Jeremiah 37

Jeremiah Warns against Trust in Pharaoh

1Now 1ZedekiahH6667 the sonH1121 of JosiahH2977 whomH834 NebuchadnezzarH5019 kingH4428 of BabylonH894 had 2madeH4427 kingH4427 in the landH776 of JudahH3063, reignedH4427 as kingH4428 inH8478 placeH8478 ofH8478 3ConiahH3078 the sonH1121 of JehoiakimH3079. 2But 4neitherH3808 he norH3808 his servantsH5650 norH3808 the peopleH5971 of the landH776 listenedH8085 to the wordsH1697 of the LordH3068 whichH834 He spokeH1696 throughH3027 JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030.

3Yet 5KingH4428 ZedekiahH6667 sentH7971 JehucalH3081 the sonH1121 of ShelemiahH8018, and 6the priestH3548 ZephaniahH6846 the sonH1121 of MaaseiahH4641, to JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030, sayingH559, “7PleaseH4994 prayH6419 to the LordH3068 our GodH430 in our behalfH1157.” 4Now JeremiahH3414 was still comingH935 and goingH3318 amongH8432 the peopleH5971, for they had not yet 8putH5414 him in prisonH1004H3628. 5Meanwhile, 9Pharaoh’sH6547 armyH2428 had setH3318 out from EgyptH4714; and when the ChaldeansH3778 who had been besiegingH6696H5921 JerusalemH3389 heardH8085 the reportH8088 about them, they 10withdrewH5927 from JerusalemH3389.

6Then the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030, sayingH559, 7“ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 saysH559: ‘11ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 you are to sayH559 to the kingH4428 of JudahH3063, who sentH7971 you to Me to inquireH1875 of Me: “BeholdH2009, 12Pharaoh’sH6547 armyH2428, which has comeH3318 outH3318 to helpH5833 you, is going to returnH7725 to its own landH776 of EgyptH4714. 8Then the ChaldeansH3778 will 13returnH7725 and fightH3898 againstH5921 thisH2088 cityH5892, and they will captureH3920 it and burnH8313 it with fireH784.”’ 9ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 saysH559: ‘Do not 14deceiveH5378 yourselvesH5315, sayingH559, “The ChaldeansH3778 will certainlyH1980 goH1980 away from us,” for they will not goH1980. 10For 15even ifH518 you had defeatedH5221 the entireH3605 armyH2428 of ChaldeansH3778 who were fightingH3898 againstH854 you, and there were only woundedH1856 menH376 leftH7604 among them, eachH376 manH376 in his tentH168, they would riseH6965 upH6965 and 16burnH8313 thisH2088 cityH5892 with fireH784.’”

Jeremiah Imprisoned

11Now it happenedH1961 when the armyH2428 of the ChaldeansH3778 had withdrawnH5927 from JerusalemH3389 becauseH4480H6440 of Pharaoh’sH6547 armyH2428, 12that JeremiahH3414 leftH3318 JerusalemH3389 to goH1980 to the landH776 of BenjaminH1144 in order to 17takeH2505 18possessionH2505 ofH2505 some propertyH2505 thereH4480H8033 amongH8432 the peopleH5971. 13While he was at the 19GateH8179 of BenjaminH1144, a captainH1167 of the guardH6488 whose nameH8034 was IrijahH3376, the sonH1121 of ShelemiahH8018 the sonH1121 of HananiahH2608 was thereH8033; and he 20arrestedH8610 JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030, sayingH559, “You are desertingH5307 to the ChaldeansH3778!” 14But JeremiahH3414 saidH559, “21A lieH8267! I am not desertingH5307 to the ChaldeansH3778”; yet he would not listenH8085 to him. So IrijahH3376 arrestedH8610 JeremiahH3414 and broughtH935 him to the officialsH8269. 15Then the officialsH8269 wereH7107 22angryH7107 at JeremiahH3414 and they beatH5221 him, and 23putH5414 him in prisonH1004H612 in the houseH1004 of JonathanH3083 the scribeH5613, for they had madeH6213 it into the prisonH1004H3608. 16For JeremiahH3414 had comeH935 into the 2425dungeonH1004H953, that is, the vaultedH2588 cellH2588; and JeremiahH3414 stayedH3427 thereH8033 manyH7227 daysH3117.

17Now KingH4428 ZedekiahH6667 sentH7971 men and tookH3947 him out; and in his palaceH1004 the kingH4428 26secretlyH5643 askedH7592 him and saidH559, “IsH3426 thereH3426 a 27wordH1697 from the LordH3068?” And JeremiahH3414 saidH559, “ThereH3426 isH3426!” Then he saidH559, “You will be 28handedH5414H3027 overH5414 to the kingH4428 of BabylonH894!” 18Moreover, JeremiahH3414 saidH559 to KingH4428 ZedekiahH6667, “29In whatH4100 way have I sinnedH2398 against you, or your servantsH5650, or thisH2088 peopleH5971, that you have putH5414 me in prisonH1004H3608? 19And 30whereH346 are your prophetsH5030 whoH834 prophesiedH5012 to you, sayingH559, ‘The 31kingH4428 of BabylonH894 will not comeH935 againstH5921 you or againstH5921 thisH2088 landH776’? 20But nowH6258, pleaseH4994 listenH8085, my lordH113 the kingH4428; pleaseH4994 let my 32pleaH8467 33comeH5307 beforeH6440 you and do not make me returnH7725 to the houseH1004 of JonathanH3083 the scribeH5613, so that I will not dieH4191 thereH8033.” 21Then KingH4428 ZedekiahH6667 gaveH6680 aH6680 commandH6680, and they placedH6485 JeremiahH3414 inH6485 custodyH6485 in the 34courtyardH2691 of the guardhouseH4307, and gaveH5414 him a loafH3603 of 35breadH3899 dailyH3117 from the bakers’H644 streetH2351, untilH5704 allH3605 the breadH3899 in the cityH5892 was 36goneH8552. So JeremiahH3414 remainedH3427 in the courtyardH2691 of the guardhouseH4307.