Chapter 37
Jeremiah falsely suspected
Lecture 1
The king asks for prayers
37:1 And king Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, reigned in the stead of Jekoniah, the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had established as king in the land of Judah.
37:2 And he and his servants and the people of the land did not obey the words of the Lord , which he spoke by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet.
37:3 And king Zedekiah sent Jehucal, the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah, the son of Maasiah the priest, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ‘Pray for us to the Lord our God.’
37:4 Now Jeremiah was freely walking in the midst of the people, for they had not put him into the keeping of the prison. Therefore, the army of pharaoh went forth from Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report of it, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
196 . Here is shown the counter-response, from the persecution of the prophet.
First is given the persecution itself because of false suspicion;
second, because of a true prediction, and Shephatiah, the son of Mathan, heard (Jer 38:1).
Concerning the former, there are three points.
First, he gives the occasion for the suspicion;
second, he gives the suspicion, at and when he had arrived at the gate of Benjamin (Jer 37:12);
third, the persecution, at and they seized Jeremiah the prophet (Jer 37:12).
Concerning the former, there are two points.
First is given the occasion, arising from the word of the prophet;
second, the occasion that arose from the deed itself, at and when he had arrived (Jer 37:12).
Concerning the former, there are two points.
First, the consultation is given;
second, the prophet’s displeasing response to them, at and the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah (Jer 37:5).
Concerning the former, there are three points.
First, he describes the character of those who were consulting: whom Nebuchadnezzar had established as king , as we also read in 2 Kgs 24.
And he did not obey , that he should dissolve the tribute to the king of Babylon and cease from sinning. Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s (Matt 22:21). Servants , domestic servants; the people : as the judge of the people, so his servant, and as the ruler of a city, so the inhabitants thereof (Sir 10:2).
Second, the consultation is given: and king Zedekiah sent . . . saying, ‘Pray for us,’ that he may indicate to us what we should do to be freed from the enemy. Raise up, therefore, a prayer for the remnant which is left (Isa 37:4).
Third, the reason for the consultation, for they drew confidence from the prophet’s liberty, whom they had not yet afflicted: now Jeremiah was walking in the midst of the people , and from the breaking of the siege: therefore, the army of pharaoh went forth from Egypt , for the king of Egypt had gone forth to free the Jews. However, having been completely overwhelmed, the army returned. Behold, you trust in this broken staff of reed: in Egypt (Isa 36:6).
Lecture 2
The Chaldeans’ imminent victory
37:5 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, the prophet, saying:
37:6 thus says the Lord God of Israel: thus shall you say to the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire: behold the army of pharaoh, who has come forth to help you, shall return to its own land, to Egypt.
37:7 And the Chaldeans shall come again, and they shall make war against this city, and they shall take it, and burn it with fire.
37:8 Thus says the Lord : do not deceive your souls, saying, ‘They shall surely go away and depart from us,’ for they shall not go away.
37:9 But even if you shall strike the whole army of the Chaldeans, who fight against you, and there were left of them only certain wounded men, they would rise each one from his tent, and burn this city with fire.
197 . Here, the response of the prophet is given.
First, he excludes the help of Egypt: behold the army of pharaoh . For Egypt shall help in vain, and to no purpose (Isa 30:7).
Second, he predicts the return of the Chaldeans: and the Chaldeans shall come again .
Do not deceive , with false hope. I have called my friends, and they have deceived me (Lam 1:19).
Third, he excludes hindrance: even if you shall strike . How did one pursue a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight? Was it not, therefore, because the Lord your God sold them, and the Lord shut them up? (Deut 32:30).
Lecture 3
Jeremiah goes to divide his property
37:10 Therefore, when the army of the Chaldeans departed from Jerusalem because of the army of pharaoh,
37:11 Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem that he should go to the land of Benjamin, and there divide his property in the sight of the people.
198 . Here, he speaks of the occasion arising from his action: and there divide his property , which he had purchased—that is, to mark it out from the other fields, or to distribute it to others, that he might remain free of care. As having nothing, and possessing all things (2 Cor 6:10).
Lecture 4
Guards await Jeremiah
37:12a And when he had arrived to the gate of Benjamin, there were guards there by turns, by the name of Jeriah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah.
199 . Here, the false suspicion is given. False witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity has lied to itself (Ps 26:12).
Lecture 5
Jeremiah cast into prison
37:12b And they seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ‘Are you are fleeing to the Chaldeans?’
37:13 And Jeremiah answered, ‘It is false. I am not fleeing to the Chaldeans.’ And they did not listen to him, but Jeriah seized Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
37:14 For this reason, the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him and cast him into the prison which was in the house of Jonathan the scribe, for he was set over the prison.
37:15 And so Jeremiah entered the house of the pit, and the workhouse; and Jeremiah sat there for many days.
37:16 Then Zedekiah the king, sending for him, took him and inquired of him secretly in his own house, ‘Do you think that there is a word from the Lord ?’ And Jeremiah said, ‘There is.’ And he said, ‘You shall be given over into the hand of the king of Babylon.’
37:17 And Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, ‘How have I sinned against you, and your servants, and your people, that you have put me in this house of bondage?
37:18 Where are your prophets, who prophesied to you, and said, ‘The king of Babylon shall not come upon you, and upon this land?’
37:19 Now, therefore, hear, I beseech you, my lord the king. Let my prayer prevail in your sight, and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.’
37:20 Therefore, king Zedekiah commanded that Jeremiah should be handed over to the courtyard of the prison, and that he should be given loaves of bread every day, without condiment, until all the bread of the city should be consumed. And Jeremiah remained in the vestibule of the prison.
200 . Here, the persecution is spoken of in three ways.
In his capture. They have chased and taken (Lam 3:52).
In his flagellation: the princes struck him (Jer 37:14). Likewise Acts 8. They suffered mockeries, and stripes (Heb 11:36).
And in his imprisonment: and so Jeremiah entered the house of the pit . I am reckoned with those that go down into the pit (Ps 87:5). The workhouse —this is also properly a prison in which someone is condemned to some type of labor.
Second, his liberation is spoken of: sending . Concerning this, there are three points.
First, the occasion of his liberation is given: do you think that there is a word from the Lord ? , which predicts the future, that has been revealed to you. Should not the people seek a vision of their God for the living and the dead? (Isa 8:19). And he gives the response: and Jeremiah said . But I have been sent to you as a bearer of hard news (1 Kgs 14:6).
Second, the request for liberty is given: and Jeremiah said to the king . Here, he shows his unjust punishment: how have I sinned? You shall not find iniquity in my tongue, nor shall foolishness go forth from my mouth (Job 6:30).
He clears himself of the guilt with which he has been charged: where are your prophets? It is as though he were saying, “Their falsehood and my truthfulness are now made manifest.” For the army of the Chaldeans had already returned, which they had denied would come back. Above: the prophet who foretold peace, when his word came to pass, he was known as a prophet whom the Lord had sent in truth (Jer 28:9).
And he asks for mercy: now, therefore, hear, I beseech you . A soft answer breaks wrath, but a hard word stirs up fury (Prov 15:1). A sweet word multiplies friends, and softens enemies; and a gracious tongue shall abound in a good man (Sir 6:5).
Third, the obtaining of the request is mentioned: therefore, king Zedekiah commanded that Jeremiah should be handed over to the courtyard of the prison, and that he should be given loaves of bread every day, without condiment , which he did not wish to be added; in the vestibule , that is, in the courtyard.