Focused Passage

Jeremiah 37:1-5

Zedekiah Seeks Prayer but Refuses the Word

The chapter moves from Zedekiah's refusal to listen, to his request for Jeremiah's prayer, to the LORD's warning that Egypt cannot save Jerusalem, to Jeremiah's unjust arrest, to Zedekiah's secret inquiry, and finally to Jeremiah's transfer to the courtyard of the guard.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made Zedekiah son of Josiah the king of Judah, and he reigned in place of Coniah son of Jehoiakim.

2But he and his officers and the people of the land refused to obey the words that the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.

3Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, to Jeremiah the prophet with the message, “Please pray to the LORD our God for us!”

4Now Jeremiah was free to come and go among the people, for they had not yet put him in prison.

5Pharaoh’s army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Jeremiah 22:24Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 36:10Classic cross-references 2 Kings 24:17Classic cross-references 2 Kings 24:12Classic cross-references 1 Chronicles 3:15Classic cross-references

Original words

Nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥רH5019Noun - proper - masculine singularkingמֶֽלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Babylonבָּבֶ֖לH894Noun - proper - feminine singularאֲשֶׁ֥ראֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relative{made} Zedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֖הוּH6667Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Josiahיֹֽאשִׁיָּ֑הוּH2977Noun - proper - masculine singularthe kingהִמְלִ֛יךְH4427Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular-בְּאֶ֥רֶץH776Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof Judahיְהוּדָֽה׃H3063Noun - proper - masculine singularand he reignedוַיִּ֨מְלָךְ־H4427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .מֶ֔לֶךְH4428Noun - masculine singularin placeתַּ֗חַתH8478Prepositionof Coniahכָּנְיָ֙הוּ֙H3659Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Jehoiakimיְה֣וֹיָקִ֔יםH3079Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

Coniah is a variant of Jehoiachin.

Verse 2

Cross-references

1 Thessalonians 4:8Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 36:12Classic cross-references 2 Kings 24:19Classic cross-references Proverbs 29:12Classic cross-references

Original words

But heה֥וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularand his officersוַעֲבָדָ֖יוH5650Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularand the peopleוְעַ֣םH5971Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof the landהָאָ֑רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֶל־H413Prepositionrefusedוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleto obeyשָׁמַ֛עH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe wordsדִּבְרֵ֣יH1697Noun - masculine plural constructthat the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativehad spokenדִּבֶּ֔רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularthroughבְּיַ֖דH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֥הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularthe prophetהַנָּבִֽיא׃H5030Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

Jeremiah 21:1Classic cross-references Jeremiah 15:11Classic cross-references Jeremiah 21:2Classic cross-references 1 Kings 13:6Classic cross-references Jeremiah 2:27Classic cross-references

Original words

Yet Kingהַמֶּ֨לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֜הוּH6667Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markersentוַיִּשְׁלַח֩H7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularJehucalיְהוּכַ֣לH3081Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Shelemiahשֶֽׁלֶמְיָ֗הH8018Noun - proper - masculine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand Zephaniahצְפַנְיָ֤הוּH6846Noun - proper - masculine singularthe priestהַכֹּהֵ֔ןH3548Article | Noun - masculine singularthe sonבֶן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Maaseiahמַֽעֲשֵׂיָה֙H4641Noun - proper - masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֥הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularthe prophetהַנָּבִ֖יאH5030Article | Noun - masculine singularwith the messageלֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructPleaseנָ֣אH4994Interjectionprayהִתְפַּלֶּל־H6419Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularour Godאֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralfor usבַעֲדֵ֔נוּH1157Preposition | first person common plural

BSB notes

Jehucal is a variant of Jucal; see Jeremiah 38:1.

Verse 4

Cross-references

Jeremiah 37:15Classic cross-references Jeremiah 32:2Classic cross-references

Original words

Now Jeremiahוְיִרְמְיָ֕הוּH3414Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularwas free to comeבָּ֥אH935Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularand goוְיֹצֵ֖אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularamongבְּת֣וֹךְH8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructthe peopleהָעָ֑םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularfor they had notוְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleyet putנָתְנ֥וּH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralhimאֹת֖וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularin prisonבֵּ֥יתH1004Noun - masculine singular construct. . .הַכְּלִיא׃H3628Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

2 Kings 24:7Classic cross-references Ezekiel 17:15Classic cross-references Isaiah 36:6Classic cross-references Jeremiah 34:21Classic cross-references Jeremiah 37:11Classic cross-references

Original words

Pharaoh’sפַּרְעֹ֖הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singulararmyוְחֵ֥ילH2428Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructhad leftיָצָ֣אH3318Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularEgyptמִמִּצְרָ֑יִםH4714Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singularand when the Chaldeansהַכַּשְׂדִּ֜יםH3778Article | Noun - proper - masculine pluralwho were besiegingהַצָּרִ֤יםH6696Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙H3389Noun - proper - feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerheardוַיִּשְׁמְע֨וּH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe reportשִׁמְעָ֔םH8088Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralthey withdrewוַיֵּ֣עָל֔וּH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralfromמֵעַ֖לH5921Preposition-m. . .עַל־H5921PrepositionJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃פH3389Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

That is, the Babylonians; also in verses 8, 9, 13, and 14

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