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

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

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

3 Yet 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!”

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

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

Original words

Nebuchadnezzar נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר H5019 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Babylon בָּבֶ֖ל H894 Noun - proper - feminine singular אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative {made} Zedekiah צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ H6667 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Josiah יֹֽאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ H2977 Noun - proper - masculine singular the king הִמְלִ֛יךְ H4427 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular - בְּאֶ֥רֶץ H776 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָֽה׃ H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular and he reigned וַיִּ֨מְלָךְ־ H4427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . מֶ֔לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular in place תַּ֗חַת H8478 Preposition of Coniah כָּנְיָ֙הוּ֙ H3659 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Jehoiakim יְה֣וֹיָקִ֔ים H3079 Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

Coniah is a variant of Jehoiachin.

Verse 2

Cross-references

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

Original words

But he ה֥וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular and his officers וַעֲבָדָ֖יו H5650 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and the people וְעַ֣ם H5971 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct of the land הָאָ֑רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular - אֶל־ H413 Preposition refused וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle to obey שָׁמַ֛ע H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular the words דִּבְרֵ֣י H1697 Noun - masculine plural construct that the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative had spoken דִּבֶּ֔ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular through בְּיַ֖ד H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular the prophet הַנָּבִֽיא׃ H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

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

Original words

Yet King הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular Zedekiah צִדְקִיָּ֜הוּ H6667 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker sent וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Jehucal יְהוּכַ֣ל H3081 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Shelemiah שֶֽׁלֶמְיָ֗ה H8018 Noun - proper - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and Zephaniah צְפַנְיָ֤הוּ H6846 Noun - proper - masculine singular the priest הַכֹּהֵ֔ן H3548 Article | Noun - masculine singular the son בֶן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Maaseiah מַֽעֲשֵׂיָה֙ H4641 Noun - proper - masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular the prophet הַנָּבִ֖יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular with the message לֵאמֹ֑ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Please נָ֣א H4994 Interjection pray הִתְפַּלֶּל־ H6419 Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular our God אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural for us בַעֲדֵ֔נוּ H1157 Preposition | first person common plural

BSB notes

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

Verse 4

Cross-references

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

Original words

Now Jeremiah וְיִרְמְיָ֕הוּ H3414 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular was free to come בָּ֥א H935 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular and go וְיֹצֵ֖א H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular among בְּת֣וֹךְ H8432 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct the people הָעָ֑ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular for they had not וְלֹֽא־ H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle yet put נָתְנ֥וּ H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural him אֹת֖וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular in prison בֵּ֥ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הַכְּלִיא׃ H3628 Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

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

Original words

Pharaoh’s פַּרְעֹ֖ה H6547 Noun - proper - masculine singular army וְחֵ֥יל H2428 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct had left יָצָ֣א H3318 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Egypt מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם H4714 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular and when the Chaldeans הַכַּשְׂדִּ֜ים H3778 Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural who were besieging הַצָּרִ֤ים H6696 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Jerusalem יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ H3389 Noun - proper - feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker heard וַיִּשְׁמְע֨וּ H8085 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural the report שִׁמְעָ֔ם H8088 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural they withdrew וַיֵּ֣עָל֔וּ H5927 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural from מֵעַ֖ל H5921 Preposition-m . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition Jerusalem יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃פ H3389 Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

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

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