Chapter 37

1 The Egyptians having raised the siege of the Chaldeans, king Zedekiah sendeth to Jeremiah to pray for the people. 6 Jeremiah prophesieth the Chaldeans’ certain return and victory. 11 He is taken for a fugitive, beaten, and put in prison. 16 He assureth Zedekiah of the captivity. 18 Intreating for his liberty, he obtaineth some favour.

1. And king Zedekiah. Chapters 37–44 give a continuous account of the later life and fortunes of Jeremiah, beginning with the coming of the last king of Judah to the throne (2 Kings 24:17, 18).

Coniah. See on ch. 22:24.

Nebuchadrezzar. Regarding this spelling see on Jer. 21:2; Dan. 1:1.

Made king. Zedekiah was a puppet king of the Babylonians, yet at the same time a legitimate heir to the throne. He was no doubt required to take an oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar, but within a few years violated that oath by entering into an alliance with various neighbor nations against Babylon. Zedekiah and his counselors thus invited the tragedy of 586 b.c.

2. But neither he. In view of the history of the latter part of his reign that follows, this is a prefatory statement of the general character of Zedekiah’s rule.

It seems that Zedekiah, personally at least, believed in Jeremiah as a true prophet. Although it is not so stated, the context implies that Jeremiah responded to the king’s request for prayer (v. 3). At least, according to the record (v. 5), it seems to have been soon after this request that the Egyptian army withdrew from Jerusalem. Somewhat later Zedekiah had a secret interview with the prophet, at which he seems to have revealed at least a secret fear, if not a profound conviction, that Jeremiah was an inspired messenger.

If these observations have validity, it would appear that Zedekiah’s decisions reflect vacillation more than they do outright doubt or unbelief. The readiness with which Zedekiah complied with the request of the princes by casting Jeremiah into the dungeon of Malchiah (see ch. 38:4–6), only to remove him from the dungeon at the suggestion of one of the royal eunuchs (vs. 7–13), suggests that if Zedekiah had only possessed the courage of his convictions the fate of Jerusalem might have been much different.

3. Jehucal. Or, Jucal (see ch. 38:1).

Zephaniah. These two men, Jehucal and Zephaniah, were members of the party opposed to Babylon, and so were unfriendly to the prophet (chs. 21:1, 2; 29:25; 38:16).

Lord our God. These words may indicate not only that they were carrying out the king’s command but that they hoped to win Jeremiah to their side by a display of religious zeal for the Lord (see ch. 21:1, 2).

4. Not put him into prison. Jeremiah was not imprisoned until the final siege of Jerusalem, during the 10th year of Zedekiah (see on ch. 32:1, 2), although the siege actually began in his 9th year (ch. 39:1).

5. Then Pharaoh’s army. This incident was doubtless the outgrowth of the agreement between Hophra (called Apries by the Greeks) and Zedekiah to resist Nebuchadnezzar (see on Eze. 17:15). The Egyptian armies were generally well equipped with chariots and horses (Eze. 17:15; see Isa. 31:1), and capable of carrying out siege operations (Eze. 17:17).

7. Shall return. Zedekiah’s appeal for Egyptian help broke his “covenant” with the Chaldeans (Eze. 17:17, 18). The Egyptians’ approach, like Tirhakah’s during the Assyrian invasion (2 Kings 19:9; Isa. 37:9), resulted in nothing more than a temporary suspension of hostilities around Jerusalem.

8. Chaldeans shall come again. After Nebuchadrezzar repulsed the attempt of Apries he returned to his attack upon Jerusalem, captured it, and utterly destroyed it (2 Kings 25:1–10; 2 Chron. 36:17–19).

9. Deceive not yourselves. Vain were the hopes of the king of Judah and his counselors that Egypt would be able to save them from the Babylonians.

10. Remained but wounded. A graphic figure illustrating the certainty of Jerusalem’s doom. In view of the fast-approaching destruction of the Temple, some of the righteous in Jerusalem determined to place the sacred ark beyond the reach of the ruthless hands of the invading armies (see on ch. 27:19). The present interlude in the final siege, during which the Babylonians temporarily lifted the siege to meet the threat of an advancing army from Egypt (see on ch. 32:2), afforded these pious men the needed opportunity to hide the ark. With mourning and sadness they secretly carried the ark to a safe hiding place in a cave, where it is “yet hidden. It has never been disturbed since it was secreted” (PK 453). Within the ark were the tables of stone on which God had written the Ten Commandments with His own finger (Deut. 10:1–5). See EGW, Supplementary Material, on Ex. 31:18.

11. Broken up. The camp of the Chaldeans was “broken up,” that is, the armies had withdrawn from the siege.

12. Then Jeremiah went forth. Jeremiah considered his work to be done, after long years of faithful ministry, and now he attempted to retire to his home village of Anathoth (see PK 453).

To separate himself. The Hebrew here is obscure. The RSV reads, “to receive his portion.” Jeremiah had property in Anathoth in “the land of Benjamin” (ch. 32:6–12), and his visit there may have been with reference to this property.

13. Gate of Benjamin. This is usually identified with the Sheep Gate in the northeast corner of Jerusalem.

Irijah. Probably the brother of Jehucal (see v. 3).

Thou fallest away. Apparently Irijah’s charge that Jeremiah was guilty of treachery was based upon the supposition that the prophet intended to slip away to the Babylonian camp to join the enemy.

15. The princes were wroth. The raising of the siege of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans because of the Egyptian approach (see on v. 5) undoubtedly strengthened and made more aggressive the anti-Babylonian party.

16. Cabins. Literally, “vaulted rooms,” provided for the incarceration of individual prisoners. That Jeremiah had a difficult time in his prison cell is hinted at in his later appeal that he be not returned there (see v. 20; ch. 38:26).

Remained there many days. The prophet must have been in this particular dungeon for several weeks. The total length of his final imprisonment was about one year.

17. The king sent. Not approving of the prophet’s harsh treatment, and yet seemingly afraid of his counselors, the weak-willed Zedekiah “secretly” summoned Jeremiah, still hoping that through the prophet he might receive some favorable “word from the Lord.”

Thou shalt be delivered. Courageously, and without yielding to the temptation to modify his message in order to escape further persecution from his enemies, the elderly prophet repeats with abrupt sternness his former prediction that Zedekiah would be taken by the Babylonians (see ch. 32:1–5).

19. Where are now your prophets? These impostors had grossly deceived the king. Instead of Jerusalem being delivered as they claimed (see ch. 28:1–4), the city was besieged; and the temporary withdrawal of the Chaldeans, which seemed to justify their hopes, only emphasized the deceptiveness of these men.

20. Lest I die there. See on v. 16.

21. Into the court. This was in response to Jeremiah’s own request (v. 20). Except during the incident mentioned in ch. 38:6, the prophet remained there in the court of “the king of Judah’s house” (see chs. 32:2; 33:1), which was above ground, with good light and air, till the city was taken by the Babylonians.

A piece of bread. Literally, “a round loaf of bread.” The king’s command shows that Jerusalem was already besieged and that the food supply was therefore low.

Ellen G. White comments

1–21PK 452–455; 4T 181, 182

1–34T 181

3, 5 PK 452

5, 9, 10            4T 181

9–13PK 453

12–154T 181

14, 15  PK 454

17   4T 181

17–20PK 454

18–214T 182

21        PK 455