Jeremiah 37:15

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. THE PRINCES ... PUT HIM IN PRISON IN THE HOUSE OF JONATHAN THE SCRIBE - one of the court secretaries. Often in the East part of the private house of a public officer serves as a prison....

Here Jeremiah pursues the same narrative, and shews how unjustly he was treated, for he found no equity at the hands of the princes any more than in the keeper of the ward. He was no doubt prepared to defend himself before them, and sufficient proof was ready at hand, only he would have had to speak to the deaf. But here he shews by one word that the liberty of speaking was precluded, for a furious madness seized them that they would not hear him. And here we may notice how much opposed is wrath to just and peaceable decisions; for if we wish to be right and equitable judges, self-government is especially necessary. When, therefore, our minds are inflamed with anger or wrath, it is impossible that any rectitude or humanity should prevail. So Jeremiah complains that he was oppressed, because the princes boiled with rage, so that they suffered him not to give the explanation which he had p...

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 37:15. _AND SMOTE HIM_] Without any _proof_ of the alleged treachery, without any form of _justice_. _IN PRISON TO THE HOUSE OF JONATHAN_] In Asiatic countries there is an apartment in the houses of the officers of the law, to confine all the accused that are brought before them. Jonathan was a _scribe_ or _secretary_, and had a prison of this kind in his house....

THE HOUSE - Probably the official residence of the secretary of state....

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

WHEREFORE THE PRINCES WERE WROTH WITH JEREMIAH,.... For attempting to depart the city, and go off to the Chaldeans, as Irijah had suggested to them, and to whom they hearkened; and perhaps would not hear what the prophet had to say for himself; and if they did, it had no weight with them: AND SMOTE HIM; either with their fists, or with rods, or a scourge; perhaps he underwent the punishment of forty stripes save one, according to the law; and they may be said to smite or beat him, because they ordered it to be done: AND PUT HIM IN PRISON, IN THE HOUSE OF JONATHAN THE SCRIBE; or secretary of state; such an one as Elishama was in Jehoiakim's time, who had a house or apartment at court as he had, who was now dead or removed, Jeremiah 36:12; FOR THEY HAD MADE THAT THE PRISON; which had not used to be; but by the courtiers, and with

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 ...

SMOTE. scourged. PUT HIM IN PRISON. Note Jeremiah _'_. prison experiences:. (1) put in on false charge (Jeremiah 37:11); (2) released, but confined in the court of the prison; (3) imprisoned again in Malchiah's miry dungeon (Jeremiah 38:1); (4) released again as before (Jeremiah 38:13); (5) carried away in chains by Nebuchadnezzar, but released at Ramah (Jeremiah 40:1). IN PRISON. in the house of bonds. THE PRISON. the house of detention....