Jeremiah 32:1

Jeremiah's own circumstances and those of the State are given first with great particularity in order that it may be brought out that it is in spite of the gloomiest appearances that his faith in the future is thus firm.

the tenth year of Zedekiah The siege had commenced in his ninth year (Jeremiah 39:1), but the Chaldaeans, hearing that an Egyptian army was approaching, had departed for a time (Jeremiah 37:5). Jeremiah took advantage of this to leave Jerusalem, in order to visit his property at Anathoth, was charged with falling away to the Chaldaeans, and in spite of his denial was imprisoned (Jeremiah 37:11-15). The stringency with which he was at first treated was after a while relaxed on his petitioning the king to that effect (Jeremiah 37:20; Jeremiah 38:28). He was still, however, "shut up in the court of the guard" (Jeremiah 32:2). This part of the narrative therefore is somewhat subsequent in date to those incidents above referred to which are recounted later.