Jeremiah 37

21 verses

TL;DR

Jeremiah warns Judah of impending Babylonian defeat, but the king ignores him and the people suffer; the prophet is imprisoned and later released, showing the clash between divine warning and royal stubbornness.

Summary

Jeremiah’s message to Judah is ignored as the people fail to heed the LORD’s words. Pharaoh’s army arrives to support them, but the Chaldeans—Babylon’s forces—return to besiege Jerusalem, threatening its destruction. The prophet is captured by Irijah and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the scribe, where he remains for several days. King Zedekiah secretly inquires of Jeremiah, who foretells that the king will fall to Babylon. The king commands Jeremiah’s release and places him in a court prison, giving him only daily bread. The chapter illustrates the tension between prophetic warning and royal disobedience, the impending judgment on Judah, and the prophetic authority of Jeremiah.

Outline

Jerusalem’s disobedience and arrival of Pharaoh’s army; Jeremiah’s imprisonment by Irijah
Zedekiah’s secret inquiry and Jeremiah’s warning of Babylonian conquest
Jeremiah’s release, confinement in the court prison, and the king’s caution

Themes

Divine warning versus human disobedienceJudgment and impending exileProphetic authority and faithfulness

Keywords

prophecyJerusalemBabylonPharaohprisonexilejudgmentZedekiahJeremiahChaldeansfirebread

People

JeremiahZedekiahJehucalZephaniahIrijahJonathan the scribethe princesPharaoh

Places

JerusalemEgyptBenjaminhouse of Jonathan the scribecourt of the prisonland of Judah

Things

ChaldeansPharaoh’s armyprisondaily breadfirehouse of Jonathan

Key Verses

Jeremiah 37:6: God announces that Pharaoh’s army will return and that the Chaldeans will besiege Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 37:8: Reaffirms the certainty of Babylonian destruction and the futility of hope for safety.
Jeremiah 37:14: Shows the capture of Jeremiah by a royal officer, illustrating human opposition to the prophet.
Jeremiah 37:17: Jeremiah predicts Zedekiah’s downfall, directly addressing the king’s secret question.
Jeremiah 37:21: Details the king’s decision to keep Jeremiah in a court prison and limit his food, demonstrating continued tension.

Questions

What does Jeremiah’s imprisonment reveal about the relationship between the prophet and the royal court?
How does the king’s secret conversation with Jeremiah influence his later actions?
In what ways does the arrival of Pharaoh's army affect the political situation in Judah?
Why does the king order Jeremiah to be confined to the court prison rather than releasing him fully?
What does this chapter teach about the consequences of ignoring prophetic warnings?

Sentiment

neutral
The passage presents events objectively without overt moral judgment.