Jeremiah 37 15

Jeremiah 37:15 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 37:15 nkjv

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.

Jeremiah 37:15 niv

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.

Jeremiah 37:15 esv

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.

Jeremiah 37:15 nlt

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.

Jeremiah 37 verses

Jeremiah 37 15 Meaning

Jeremiah 37:15 is about the king of Judah's reaction to the prophet Jeremiah. It states that Jeremiah was imprisoned by Zedekiah's officials. This occurred because they were angered by Jeremiah's prophecies that predicted the downfall of Jerusalem and the impending Babylonian conquest. The king, however, seemed to tolerate Jeremiah's message, or at least did not prevent his imprisonment by his subordinates who felt threatened by the prophet's words. The verse highlights the internal conflict within Jerusalem's leadership regarding the interpretation of God's will in a time of crisis.

Jeremiah 37 15 Context

Jeremiah 37 takes place during the final days of Jerusalem's existence before its destruction by Babylon. The city is under siege. King Zedekiah, despite his personal respect for Jeremiah, is swayed by the opinions of his princes who, unlike Jeremiah, preach a message of hope for military deliverance rather than repentance and surrender. They view Jeremiah's prophecies of impending doom as defeatist and treasonous, believing he is demoralizing the soldiers and the populace. Consequently, Jeremiah is arrested by these officials and imprisoned in a place that would later be moved to a cistern. This reflects the pervasive fear and desperation in Jerusalem, where differing interpretations of God's will led to internal conflict and the silencing of prophetic voices.

Jeremiah 37 15 Word analysis

• “Now”: Indicates a transition to a new event or situation, linking it to preceding actions.

• “when”: Signals the temporal setting for the action that follows.

• “Saul’s”: Refers to Saul, son of Hanas, a priest and high-ranking official who supported Jeremiah's imprisonment. This identifies him by his family lineage, a common practice in ancient society.

• “son”: Denotes a familial relationship.

• “Zedekiah”: The reigning king of Judah, whose authority is acknowledged but is indirectly challenged by the actions of his princes.

• “was king”: Establishes Zedekiah's royal position and the political authority under which these events unfolded.

• “over the people of Judah”: Specifies the domain of Zedekiah's rule, highlighting the governmental structure.

• “Malchijah’s”: Refers to Malchijah, a prince, possibly son of a former priest, among those who opposed Jeremiah.

• “son’s”: Indicates familial connection.

• “house”: Refers to the court or household of the king, signifying a location of authority and decision-making.

• “I think”: (in original Hebrew, perhaps closer to "in my opinion" or "it seems to me") Indicates the subjective view of the speaker.

• “that I am cast”: Suggests a perception or feeling of being thrown into something, in this case, a dungeon or prison.

• “into the dungeon”: Identifies the place of Jeremiah's confinement. The word used can imply a pit or well.

• “and into the prisons”: Suggests multiple locations of confinement or a prison system.

• “and I shall perish”: Expresses fear of death due to the harsh conditions of imprisonment.

• “there”: Locates the impending perishing.

• “for”: Indicates the reason or cause for his imprisonment.

• “of the bread”: Implies that lack of food, perhaps a limited ration or starvation, is the threat to his life.

• “is”: Asserts the presence of the bread.

• “failed”: Suggests a shortage or cessation of supply.

• “House of bondage / Dungeon”: The phrase refers to a place of captivity, specifically a prison, often implying a difficult and oppressive environment where freedom is denied. It evokes a sense of being held against one’s will with little hope.

Jeremiah 37 15 Bonus section

The Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, offers a slightly different phrasing in this verse, potentially emphasizing that it was in the dungeon and prison that Jeremiah felt he would perish, or that his situation had reached this point of extreme peril. The reference to the "house of Saul" suggests a possible ongoing negative association or legacy of Saul’s kingdom, or that Zedekiah was operating within the historical framework and precedents set by that earlier monarch, a kingdom that ultimately ended because of disobedience. Some scholars interpret the imprisonment in a "dungeon" or "pit" as a reference to the house of Jonathan, possibly indicating Jeremiah was confined to a location that was formerly a prison during the time of Saul's rule, connecting current suffering to historical precedent of unfaithfulness. The concern for the lack of bread points to the dire straits of the city under siege, where even the essential provisions were dwindling. This further context of scarcity and hardship intensified the atmosphere of fear and paranoia within Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 37 15 Commentary

Jeremiah's arrest by King Zedekiah's officials underscores the tension between prophetic truth and political expediency. The officials, driven by fear and a desire for military victory, sought to silence the messenger of bad news, Jeremiah. They accused him of weakening the city's resolve, a common tactic to discredit and imprison prophets whose messages contradict popular opinion or political aims. The king, though perhaps acknowledging Jeremiah's prophetic gifts, yielded to the pressure of his princes, indicating the precariousness of his own authority. The threat of starvation ("the bread is failed") highlights the dire conditions within Jerusalem, exacerbating the desperate measures taken against Jeremiah. This event exemplifies the struggle of true prophets to deliver God's message faithfully in a context of opposition and fear, even from within their own leadership. It illustrates that even those who hold positions of authority can be intimidated or manipulated into actions that are contrary to God's will or justice.