Jeremiah 37: Imprisoned for the Truth
When a brief reprieve raises false hopes, Jeremiah keeps telling the truth and is beaten and imprisoned, yet still speaks God's word to the king.
Jeremiah 37 (WEB)
1 Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
2 But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, listened to Yahweh’s words, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
3 Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now to Yahweh our God for us.
4 Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people; for they had not put him into prison.
5 Pharaoh’s army had come out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they broke up from Jerusalem.
6 Then came Yahweh’s word to the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
7 Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, You shall tell the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has come out to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
8 The Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with fire.
9 Thus says Yahweh, Don’t deceive yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart.
10 For though you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yes would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
11 When the army of the Chaldeans had broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,
12 then Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people.
13 When he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he laid hold on Jeremiah the prophet, saying, You are falling away to the Chaldeans.
14 Then Jeremiah said, It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he didn’t listen to him; so Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
15 The princes were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
16 When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
17 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from Yahweh? Jeremiah said, There is. He said also, You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
18 Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, Wherein have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
19 Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
20 Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
21 Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard; and they gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
Jeremiah 37 (KJV)
1 And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
2 But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the Lord, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.
3 And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the Lord our God for us.
4 Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.
5 Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
6 Then came the word of the Lord unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
7 Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
8 And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.
9 Thus saith the Lord; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.
10 For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
11 And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,
12 Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.
13 And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans.
14 Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
15 Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.
16 When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
17 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the Lord? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
18 Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?
19 Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
20 Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
21 Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
Jeremiah 37 (ASV)
1 And Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
2 But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of Jehovah, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.
3 And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto Jehovah our God for us.
4 Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people; for they had not put him into prison.
5 And Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans that were besieging Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they brake up from Jerusalem.
6 Then came the word of Jehovah unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
7 Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
8 And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with fire.
9 Thus saith Jehovah, Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart.
10 For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
11 And it came to pass that, when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,
12 then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people.
13 And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he laid hold on Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou art falling away to the Chaldeans.
14 Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him; so Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
15 And the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
16 When Jeremiah was come into the dungeon-house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
17 then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from Jehovah? And Jeremiah said, There is. He said also, Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
18 Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, Wherein have I sinned against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?
19 Where now are your prophets that prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
20 And now hear, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be presented before thee, that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
21 Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard; and they gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
Summary
Zedekiah reigns in place of the exiled Coniah, but neither he, his servants, nor the people listen to the word of the Lord through Jeremiah. When Pharaoh's army marches out of Egypt and the Babylonians temporarily lift the siege of Jerusalem, hopes rise that the danger has passed. Zedekiah sends to ask Jeremiah to pray for them, but God's answer is unwelcome: Pharaoh's army will retreat to Egypt, the Chaldeans will return, capture the city, and burn it; the people must not deceive themselves. As Jeremiah tries to leave the city on family business, a sentry accuses him of deserting to the Babylonians. Though he denies it, he is beaten by the angry officials and imprisoned in a dungeon house, where he remains many days. Zedekiah secretly summons him to ask if there is any word from the Lord, and Jeremiah answers plainly that the king will be delivered into Babylon's hand. He then pleads his innocence and asks not to be sent back to die in the dungeon. Zedekiah grants the request, committing him to the court of the guard with a daily loaf of bread for as long as any bread remains. Even imprisoned and abused, Jeremiah refuses to bend the truth to win comfort or favor.
Main Characters
- Jeremiah — The prophet who keeps speaking God's true word despite a false reprieve, and is beaten and imprisoned yet remains faithful before the king.
- Zedekiah — The king who will not heed God's word publicly yet secretly seeks it, asking Jeremiah for prayer and a word from the Lord.
- The princes of Judah — The officials who, enraged at Jeremiah's message, accuse him of desertion, beat him, and shut him in prison.
- Yahweh (the LORD) — The God whose word stands firm even when circumstances seem to contradict it, declaring that Babylon will surely return.
Key Verse
Jeremiah 37:9 (WEB)
Thus says Yahweh, Don’t deceive yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart.
Lessons Learned
- A brief reprieve can tempt us to dismiss God's warnings and deceive ourselves.
- Faithfulness to God's word may bring suffering and false accusation.
- God's true messengers do not soften the message to gain comfort or favor.
- Even those who reject God's word publicly may secretly long to hear from him.
- Do not deceive yourself. "Don't deceive yourselves… for they shall not depart" (Jeremiah 37:9, WEB). A momentary relief is no proof that God's warning has passed.
- Truth-telling can be costly. The princes were angry, "struck him," and imprisoned him (Jeremiah 37:15, WEB). Faithful witness sometimes provokes hostility.
- Speak God's word without flinching. Even in prison Jeremiah tells the king, "You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon" (Jeremiah 37:17, WEB).
- Hidden hearts still seek God. Zedekiah "asked him secretly" for a word from Yahweh (Jeremiah 37:17, WEB). Even the resistant may quietly hunger for God's voice.
- Why does the temporary lifting of the siege create such a dangerous false hope?
- How does Jeremiah respond when accused of desertion and treated unjustly?
- What does Jeremiah's answer to Zedekiah show about his commitment to the truth?
- Why might Zedekiah ask Jeremiah for a word from the Lord in secret?
- When telling the truth is costly, what helps you stay faithful rather than soften the message?
- When Pharaoh's army drew near, the Babylonians withdrew, and it looked as if the crisis was over (37:5, 11). God warns them not to be fooled: the Chaldeans will return (37:9). A short-lived relief tempted them to ignore the warning and presume on safety.
- Falsely accused of defecting, Jeremiah simply denies it—"It is false"—and endures the beating and imprisonment without abandoning his message (37:14-15). His response models integrity under injustice rather than retaliation or compromise.
- Even after mistreatment, when secretly asked, Jeremiah does not flatter the king but tells him plainly he will fall to Babylon (37:17). His unwavering honesty, when softening the word might have earned him relief, shows true faithfulness to God.
- Zedekiah is too weak before his officials to heed Jeremiah openly, yet he cannot shake the sense that Jeremiah speaks for God (37:17). His secret inquiry reveals a divided heart that longs for God's word but lacks the courage to obey it.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to reflect on pressures that tempt them to shade the truth, and on what sustains honest courage. As leader, point to God's faithfulness and the example of Jeremiah, who trusted God amid suffering.