Focused Passage

Jeremiah 37:16-21

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

16 So Jeremiah went into a cell in the dungeon and remained there a long time.

17 Later, King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah and received him in his palace, where he asked him privately, “Is there a word from the LORD?” “There is,” Jeremiah replied. “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”

18 Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people, that you have put me in prison?

19 Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, claiming, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or this land’?

20 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.”

21 So 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Cross-references

Jeremiah 38:6 Classic cross-references Isaiah 51:14 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 38:10 Classic cross-references Lamentations 3:53 Classic cross-references

Original words

So כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֛הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular went בָ֧א H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular into אֶל־ H413 Preposition a cell בֵּ֥ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הַבּ֖וֹר H953 Article | Noun - masculine singular in וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the dungeon הַֽחֲנֻ֑יוֹת H2588 Article | Noun - feminine plural and remained וַיֵּֽשֶׁב־ H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular there שָׁ֥ם H8033 Adverb . . . יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular a long time רַבִּֽים׃פ H7227 Adjective - masculine plural . . . יָמִ֥ים H3117 Noun - masculine plural

Verse 17

Cross-references

Jeremiah 21:7 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 38:16 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 32:4 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 38:14 Classic cross-references 1 Kings 14:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

Later, King הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular Zedekiah צִדְקִיָּ֜הוּ H6667 Noun - proper - masculine singular sent for [Jeremiah] וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular and received him וַיִּקָּחֵ֗הוּ H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular in his palace בְּבֵיתוֹ֙ H1004 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular where he asked him וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֨הוּ H7592 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular privately בַּסֵּ֔תֶר H5643 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Is there הֲיֵ֥שׁ H3426 Adverb a word דָּבָ֖ר H1697 Noun - masculine singular - מֵאֵ֣ת H854 Preposition-m | Direct object marker from the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular There is יֵ֔שׁ H3426 Adverb . . . וַיֹּ֕אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular replied וַיֹּ֕אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular You will be delivered תִּנָּתֵֽן׃ס H5414 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular into the hand בְּיַ֥ד H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of the king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Babylon בָּבֶ֖ל H894 Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

Acts 25:8 Classic cross-references John 10:32 Classic cross-references Acts 25:11 Classic cross-references Acts 25:25 Classic cross-references Daniel 6:22 Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular asked וַיֹּ֣אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition King הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular Zedekiah צִדְקִיָּ֑הוּ H6667 Noun - proper - masculine singular How מֶה֩ H4100 Interrogative have I sinned חָטָ֨אתִֽי H2398 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular against you לְךָ֤ Preposition | second person masculine singular or your servants וְלַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ H5650 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular or these הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people וְלָעָ֣ם H5971 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular that כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you have put נְתַתֶּ֥ם H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural me אוֹתִ֖י H853 Direct object marker | first person common singular in אֶל־ H413 Preposition prison בֵּ֥ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הַכֶּֽלֶא׃ H3608 Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 19

Cross-references

2 Peter 2:1 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 13:2 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 13:6 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 2:28 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 28:10 Classic cross-references

Original words

Where וְאַיּוֹ H335 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative are your prophets נְבִ֣יאֵיכֶ֔ם H5030 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural who אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative prophesied נִבְּא֥וּ H5012 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural to you לָכֶ֖ם Preposition | second person masculine plural claiming לֵאמֹ֑ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct The king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Babylon בָּבֶל֙ H894 Noun - proper - feminine singular will not לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle come יָבֹ֤א H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular against you עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם H5921 Preposition | second person masculine plural . . . וְעַ֖ל H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition or this הַזֹּֽאת׃ H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular land הָאָ֥רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 20

Cross-references

Jeremiah 38:26 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 36:7 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 42:2 Classic cross-references

Original words

But now וְעַתָּ֕ה H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb please נָ֖א H4994 Interjection listen שְֽׁמַֽע־ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular O my lord אֲדֹנִ֣י H113 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular the king הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular May my petition תְחִנָּתִי֙ H8467 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular come תִּפָּל־ H5307 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular . . . נָ֤א H4994 Interjection before you לְפָנֶ֔יךָ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular Do not וְאַל־ H408 Conjunctive waw | Adverb send me back תְּשִׁבֵ֗נִי H7725 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular to the house בֵּ֚ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct of Jonathan יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן H3083 Noun - proper - masculine singular the scribe הַסֹּפֵ֔ר H5608 Article | Noun - masculine singular or וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle I will die אָמ֖וּת H4191 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular there שָֽׁם׃ H8033 Adverb

Verse 21

Cross-references

1 Kings 17:6 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 32:2 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 38:13 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 38:28 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 33:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

So King הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular Zedekiah צִדְקִיָּ֗הוּ H6667 Noun - proper - masculine singular gave orders וַיְצַוֶּ֞ה H6680 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular for Jeremiah יִרְמְיָהוּ֮ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular to be placed וַיַּפְקִ֣דוּ H6485 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker in the courtyard בַּחֲצַ֣ר H2691 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct of the guard הַמַּטָּרָה֒ H4307 Article | Noun - feminine singular and given וְנָתֹן֩ H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute a loaf כִכַּר־ H3603 Noun - feminine singular construct of bread לֶ֤חֶם H3899 Noun - masculine singular daily לַיּוֹם֙ H3117 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the street מִח֣וּץ H2351 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of the bakers הָאֹפִ֔ים H644 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural until עַד־ H5704 Preposition all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the bread הַלֶּ֖חֶם H3899 Article | Noun - masculine singular in the city הָעִ֑יר H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular was gone תֹּ֥ם H8552 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct So Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular remained וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular in the courtyard בַּחֲצַ֖ר H2691 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct of the guard הַמַּטָּרָֽה׃ H4307 Article | Noun - feminine singular

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