Jeremiah 37:20

Jeremiah 37:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
• New International Version (NIV)But now, my lord the king, please listen. Let me bring my petition before you: Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, or I will die there.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now hear, please, O my lord the king: let my humble plea come before you and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, lest I die there."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore please hear now, O my lord the king. Please, let my petition be accepted before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.”

Context of Jeremiah 37:20

18Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people, that you have put me in prison? 19Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, claiming, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or this land’? But now please listen, O my lord the king. May my petition come before you. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.” 21So King Zedekiah gave orders for Jeremiah to be placed in the courtyard of the guard and given a loaf of bread daily from the street of the bakers, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

Jeremiah 37:20 word by word

וְעַתָּ֕ה שְֽׁמַֽע־נָ֖א אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ תִּפָּל־נָ֤א תְחִנָּתִי֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַל־תְּשִׁבֵ֗נִי בֵּ֚ית יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְלֹ֥א אָמ֖וּת שָֽׁם׃Read the interlinear

• But nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258
• pleaseנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• listenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• O my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• May my petitionתְּחִנָּהtechinnâh · supplicationH8467
• comeנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• before youפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• Do notאַל'al · notH408
• send me backשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
• the scribeסֹפֵרsâphar · secretaryH5608
• orלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• I will dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• thereשָׁםshâm · thereH8033

Cross-references for Jeremiah 37:20

• Jeremiah 36:7Perhaps they will bring their petition before the LORD, and each one will turn from his wicked way; for great are the anger and fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people.”
• Jeremiah 26:15But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its residents; for truly the LORD has sent me to speak all these words in your hearing.”
• Jeremiah 38:6So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.
• Acts 23:16But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
• Acts 25:10Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
• Acts 28:18They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 37:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan - He had been ill used in this man's custody, so as to endanger his life, the place being cold, and probably unhealthy.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-21Verses 11-21 There are times when it is the wisdom of good men to retire, to enter into their chambers, and to shut the doors, Is. 26:20. Jeremiah was seized as a deserter, and committed to prison. But it is no new thing for the best friends of the church to be belied, as in the interests of her worst enemies. When thus falsely accused, we may deny the charge, and commit our cause to Him who judges righteously. Jeremiah obtained mercy of the Lord to be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-20Jeremiah likely thought Zedekiah was behind his arrest and imprisonment. The prophet was probably in poor health after being whipped and held without medical care and with little food.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. be accepted--rather, "Let my supplication be humbly presented" (see on Jr 36:7), [Henderson]. lest I die there--in the subterranean dungeon (Jr 37:16), from want of proper sustenance (Jr 37:21). The prophet naturally shrank from death, which makes his spiritual firmness the more remarkable; he was ready to die rather than swerve from his duty [Calvin].Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 37:20

• Jeremiah
• Jonathan
• Prisoners
• Zedekiah

In the dictionaries

• Jonathan
• Jeremiah (2)
• Jonathan (1)
• Prison; Prisoner
• Zedekiah (2)
• Zedekiah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings