Jeremiah Chapter 37 — The Arrest of the Prophet
King Zedekiah asks Jeremiah for prayer during a temporary pause in the Babylonian siege, but Jeremiah warns of the city's certain destruction and is later arrested.
1Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
2But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, listened to the LORD’s words, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
3Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “Pray now to the LORD our God for us.”
4Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people, for they had not put him into prison.
5Pharaoh’s army had come out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
6Then the LORD’s word came to the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
7“The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘You shall tell the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: “Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has come out to help you, will return to Egypt into their own land.
8The Chaldeans will come again, and fight against this city. They will take it and burn it with fire.” ’
9“The LORD says, ‘Don’t deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely depart from us;” for they will not depart.
10For though you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and only wounded men remained among them, they would each rise up in his tent and burn this city with fire.’ ”
11When the army of the Chaldeans had withdrawn from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,
12then Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the middle of the people.
13When he was in Benjamin’s gate, 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!”
14Then Jeremiah said, “That is false! I am not defecting to the Chaldeans.”
15The princes were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
16When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon house and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days,
17then Zedekiah the king sent and had him brought out. The king asked him secretly in his house, “Is there any word from the LORD?”
18Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
19Now where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you, nor against this land’?
20Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.”
21Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard. They gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Jeremiah 37:8
“The Chaldeans will come again, and fight against this city. They will take it and burn it with fire.”
This verse emphasizes the certainty of God's judgment regardless of temporary military shifts.
Jeremiah 37:13
“When he was in Benjamin’s gate, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah... and he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 'You are defecting to the Chaldeans!'”
This marks the turning point where Jeremiah is falsely accused of treason against his own people.
Jeremiah 37:17
“The king asked him secretly in his house, 'Is there any word from the LORD?'”
It reveals King Zedekiah's private desperation for spiritual guidance despite his public refusal to obey.
Chapter Summary
In Jeremiah Chapter 37, King Zedekiah replaces Coniah as ruler and sends messengers to Jeremiah asking for prayer. At the time, the Chaldean army had temporarily lifted their siege of Jerusalem to face an approaching Egyptian force. Jeremiah delivers a divine warning that the Egyptians will return home and the Chaldeans will resume their attack, ultimately burning the city. While attempting to travel to the land of Benjamin to claim property, Jeremiah is accused of defecting to the Babylonians by a guard named Irijah. Despite his denials, he is arrested, beaten, and placed in a dungeon house by the king's officials. After many days, Zedekiah secretly questions him, asking for a word from God. Jeremiah maintains his message of judgment and pleads for better conditions. The king grants his request, moving him to the court of the guard and providing him with a daily ration of bread until the city's supply is exhausted.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Chaldeans withdrew from their siege of Jerusalem because they heard news that Pharaoh’s army was marching out of Egypt to assist Judah. They left to confront the Egyptian threat before returning to resume their attack on the city.
Jeremiah was arrested while leaving Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to receive a portion of land. He was accused of defecting to the Chaldeans by a captain of the guard named Irijah, despite Jeremiah's strong denial of the charge.
Zedekiah was conflicted; while he and his people did not listen to the Lord's words, he still sent officials to ask Jeremiah for prayer and later sought a secret word from him. He ultimately showed some mercy by moving Jeremiah from the dungeon to the court of the guard.
Study Note
The mention of the 'house of Jonathan the scribe' as a prison illustrates how private residences were adapted for detention during periods of social collapse.
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