Jeremiah 37:12

Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people. JEREMIAH WENT FORTH ... TO GO INTO ... BENJAMIN - to his own town, Anathoth. TO SEPARATE HIMSELF -- margin translates, 'to slip away' [lachªliq], from a Hebrew root 'to be smooth,' so to slip away as a slippery thing that cannot be held. But it is not likely the prophet of God would flee in a dishonourable way; and "in the midst of the people" rather implies open departure along with others than clandestine slipping away by mixing with the crowd of departing people. Rather, it means to withdraw, to separate himself, or to divide his place of residence, so as to live partly here, partly there, without fixed habitation going to and fro among the people (Ludovicus de Dieu). Maurer translates, 'to take his portion thence' to realize the produce of his propert...

Here Jeremiah tells us how, and on what occaision, he was cast into prison. He had said shortly before, that he was in the middle of the people, or among them; but now he gives an account of the cruelty of the princes, that they not only cast him into prison, but even into a grave, for they put him, as we shall see, in a dungeon, so that it was a miracle that he did not die there; and this was not done only once; but we shall hereafter see, before the end of the chapter, that he was unhumanly treated, so that he was afraid to return to the same place, lest it should prove fatal to him. He mentions the time when this was done, that is, when the Chaldean army went forth to meet the Egyptians. He was then free to leave the city: no one before could have gone out, because the gates were closed, and the city was also surrounded by enemies. It was then, he says, that he went out, that he might...

11-21 There are times when it is the wisdom of good men to retire, to enter into their chambers, and to shut the doors, Isaiah 26:20. Jeremiah was seized as a deserter, and committed to prison. But it is no new thing for the best friends of the church to be belied, as in the interests of her worst enemies. When thus falsely accused, we may deny the charge, and commit our cause to Him who judges righteously. Jeremiah obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful, and would not, to obtain mercy of man, be unfaithful to God or to his prince; he tells the king the whole truth. When Jeremiah delivered God's message, he spake with boldness; but when he made his own request, he spake submissively. A lion in God's cause must be a lamb in his own. And God gave Jeremiah favour in the eyes of the king. The Lord God can make even the cells of a prison become pastures to his people, and will raise up fr...

Verse Jeremiah 37:12. _JEREMIAH WENT FORTH_] At the time that Nebuchadnezzar had raised the siege, and gone to meet the Egyptian army. _GO INTO THE LAND OF BENJAMIN_] To _Anathoth_, his native city. _TO SEPARATE HIMSELF THENCE_] "To receive a portion thereof among the people;" - _Blayney_: who supposes that Jeremiah went to receive a portion of the proceeds of his patrimony at _Anathoth_, which had, previously to the siege, been in the hands of the Chaldeans. The siege being now raised, he thought of looking thus after his own affairs. The _Chaldee_ is to the same sense. "He went that he might divide the inheritance which he had there among the people." _Dahler_ translates, 'He went to withdraw himself from _the siege_, as many others _of the inhabitants_." I believe he wen

TO SEPARATE HIMSELF THENCE ... - To receive a share thence. When the siege was temporarily raised, the first object would be food, and, accordingly, Jeremiah accompanied by others, who, like himself, had a right to share in the produce of the priests’ lands at Anathoth, started there to see whether any stores remained which might be available for their common use....

EXPOSITION Nothing worthy of relation appears to have happened to Jeremiah till the latter period of the reign of Zedekiah. The first two verses of this chapter form the transition. The embassy to Jeremiah mentioned in verse 3 took place after the temporary withdrawal of the Chaldeans from Jerusalem. JEREMIAH 37:1 CONIAH; _i.e._ Jehoiachin (see on Jeremiah 22:24). WHOM NEBUCHADREZZAR … MADE KING. Zedekiah, not Jehoiachin, is referred to (see 2 Kings 24:17). JEREMIAH 37:3 AND ZEDEKIAH THE KING SENT. Th

THEN JEREMIAH WENT FORTH OUT OF JERUSALEM,.... At least he attempted to do so, taking the opportunity of the siege of the city being broke up: what were his reasons for it are not certain; whether that he might not be put into prison, which he might fear for what he had just prophesied of concerning the return of the Chaldean army, that should take the city, and burn it; or to save himself from the destruction which he was sure would come upon it; or because he found he could do no good by his preaching and prophesying in it: however his view was TO GO INTO THE LAND OF BENJAMIN; his native country, the tribe he belonged to; and very likely to Anathoth in that tribe, where he was born, and had lived. Josephus e is express for it, which he says was twenty furlongs from Jerusalem: TO SEPARATE HIMSELF THENCE IN THE MIDST OF THE PEOPLE: or, "to slip away thence in the midst of the people" f...

JEREMIAH AND ZEDEKIAH AND THE FALL OF JERUSALEM (37-39) CHAPTER 37 _ 1. Jeremiah's warning (Jeremiah 37:1) _ 2. Jeremiah's arrest (Jeremiah 37:11) Jeremiah 37:1. To understand more fully these Chapter s it must be remembered that the besieging army before the gates of Jerusalem was temporarily withdrawn, because an Egyptian army had appeared against it. This was no doubt an occasion for the false prophets to preach their false hope, so that the people were deceived. Once more Zedekiah sent to the prophet a deputation (Jeremiah 21:1) after Nebuchadnezzar had made him king. The occasion was on

Jeremiah, during the interval in the siege, is leaving the city by a northern gate on private business (perhaps connected with the earlier incident of Jeremiah 32:6 ff.), when he is arrested by the officer on duty under charge of desertion (plausible in view of Jeremiah 21:9; _cf._ Jeremiah 38:19). His denial is disregarded, and he is beaten and imprisoned by the princes (those friendly to him, _cf._ Jeremiah 26:16; Jeremiah 36:19, were now probably exiles). After a lengthy imprisonment, the king sends for him secretly ...

TO GO, &C. Probably to Anathoth. TO SEPARATE HIMSELF THENCE. to assign [himself] his portion there (i.e. at Anathoth, in Benjamin, three and. half miles north-east of Jerusalem), where he drew his living. IN THE MIDST: for safety, and to avoid detection....