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

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

17Later, 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.”

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’?

20But 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Cross-references

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

Original words

Soכִּ֣יH3588ConjunctionJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֛הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularwentבָ֧אH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularintoאֶל־H413Prepositiona cellבֵּ֥יתH1004Noun - masculine singular construct. . .הַבּ֖וֹרH953Article | Noun - masculine singularinוְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe dungeonהַֽחֲנֻ֑יוֹתH2588Article | Noun - feminine pluraland remainedוַיֵּֽשֶׁב־H3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthereשָׁ֥םH8033Adverb. . .יִרְמְיָ֖הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singulara long timeרַבִּֽים׃פH7227Adjective - masculine plural. . .יָמִ֥יםH3117Noun - masculine plural

Verse 17

Cross-references

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

Original words

Later, Kingהַמֶּ֨לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֜הוּH6667Noun - proper - masculine singularsent for [Jeremiah]וַיִּשְׁלַח֩H7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand received himוַיִּקָּחֵ֗הוּH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularהַמֶּ֤לֶךְהַמֶּ֤לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularin his palaceבְּבֵיתוֹ֙H1004Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwhere he asked himוַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֨הוּH7592Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singularprivatelyבַּסֵּ֔תֶרH5643Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularIs thereהֲיֵ֥שׁH3426Adverba wordדָּבָ֖רH1697Noun - masculine singular-מֵאֵ֣תH854Preposition-m | Direct object markerfrom the LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularThere isיֵ֔שׁH3426Adverb. . .וַיֹּ֕אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙H3414Noun - proper - masculine singularrepliedוַיֹּ֕אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .וַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularYou will be deliveredתִּנָּתֵֽן׃סH5414Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularinto the handבְּיַ֥דH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof the kingמֶֽלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Babylonבָּבֶ֖לH894Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 18

Cross-references

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

Original words

Then Jeremiahיִרְמְיָ֔הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularaskedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413PrepositionKingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֑הוּH6667Noun - proper - masculine singularHowמֶה֩H4100Interrogativehave I sinnedחָטָ֨אתִֽיH2398Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularagainst youלְךָ֤Preposition | second person masculine singularor your servantsוְלַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙H5650Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularor theseהַזֶּ֔הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularpeopleוְלָעָ֣םH5971Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularthatכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionyou have putנְתַתֶּ֥םH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralmeאוֹתִ֖יH853Direct object marker | first person common singularinאֶל־H413Prepositionprisonבֵּ֥יתH1004Noun - masculine singular construct. . .הַכֶּֽלֶא׃H3608Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 19

Cross-references

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

Original words

WhereוְאַיּוֹH335Conjunctive waw | Interrogativeare your prophetsנְבִ֣יאֵיכֶ֔םH5030Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralwhoאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeprophesiedנִבְּא֥וּH5012Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralto youלָכֶ֖םPreposition | second person masculine pluralclaimingלֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructThe kingמֶֽלֶךְ־H4428Noun - masculine singular constructof Babylonבָּבֶל֙H894Noun - proper - feminine singularwill notלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlecomeיָבֹ֤אH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularagainst youעֲלֵיכֶ֔םH5921Preposition | second person masculine plural. . .וְעַ֖לH5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionor thisהַזֹּֽאת׃H2063Article | Pronoun - feminine singularlandהָאָ֥רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 20

Cross-references

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

Original words

But nowוְעַתָּ֕הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbpleaseנָ֖אH4994Interjectionlistenשְֽׁמַֽע־H8085Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularO my lordאֲדֹנִ֣יH113Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularthe kingהַמֶּ֑לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularMay my petitionתְחִנָּתִי֙H8467Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularcomeתִּפָּל־H5307Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular. . .נָ֤אH4994Interjectionbefore youלְפָנֶ֔יךָH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularDo notוְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbsend me backתְּשִׁבֵ֗נִיH7725Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singularto the houseבֵּ֚יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructof Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָ֣ןH3083Noun - proper - masculine singularthe scribeהַסֹּפֵ֔רH5608Article | Noun - masculine singularorוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleI will dieאָמ֖וּתH4191Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularthereשָֽׁם׃H8033Adverb

Verse 21

Cross-references

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

Original words

So Kingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֗הוּH6667Noun - proper - masculine singulargave ordersוַיְצַוֶּ֞הH6680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfor Jeremiahיִרְמְיָהוּ֮H3414Noun - proper - masculine singularto be placedוַיַּפְקִ֣דוּH6485Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerin the courtyardבַּחֲצַ֣רH2691Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructof the guardהַמַּטָּרָה֒H4307Article | Noun - feminine singularand givenוְנָתֹן֩H5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolutea loafכִכַּר־H3603Noun - feminine singular constructof breadלֶ֤חֶםH3899Noun - masculine singulardailyלַיּוֹם֙H3117Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe streetמִח֣וּץH2351Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof the bakersהָאֹפִ֔יםH644Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluraluntilעַד־H5704Prepositionallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe breadהַלֶּ֖חֶםH3899Article | Noun - masculine singularin the cityהָעִ֑ירH5892Article | Noun - feminine singularwas goneתֹּ֥םH8552Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructSo Jeremiahיִרְמְיָ֔הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularremainedוַיֵּ֣שֶׁבH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin the courtyardבַּחֲצַ֖רH2691Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructof the guardהַמַּטָּרָֽה׃H4307Article | Noun - feminine singular

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