Jeremiah 37:11 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 37:11 kjv
And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,
Jeremiah 37:11 nkjv
And it happened, when the army of the Chaldeans left the siege of Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,
Jeremiah 37:11 niv
After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh's army,
Jeremiah 37:11 esv
Now when the Chaldean army had withdrawn from Jerusalem at the approach of Pharaoh's army,
Jeremiah 37:11 nlt
When the Babylonian army left Jerusalem because of Pharaoh's approaching army,
Jeremiah 37 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 37:5 | "Then Pharaoh’s army came out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard of them..." | Direct immediate context for the Chaldeans' withdrawal. |
| Jer 34:21-22 | "And I will give Zedekiah... into the hand of his enemies... Behold, I will command, says the LORD, and will bring them back..." | God's prior prophecy that the Chaldeans would return. |
| Jer 37:7-10 | "...the Chaldeans who are besieging you will depart from you; but they will return and fight against this city..." | Jeremiah's prophecy that the reprieve is temporary. |
| Jer 2:36-37 | "Why do you go about so much to change your way? You shall be ashamed of Egypt as you were ashamed of Assyria." | Judah's futile reliance on Egypt. |
| Isa 30:1-7 | "Woe to the rebellious children, says the LORD, who take counsel, but not of me... to flee to the protection of Pharaoh." | Prophecy against trusting Egypt for help. |
| Isa 31:1-3 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help... their horses and their chariots... but do not look to the Holy One of Israel." | Warning against trusting human strength and Egypt. |
| Ezek 29:6-7 | "Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel." | Egypt's unreliability as an ally, a "broken reed." |
| 2 Kgs 24:7 | "And the king of Egypt did not come out of his land again, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt." | Egyptian weakness against Babylon earlier. |
| Jer 38:3 | "...this city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it." | God's absolute decree of Jerusalem's fall. |
| Jer 39:1-2 | "In the ninth year of Zedekiah... Nebuchadnezzar... came with all his army against Jerusalem and besieged it..." | Fulfillment of the prophecy of the Chaldeans' return. |
| 2 Kgs 25:1-4 | "Now in the ninth year... Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it..." | Historical account of the siege's final phase. |
| Dan 2:20-21 | "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever... He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings." | God's sovereignty over world powers. |
| Ps 33:16-17 | "No king is saved by the multitude of an army... The horse is a vain hope for safety." | Futility of human strength in battle. |
| Ps 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." | Contrasting trust in human power vs. God. |
| 1 Thess 5:3 | "For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them..." | False sense of security preceding judgment. |
| Lk 21:20-21 | "When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near..." | Jerusalem under siege as a sign of judgment. |
| Hos 8:9 | "For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey acting alone; Ephraim has hired lovers." | Seeking alliances instead of God (Israel's pattern). |
| Is 10:5-7 | "Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger... Yet he does not mean so, nor does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy..." | God using pagan nations as instruments of judgment. |
| Zeph 3:1-2 | "Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressing city! She has not heeded the voice; She has not received instruction." | Jerusalem's continued disobedience despite warnings. |
| Lam 1:3 | "Judah has gone into captivity because of affliction and great servitude..." | Consequence of the siege and subsequent exile. |
| Nah 3:9 | "Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was boundless; Put and Lubim were your helpers." | Historical power of Egypt, but also its fall. |
Jeremiah 37 verses
Jeremiah 37 11 meaning
Jeremiah 37:11 describes a specific historical moment during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. It states that the army of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) temporarily withdrew from besieging Jerusalem because the Egyptian army, led by Pharaoh Hophra, approached. This event provided a brief and ultimately misleading reprieve for the besieged city of Judah.
Jeremiah 37 11 Context
Jeremiah chapter 37 occurs during a critical phase of the final Babylonian siege of Jerusalem (approximately 588 BCE). King Zedekiah of Judah, despite Jeremiah's warnings, had rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and sought an alliance with Egypt. This verse specifically describes the moment when Pharaoh Hophra (Apries) responded by sending an Egyptian army northward towards Judah. The approaching Egyptian force compelled the Babylonian army to temporarily lift their siege of Jerusalem and engage the Egyptians to prevent a two-front war or disruption of their supply lines. This event provided a fleeting sense of hope and relief for the people of Jerusalem, a false dawn that Jeremiah immediately countered by reiterating God's unyielding decree of the city's eventual destruction and the Chaldeans' return. It also serves as the immediate backdrop for Jeremiah's attempt to leave Jerusalem, leading to his wrongful arrest and imprisonment, a key moment in his personal suffering narrative.
Jeremiah 37 11 Word analysis
- "And it came to pass": Hebrew: וַיְהִי (wa-ye-hi). A common introductory phrase in biblical narrative, signaling a transition or a significant event. It highlights that the subsequent action is a definite part of the unfolding story.
- "that when": Connects the timing of the following action to the previous narrative flow.
- "the army": Hebrew: חֵיל (cheyl). Refers to the military force or contingent. It emphasizes a structured and significant fighting unit, not merely scattered individuals.
- "of the Chaldeans": Hebrew: הַכַּשְׂדִּים (ha-Kassdim). Refers to the Babylonians. The term "Chaldeans" designates the ruling class and origin of the Babylonian dynasty at this time, particularly Nebuchadnezzar's empire. Their presence symbolizes divine judgment upon Judah.
- "was broken up from Jerusalem": Hebrew: עָלָה (ʿalāh) with prepositions indicating "from" and "over." While literally "went up" or "ascended," in this context, when combined with "from Jerusalem," it means "withdrew," "departed," or "lifted" the siege. It suggests a strategic withdrawal, not a defeat.
- "for fear of": Hebrew: מִפְּנֵי (mi-pĕnēy). Literally "from the face of" or "because of." It denotes the reason or cause for the Chaldean's departure. This wasn't panic, but a tactical decision influenced by the new threat.
- "Pharaoh's army": Hebrew: חֵיל־פַּרְעֹה (cheyl-parʿōh). Specifically refers to the military forces of the Egyptian king, Pharaoh Hophra (Apries). Their advance was the direct catalyst for the Babylonian withdrawal, yet ultimately provided no lasting deliverance.
- "the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem": This phrase captures the immediate strategic response of the besieging Babylonian forces. They did not retreat due to being routed or defeated, but rather strategically repositioned to confront an emergent threat. This "breaking up" was a temporary, tactical maneuver, not an end to the siege itself, setting up a deceptive period of false hope.
- "for fear of Pharaoh's army": This phrase clarifies the motivation behind the Babylonian withdrawal. While "fear" might suggest apprehension, in a military context it more accurately denotes a recognition of a serious threat that required immediate attention. Pharaoh Hophra's intervention forced the Babylonians to temporarily divert their focus and resources from Jerusalem to deal with the Egyptian host. It highlights Judah's misguided reliance on external political and military alliances, a reliance that God, through Jeremiah, consistently condemned.
Jeremiah 37 11 Bonus section
This verse perfectly encapsulates the repeated theological error of Judah: relying on the "broken reed" of Egypt (Ezek 29:6-7) rather than trusting in the Lord, as Jeremiah persistently warned. Pharaoh Hophra's intervention was real, and it did indeed cause the Chaldeans to move. However, as prophesied, this help proved insufficient and temporary. The historical accounts and archaeological findings often corroborate the broad strokes of such military engagements between Egypt and Babylon, reinforcing the authenticity of the biblical narrative within its geopolitical context. This incident demonstrates that even when circumstances appear to shift in favor of God's people (a withdrawal of the enemy), if those shifts are rooted in misplaced trust and defiance of God's word, they merely pave the way for more severe judgments rather than true deliverance. It also sets up a stark contrast between perceived political reality and God's unalterable decree.
Jeremiah 37 11 Commentary
Jeremiah 37:11 presents a precise historical interlude during the protracted siege of Jerusalem. The temporary withdrawal of the Chaldean (Babylonian) army, prompted by the arrival of Pharaoh Hophra's forces, appeared to be a divine reprieve for Judah. However, from Jeremiah's prophetic perspective, this moment was an illusion of hope. It was merely a tactical necessity for Babylon to address the Egyptian threat, not a sign of God's deliverance through human alliances, which He had forbidden. Instead, it set the stage for further acts of unbelief by Judah, Jeremiah's own increased suffering (as he was imprisoned during this interlude), and God's reaffirmed pronouncement of Jerusalem's inevitable destruction. This verse underscores the futility of trusting in earthly power (like Egypt's) over the direct counsel of God, highlighting the sovereignty of God even over the strategic maneuvers of pagan empires.