Ch. Jeremiah 37:1-21. Incidents in Jeremiah’s history connected with the siege

For a similar incident to the one described in Jeremiah 37:1-10 see introductory note to ch. 21.

The ch. may be summarized as follows. (i) Jeremiah 37:1-2. Explanatory introduction. (ii) Jeremiah 37:3-10. In the face of imminent danger from the Chaldaeans Zedekiah sends to ask for the prayers of Jeremiah, who was not yet imprisoned. The enemy, fearing that the Egyptian army were about to take them in the rear, had raised the siege. The prophet is directed to announce that Pharaoh’s army will return to Egypt without rendering aid and that the Chaldaeans will undoubtedly recommence the investiture of the city, capture it, and destroy it by fire. (iii) Jeremiah 37:11-15. Taking the opportunity of the investing army’s absence, Jeremiah is going out of the city on business, when he is arrested on the charge of desertion to the enemy. He denies it, but is disbelieved by the princes, who confine him in a dungeon in the house of Jonathan the scribe. (iv) Jeremiah 37:16-21. After many days’ detention the king sends for him secretly to consult him. The prophet tells Zedekiah that he shall be made prisoner by the king of Babylon. He moreover protests against his own imprisonment as unjust, points to the hostile prophets’ predictions as falsified by events, and begs to be released from the dungeon. Zedekiah accordingly transfers him to the guard-court, and orders that he be provided with food as long as the siege lasts.

1. And Zedekiah … reigned as king] This and Jeremiah 37:2 are apparently an editorial note to indicate to the reader that the narrative now no longer relates, as did the last two chs., to the reign of Jehoiakim. The rest of the ch. we may consider to be taken substantially from Baruch’s memoirs.

Coniah] See on Jeremiah 22:24.

3. And Zedekiah the king sent] This mission took place later than that related in ch. Jeremiah 21:1, which was sent when Nebuchadnezzar’s army was approaching Jerusalem. In this case on the contrary the siege had begun and had been raised, and the hopes of the people were excited in consequence.

Jehucal] In ch. Jeremiah 38:4 he (“Jucal”) proposes that Jeremiah should be put to death.

Zephaniah] See chs. Jeremiah 21:1, Jeremiah 29:25.

4. came in and went out] was still coming in and going out, was still free, had not suffered arrest. That was immediately to follow.

5. when the Chaldeans … heard tidings of them, they brake up] We do not know whether the retreat on the part of the Egyptians which followed was due to a defeat from the Chaldaeans, or not. The former is at least suggested by Ezekiel 30:21. Pharaoh Hophra (called Apries by Herodotus) reigned b.c. 590–571. For his overthrow see ch. Jeremiah 44:30.

10. wounded] mg. Heb. thrust through. Cp. Lamentations 4:9 with note.

every man in his tent] Co. suggests that these words should be connected with “wounded men,” meaning “If there be but one survivor in each tent out of its several occupants.” The LXX, however, read in his place, i.e. where he lies on the field of battle.

11–15. See introd. summary to ch.

12. the land of Benjamin] presumably to Anathoth.

to receive his portion] The Heb. is obscure, but probably his object was in some way connected with his purchase as related ch. Jeremiah 32:9 ff. Other conjectures are, to secure his share in a re-allotment of communal lands, or, to get his portion of the produce of the priests’ lands at Anathoth.

13. the gate of Benjamin] in the N. wall of the city, mentioned also Jeremiah 38:7; Zechariah 14:10.

a captain of the ward] lit. a master of the watch, a sentinel, charged with the duty of taking cognisance of those who passed the gate.

Thou fallest away] The views which Jeremiah was known to hold as to the propriety of yielding to the Chaldaeans (e.g. ch. Jeremiah 21:9) would give plausibility to the charge, and of this the princes in their hostility to the policy he advocated would gladly avail themselves to put him under arrest. Evidently there had been a considerable number of such departures (Jeremiah 38:19; cp. Jeremiah 52:15); but there was no real inconsistency between Jeremiah’s counselling others to withdraw, and his conviction that it was his personal duty to remain in the doomed city.

15. the princes were wroth with Jeremiah] These were not the princes who had looked upon the prophet with favour in the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:16, Jeremiah 36:19). Those were now no doubt exiles, and these their successors, as thoroughly opposed to the Chaldaean rule, and sympathising with their compatriots of Babylon, had no favour to bestow upon Jeremiah. They would remember how he had likened them to evil figs (ch. 24), and had denounced their conduct towards their slaves (ch. 34).

Jonathan] Shaphan, the scribe of seventeen years before (Jeremiah 36:10), was now probably dead or among the exiles.

16. dungeon house] lit. as mg. house of the pit. Cp. Jeremiah 38:6.

cells] The Heb. word is found here only and seems to denote a room with a vaulted roof.

many days] during which time the Chaldaeans resumed the siege and the danger became so pressing that Zedekiah was induced to send for the prophet, and ask him for some intimation of the future.

16–21. See introd. summary to ch.

17. asked him secretly] This shews us that the prophet was as unpopular as ever. It also points to Zedekiah’s moral weakness, as dreading the interference of the princes in the matter. Cp. Jeremiah 38:5; Jeremiah 38:24 ff.

19. Where now are your prophets which prophesied unto you] Jeremiah in this v. challenges the whole people through their king (“your … you”). For the reference to these prophets cp. Jeremiah 28:2-11.

20. be accepted] lit. fall. See on Jeremiah 36:7.

21. court of the guard] See on Jeremiah 32:2.

a loaf of bread] a flat round cake, not unlike a flat stone in shape and appearance (Matthew 7:9, cp. Jeremiah 4:3), about nine inches in diameter and an inch thick. One of these cakes was considered a charity dole (1 Samuel 2:36, R.V. “loaf”).

the bakers’ street] Hosea 7:4; Hosea 7:6 shews that baking was a trade. We here see that, like other trades in the East, the bakers occupied a definite place in the bazaar.

until all the bread in the city was spent] Cp. ch. Jeremiah 52:6.