Jeremiah 37:20

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. LET MY SUPPLICATION BE ACCEPTED - rather, 'let my supplication be humbly presented' (, note). (Henderson.) LEST I DIE THERE - in the subterranean dungeon () from want of proper sustenance (). The prophet naturally shrank from death, which makes his spiritual firmness the more remarkable: he was ready to die rather than swerve from his duty (Calvin)....

This verse shews that Jeremiah was not destitute of human feelings, for he, as other men, dreaded death. But yet he could so control himself, that no fear made him to turn aside from his duty. Fear, then, did not dishearten him, as the boldness which we have noticed was a manifest proof of his constancy. The Prophet therefore overcame, as to his work, every anxiety and the fear of death; and yet he did not disregard his life, but sought, as far as he could, deliverance from his evils. He asked for some alleviation from the king. We hence see that the Prophets were not logs of wood, nor had iron hearts; but though subject to human feelings, yet they elevated themselves to an invincible courage as to their work, so as to fulfill their office. As to the words, _Let my prayer fall before thee, _they mean a humble supplication; it is a mode of expression derived, as we have before seen, from...

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 37:20. _CAUSE ME NOT TO RETURN TO THE HOUSE OF JONATHAN_] He had been ill used in this man's custody, so as to endanger his life, the place being cold, and probably unhealthy....

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

THEREFORE HEAR NOW, ONE PRAY THEE, O MY LORD THE KING,.... When the prophet spoke in the name of the Lord, and the words of the Lord, it was with great boldness and majesty; but when he spoke for himself, and on his own behalf, it was with great submission, as it became a subject to his king; and whom he owns as his sovereign lord, though a wicked prince, and whose destruction he knew was at hand: LET MY SUPPLICATION BE ACCEPTED BEFORE THEE; or, "fall before thee": see Jeremiah 36:7; which was as follows: THAT THOU CAUSE ME NOT TO RETURN TO THE HOUSE OF JONATHAN THE SCRIBE; but that he might be discharged from his confinement; or however be removed into another prison, not so uncomfortable and disagreeable as this man's house or prison was; and which perhaps was still the worse through his cruel and ill natured carriage to him; and which all together

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 ...

See introd. summary to ch....

B. Summoned by the King Jeremiah 37:16-21 TRANSLATION (16) When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon vaults and had remained there several days, (17) Zedekiah the king sent and had him brought; and the king questioned him secretly in his house and said, Is there a word from the LORD? And Jeremiah responded: There is! Then he said further, you have been given into the hands of the king of Babylon! (18) Jeremiah also said unto the King Zedekiah, what sin have I committed against you, your servants, or this people, that you have put me in prison? (19) Where are your prophets who prophesied to you that the king of Babylon would not come against you or this land? (20) And now hear, O my lord the king; let my supplication be presented before you. Do not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe lest I die there. (21) And Zedekiah the king commanded that they com