Jeremiah 37 13

Jeremiah 37:13 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 37:13 nkjv

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!"

Jeremiah 37:13 niv

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!"

Jeremiah 37:13 esv

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."

Jeremiah 37:13 nlt

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.

Jeremiah 37 verses

Jeremiah 37 13 meaning

Jeremiah 37:13 describes the moment the prophet Jeremiah was unjustly arrested at the Benjamin Gate of Jerusalem. As he attempted to leave the city to visit his ancestral land, a captain named Irijah accused him of defecting to the Chaldeans (Babylonians), who were at the time besieging Jerusalem. This verse marks a pivotal point where Jeremiah's public suffering for his unpopular, God-given message of surrender intensified, leading to his imprisonment and further persecution by the city's officials. The accusation of treason was a severe and politically charged charge against God's faithful messenger.

Jeremiah 37 13 Context

Jeremiah 37 takes place during a critical juncture in the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Chapter 37 immediately follows a period of intense distress, as the city was under tight siege by Nebuchadnezzar's forces. However, a temporary respite occurs: the Egyptian army moves to confront the Babylonians, causing the Babylonian forces to withdraw momentarily from Jerusalem to meet the Egyptian threat (Jer 37:5, 11). It is during this brief intermission that Jeremiah, who had previously prophesied Jerusalem's destruction and advised surrender to Babylon, attempts to leave the city to go to his ancestral home in Anathoth to attend to a family property matter. His persistent and unpopular prophecies made him a target of suspicion and hostility from the ruling elite, who clung to a false hope of deliverance through Egypt. The accusation of deserting to the Chaldeans, though utterly false, fit neatly into the narrative of disloyalty that the Jerusalem leadership sought to assign to Jeremiah, framing his departure as an act of treason during a vulnerable time for the nation.

Jeremiah 37 13 Word analysis

• When he was at the Benjamin Gate:
  • When: Denotes the specific timing of the event, coinciding with the brief lifting of the siege.
  • he: Refers directly to Jeremiah.
  • Benjamin Gate (שַׁעַר בִּנְיָמִן, Sha'ar Binyamin): This was a major northern entrance to Jerusalem. Its location was strategically significant, as the northern approach was often the most vulnerable for attackers. Jeremiah previously passed through this gate in Jer 20:2 when Pashhur, a chief official, had him beaten and put in stocks at the Upper Benjamin Gate. It marked the boundary of the tribe of Benjamin, and travel north toward Anathoth (Jeremiah's hometown, in Benjamin's territory) would naturally pass through here. It signifies Jeremiah attempting a legitimate departure from the city.
• a captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, son of Hananiah, was there:
  • a captain of the guard (שַׂר הַפְקִידוּת, sar hapekidut): A high-ranking officer responsible for security and maintaining order, perhaps even a police chief or officer in charge of city patrol. His position lends official authority to the arrest.
  • Irijah: A specific name, grounding the event in concrete detail, not an anonymous accuser. His lineage is also given, adding to the specificity and perhaps indicating a prominent family connection, possibly one with existing animosity towards Jeremiah (e.g., Jer 28 mentions Hananiah, a false prophet opposing Jeremiah, though not necessarily Irijah's direct grandfather).
  • was there: Implies Irijah was actively on duty or specifically positioned at this strategic gate, overseeing who entered and exited the city.
• and he seized the prophet Jeremiah:
  • seized (תָּפַשׂ, tafas): Implies a forceful, immediate, and unauthorized apprehension, akin to an arrest. It was not a request or an inquiry, but a direct physical detainment. This contrasts with Jeremiah's previous interactions, which were often verbal debates or complaints.
  • the prophet Jeremiah: Identifies the target of the seizure. The title "prophet" emphasizes Jeremiah's divine commission, making his subsequent accusation of treason particularly ironic and blasphemous. Despite his calling, he is treated as a criminal.
• saying, "You are deserting to the Chaldeans!":
  • saying: Direct speech, indicating a public and clear accusation.
  • You are deserting (נֹפֵל אַתָּה אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים, nofel attah el-hakkasdim): Literally "you are falling away to the Chaldeans." The verb nofel can mean to fall, to desert, to go over, or to defect. This is a severe charge of treason, implying Jeremiah was abandoning his people and aligning himself with the enemy, a capital offense. This was a grave accusation that resonated with the heightened fear and paranoia during wartime.
  • to the Chaldeans (אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים, el-hakkasdim): The Babylonians, who were the dominant imperial power and the specific besieging enemy of Judah. Jeremiah had consistently preached surrender to them as God's will (e.g., Jer 21:9, Jer 38:2), which ironically made him appear disloyal to many.

• The Benjamin Gate Incident: This whole phrase marks a turning point from prophetic warning and admonition to active persecution and unjust imprisonment. Jeremiah, having delivered an unpopular message from God, now experiences direct physical abuse and political slander.
• The Captain's Accusation: This interaction highlights the clash between divine revelation (Jeremiah's true purpose to manage family land during a pause in the siege) and human political paranoia. Irijah, representing state authority, misinterprets Jeremiah's actions through a lens of fear and distrust prevalent during the war, weaponizing a common national anxiety against a prophet of God.
• Irony of Accusation: The charge of deserting to the Chaldeans is deeply ironic. Jeremiah’s message was indeed to surrender to Babylon, but this was a divine command for survival, not a personal act of betrayal or seeking personal safety with the enemy. The rulers rejected God's way of peace and called it treason.

Jeremiah 37 13 Bonus section

The charge of "deserting to the Chaldeans" highlights a key tension in Jeremiah's ministry: he was commissioned by God to preach an incredibly unpatriotic message from a human perspective. While Judah's leaders viewed resistance to Babylon as patriotism and hope for national survival, God commanded surrender. Therefore, Jeremiah, in urging submission to Nebuchadnezzar (as instruments of God's judgment), was viewed as an enemy sympathizer rather than a loyal servant delivering a difficult truth. This deep conflict between perceived national loyalty and obedience to God’s uncomfortable commands is a recurring theme in prophetic literature. This event at the Benjamin Gate is often studied as an example of official government authority being used to suppress a religious message that challenged the established political agenda, particularly in times of crisis.

Jeremiah 37 13 Commentary

Jeremiah 37:13 encapsulates the bitter opposition faced by Jeremiah due to his steadfast proclamation of God's word. The Benjamin Gate, a northern exit, became the place of his unjust detention by Irijah, a captain of the guard. The accusation of desertion to the Chaldeans was not just a misunderstanding but a politically motivated charge of treason, levied against the prophet whose message of divine judgment and counsel for surrender to Babylon ran counter to the nationalistic fervor of the Jerusalem leadership. This episode serves as a powerful reminder of how readily divine truth, when unpopular, can be twisted into treachery by those in power and consumed by fear. It marks Jeremiah's shift from being a messenger to becoming a suffering victim of his faithfulness, a foreshadowing of the persecution many of God's later messengers would endure. The detailed naming of the captain further grounds this event in historical reality, emphasizing the personal cost of prophetic obedience.