering Prophet: Even when face-to-face with the king who holds power over his life, Jeremiah does not soften the message. He boldly gives the same terrible news ("Yes...") and then immediately challenges the king on the injustice of his imprisonment.
Providence in Punishment: Zedekiah shows a sliver of conscience (or fear), moving Jeremiah from the dungeon to the "courtyard of the guard," a form of house arrest. The daily provision of bread is a tangible sign of God's providence, sustaining His servant even in the midst of judgment. This small mercy stands in stark contrast to the starvation that will soon grip the city (Jer 52:6).

Bible references

John 18:33, 37: "So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' ...Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king.'" (A parallel between a fearful ruler secretly questioning a condemned but truthful figure).
Acts 24:25-26: "...Felix was alarmed and said... 'I will send for you.' At the same time he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul." (Shows another ruler, Felix, who knows the truth but is motivated by fear and greed, not righteousness).
1 Kings 17:6: "And the ravens brought him [Elijah] bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening..." (A classic example of God's miraculous provision for his prophet in a time of crisis).

Cross references

Jer 38:14-16 (Another secret meeting with Zedekiah), Jer 52:6 (The bread supply running out, fulfilling the condition).

Jeremiah Chapter 37 Analysis

The Vacillating King: Zedekiah is a tragic figure defined by his indecision. He knows Jeremiah speaks for God (hence the secret questions), but he is paralyzed by his fear of public opinion and the princes in his court. He represents leaders who lack the moral courage to act on the truth they know.
The Cost of Prophetic Integrity: The chapter is a powerful portrait of the "via dolorosa" (the way of suffering) for a true prophet. As the nation's end draws nearer, Jeremiah's suffering intensifies. He is the voice of reality in a society high on the drug of delusion, and for that, he is punished. His experience serves as a clear archetype for the suffering servant, fulfilled in Christ.
Certainty vs. Delusion: The central conflict is between God's decreed, unchangeable word and the people's circumstantial, fleeting hope. They choose to believe the evidence of their eyes (the Babylonians are gone!) over the evidence of God's revealed truth. The chapter is a lesson on the mortal danger of "wishful thinking" in spiritual matters.

Jeremiah 37 Summary

King Zedekiah, despite outwardly rejecting Jeremiah's message, desperately seeks a word from God when a temporary military reprieve gives Jerusalem false hope. Jeremiah declares God's unchanging decree: Egypt will retreat and Babylon will return to destroy the city. For speaking this unpopular truth, Jeremiah is arrested on a false charge of desertion, beaten, and thrown into a dungeon. In a private meeting, Zedekiah reveals his fear and vacillation, and while he fails to obey God, he grants Jeremiah a minor mercy, moving him to a less severe prison and providing a daily bread ration.

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Jeremiah chapter 37 kjv

¹ And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
² But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.
³ And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us.
⁴ Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.
⁵ Then Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
⁶ Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah saying,
⁷ Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
⁸ And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.
⁹ Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.
¹⁰ For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
¹¹ And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,
¹² Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.
¹³ And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans.
¹⁴ Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
¹⁵ Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.
¹⁶ When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
¹⁷ Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
¹⁸ Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?
¹⁹ Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
²⁰ Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
²¹ Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

Jeremiah chapter 37 nkjv

¹ Now King Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
² But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land gave heed to the words of the LORD which He spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
³ And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "Pray now to the LORD our God for us."
⁴ Now Jeremiah was coming and going among the people, for they had not yet put him in prison.
⁵ Then Pharaoh's army came up from Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
⁶ Then the word of the LORD came to the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
⁷ "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Thus you shall say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: "Behold, Pharaoh's army which has come up to help you will return to Egypt, to their own land.
⁸ And the Chaldeans shall come back and fight against this city, and take it and burn it with fire." '
⁹ Thus says the LORD: 'Do not deceive yourselves, saying, "The Chaldeans will surely depart from us," for they will not depart.
¹⁰ For though you had defeated the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained only wounded men among them, they would rise up, every man in his tent, and burn the city with fire.' "
¹¹ And it happened, when the army of the Chaldeans left the siege of Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,
¹² that Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin to claim his property there among the people.
¹³ And when he was in the Gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there whose name was Irijah the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "You are defecting to the Chaldeans!"
¹⁴ Then Jeremiah said, "False! I am not defecting to the Chaldeans." But he did not listen to him. So Irijah seized Jeremiah and brought him to the princes.
¹⁵ Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe. For they had made that the prison.
¹⁶ When Jeremiah entered the dungeon and the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days,
¹⁷ then Zedekiah the king sent and took him out. The king asked him secretly in his house, and said, "Is there any word from the LORD?" And Jeremiah said, "There is." Then he said, "You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon!"
¹⁸ Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, "What offense have I committed against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
¹⁹ Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, 'The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land'?
²⁰ Therefore please hear now, O my lord the king. Please, let my petition be accepted before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there."
²¹ Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah to the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread from the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was gone. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

Jeremiah chapter 37 niv

¹ Zedekiah son of Josiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he reigned in place of Jehoiachin 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."
⁴ Now Jeremiah was free to come and go among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison.
⁵ Pharaoh's army had marched out of Egypt, and when the Babylonians who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
⁶ Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet:
⁷ "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of me, 'Pharaoh's army, which has marched out to support you, will go back to its own land, to Egypt.
⁸ Then the Babylonians will return and attack this city; they will capture it and burn it down.'
⁹ "This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, 'The Babylonians will surely leave us.' They will not!
¹⁰ Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down."
¹¹ After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh's army,
¹² Jeremiah started to leave the city to go to the territory of Benjamin to get his share of the property among the people there.
¹³ But when he reached the Benjamin Gate, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, arrested him and said, "You are deserting to the Babylonians!"
¹⁴ "That's not true!" Jeremiah said. "I am not deserting to the Babylonians." But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.
¹⁵ They were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had made into a prison.
¹⁶ Jeremiah was put into a vaulted cell in a dungeon, where he remained a long time.
¹⁷ Then King Zedekiah sent for him and had him brought to the palace, where he asked him privately, "Is there any word from the LORD?" "Yes," Jeremiah replied, "you will be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon."
¹⁸ Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, "What crime have I committed against you or your attendants or this people, that you have put me in prison?
¹⁹ Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, 'The king of Babylon will not attack you or this land'?
²⁰ But now, my lord the king, please listen. Let me bring my petition before you: Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, or I will die there."
²¹ King Zedekiah then gave orders for Jeremiah to be placed in the courtyard of the guard and given a loaf of bread from the street of the bakers each day until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

Jeremiah chapter 37 esv

¹ Zedekiah the son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah, reigned instead 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 that he spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.
³ King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "Please pray for us to the LORD our God."
⁴ Now Jeremiah was still going in and out among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison.
⁵ The army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt. And when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
⁶ Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet:
⁷ "Thus says the LORD, God of Israel: Thus shall you say to the king of Judah who sent you to me to inquire of me, 'Behold, Pharaoh's army that came to help you is about to return to Egypt, to its own land.
⁸ And the Chaldeans shall come back and fight against this city. They shall 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 away.
¹⁰ For even if you should defeat the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men, every man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.'"
¹¹ Now when the Chaldean army had withdrawn from Jerusalem at the approach of Pharaoh's army,
¹² Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to receive his portion there among the people.
¹³ When he was at the Benjamin Gate, a sentry there named Irijah the son of Shelemiah, son of Hananiah, seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "You are deserting to the Chaldeans."
¹⁴ And Jeremiah said, "It is a lie; I am not deserting to the Chaldeans." But Irijah would not listen to him, and seized Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.
¹⁵ And the officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for it had been made a prison.
¹⁶ When Jeremiah had come to the dungeon cells and remained there many days,
¹⁷ King Zedekiah sent for him and received him. The king questioned him secretly in his house and said, "Is there any word from the LORD?" Jeremiah said, "There is." Then he said, "You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon."
¹⁸ Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, "What wrong have I done to you or your servants or this people, that you have put me in prison?
¹⁹ Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, 'The king of Babylon will not come against you and against this land'?
²⁰ Now hear, please, O my lord the king: let my humble plea come before you and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, lest I die there."
²¹ So King Zedekiah gave orders, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guard. And a loaf of bread was given him daily from the bakers' street, until all the bread of the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

Jeremiah chapter 37 nlt

¹ Zedekiah son of Josiah succeeded Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim as the king of Judah. He was appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
² But neither King Zedekiah nor his attendants nor the people who were left in the land listened to what the LORD said through Jeremiah.
³ Nevertheless, King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the priest, son of Maaseiah, to ask Jeremiah, "Please pray to the LORD our God for us."
⁴ Jeremiah had not yet been imprisoned, so he could come and go among the people as he pleased.
⁵ At this time the army of Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt appeared at the southern border of Judah. When the Babylonian army heard about it, they withdrew from their siege of Jerusalem.
⁶ Then the LORD gave this message to Jeremiah:
⁷ "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: The king of Judah sent you to ask me what is going to happen. Tell him, 'Pharaoh's army is about to return to Egypt, though he came here to help you.
⁸ Then the Babylonians will come back and capture this city and burn it to the ground.'
⁹ "This is what the LORD says: Do not fool yourselves into thinking that the Babylonians are gone for good. They aren't!
¹⁰ Even if you were to destroy the entire Babylonian army, leaving only a handful of wounded survivors, they would still stagger from their tents and burn this city to the ground!"
¹¹ When the Babylonian army left Jerusalem because of Pharaoh's approaching army,
¹² Jeremiah started to leave the city on his way to the territory of Benjamin, to claim his share of the property among his relatives there.
¹³ But as he was walking through the Benjamin Gate, a sentry arrested him and said, "You are defecting to the Babylonians!" The sentry making the arrest was Irijah son of Shelemiah, grandson of Hananiah.
¹⁴ "That's not true!" Jeremiah protested. "I had no intention of doing any such thing." But Irijah wouldn't listen, and he took Jeremiah before the officials.
¹⁵ They were furious with Jeremiah and had him flogged and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary. Jonathan's house had been converted into a prison.
¹⁶ Jeremiah was put into a dungeon cell, where he remained for many days.
¹⁷ Later King Zedekiah secretly requested that Jeremiah come to the palace, where the king asked him, "Do you have any messages from the LORD?" "Yes, I do!" said Jeremiah. "You will be defeated by the king of Babylon."
¹⁸ Then Jeremiah asked the king, "What crime have I committed? What have I done against you, your attendants, or the people that I should be imprisoned like this?
¹⁹ Where are your prophets now who told you the king of Babylon would not attack you or this land?
²⁰ Listen, my lord the king, I beg you. Don't send me back to the dungeon in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for I will die there."
²¹ So King Zedekiah commanded that Jeremiah not be returned to the dungeon. Instead, he was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace. The king also commanded that Jeremiah be given a loaf of fresh bread every day as long as there was any left in the city. So Jeremiah was put in the palace prison.