Jeremias 37
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Jeremias 37:1-5
37:1 "king of Babylon had made king" Zedekiah was Jehoiachin's uncle (Mattaniah, cf. 2 Kgs. 24:17) who was made a vassal king by Nebuchadnezzar II. See 2 Kgs.24:17 for the historical account. ▣ "Coniah" This is the contracted name for Jeconiah, whose throne name was Jehoiachin (cf. Jer. 22:24,28; 24:1; 52:31; 2 Kgs. 24:12; 1 Chr. 3:16; 2 Chr. 36:9,10). It has been eighteen years since the events recorded in chapter 36 (i.e. 605 B.C. - 586 B.C..). SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM 37:2 "the people of the land" This phrase (BDB 766 I CONSTRUCT BDB 75) is used in two distinct senses: pre-exilic, "landed gentry" post-exilic, "common poor people" Here it seems to refer to all the people of Jerusalem, therefore, a third usage. SPECIAL TOPIC: PEOPLE OF THE LAND 37:3 "Jehucal" Jehucal is one of the leaders who asserts that Jeremiah should be put to death for treason (cf. Jer. 38:1-4). ▣ "Zephaniah" In Jer. 52:24 he is called the "second priest." He seems to have been favorable to Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 21:1; 29:25-29). ▣ "please pray to the Lord" This must have been a request for a special prayer for the protection of Jerusalem, but Jeremiah had already proclaimed its defeat (cf. Jer. 21:1-14). The request does show that Zedekiah believed Jeremiah was a true prophet. 37:5 "Pharaoh" In the Bible this Pharaoh is called "Hophra" in Jer. 44:30. He is also known as Apries (i.e. Herodotus 2.161; 4.159). He ruled from 589-570 B.C. SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF EGYPT ▣ "the Chaldeans" In this passage this title is synonymous to "Babylonians," but at one time it referred to wise men from Media. SPECIAL TOPIC: CHALDEANS ▣ "they lifted ths siege" However, a battle between Egyptian and Neo-Babylonian armies did not occur (or at least is not recorded) and the siege of Jerusalem was quickly restored. It lasted from 588 b.c. until 586 B.C., when the city fell (cf. Jeremiah 52; 2 Kings 25; 2 Chr. 36:17-21).
Jeremias 37:6-10
37:8 All the VERBS are PERFECTS denoting completed future action. Grammarians call them "PROPHETIC FUTURES." They all have "waws," which show the actions are linked. 37:9 "Do not deceive yourselves" This refers to false hope. The VERB (BDB 674, KB 728, Hiphil IMPERFECT is used in a JUSSIVE sense. They had convinced themselves of a falsehood! The falsehood is "The Chaldeans will surely go away from us." This is expressed emphatically by the INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECT VERB from the same root (BDB 229, KB 246). 37:10 This imaginary assertion is hyperbolic imagery, given to assure the Judeans that Jerusalem would be destroyed, along with YHWH's temple. Egypt cannot help (cf. Isa. 30:6-17). Judah's army cannot help!
Jeremias 37:11-16
37:12 "to take possession of some property there among the people" The Hebrew is ambiguous but possibly somehow related to Jer. 32:1ff, although this chapter predates that account. 37:13 "Gate of Benjamin" This was the gate of Jerusalem to the north. ▣ "You are going over to the Chaldeans" This accusation was not unreasonable when one compares Jer. 21:8-10. 37:15 "the officials" This (BDB 978) is a different group of officials than is mentioned in Jer. 36:11-12. ▣ "beat. . .put in jail" Jeremiah had no easy life. His messages from YHWH were viewed as treason by most Judeans, even his own family in Anathoth. ▣ "Jonathan the scribe" This position was like modern America's Secretary of State. SPECIAL TOPIC: SCRIBES 37:16 "the dungeon, that is, the vaulted cell" "the dungeon and the cells" "the cistern house, in the cells" "an underground vault" "the pit and the cells" "a vaulted pit beneath the house" This (BDB 333, KB 333, occurs only here in the OT) is possibly a cistern, converted into a place of solitary confinement. ▣ "stayed there many days" Jeremiah thought he would die there (cf. Jer. 37:20). Whenever I read about the hard lives of OT prophets, I am reminded of Paul's life, described in 2 Cor. 4:7-11; 6:3-10; 11:23-28. Suffering does not come to all believers but we must be ready (cf. 1 Pet. 4:12-16). SPECIAL TOPIC: WHY DO CHRISTIANS SUFFER?
Jeremias 37:17-21
37:17 "Is there a word from the Lord" The message had not changed! Zedekiah, for all his weakness, still sought YHWH, but he would not act on YHWH's message! Good intentions do not replace obedient actions! 37:19 This is a good question. Why have not all those false prophets been put in prison or killed (cf. Deuteronomy 18)? His message was obviously true, why is he being persecuted? 37:20 This verse has several commands that denote a polite request from Jeremiah to Zedekiah. please listen ‒ BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE please let my petition come before you ‒ BDB 656, KB 709, Qal JUSSIVE do not make me return ‒ BDB 996, KB 1427, Hiphil IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense 37:21 Zedekiah sent Jeremiah to "the court of the guardhouse," which was a much better situation than the dungeon. The king also commanded that he be given bread as long as supplies lasted. ▣ "bakers street" This shows that merchants (i.e. guilds) of one trade lived in close proximity to one another, usually on one street or in one section of a city.