Jeremiah 37

Jeremiah 37:1

Coniah: i.e. Jeconiah, called also Jehoiachin. whom: i.e. Zedekiah.

Jeremiah 37:2

words = prophecies.

Jeremiah 37:5

Pharaoh’s: i.e. Pharaoh Hophra’s. Compare Jeremiah 44:30. The Apries of Herodotus, and fourth successor of Psammeticus on the throne of Egypt. He came to help Zedekiah (Ezekiel 17:15-17), but was defeated by the Chaldeans, and Egypt subdued. Compare 2 Kings 24:7. Ezekiel 29:1-16 and chs. 30-33. Also Jeremiah 43:9-13.

Jeremiah 37:7

The Thirty-Fourth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).

the LORD, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 11:3.

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.

Jeremiah 37:9

yourselves = your own souls. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

Jeremiah 37:10

every man. Hebrew. ’ish. App-14.

Jeremiah 37:12

to go, &c. Probably to Anathoth.

to separate himself thence = to assign [himself] his portion there (i.e. at Anathoth, in Benjamin, three and a half miles north-east of Jerusalem), where he drew his living.

in the midst: for safety, and to avoid detection.

Jeremiah 37:13

the gate of Benjamin: i.e. the northern gate, called also “the gate of Ephraim” (2 Kings 14:13. Nehemiah 8:16), leading to Anathoth.

Hananiah. Perhaps the false prophet mentioned in Jeremiah 28:1-17.

Jeremiah 37:14

princes. Named in Jeremiah 38:1; none of whom had been favourable to Jeremiah in the days of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:16).

Jeremiah 37:15

smote = scourged.

put him in prison. Note Jeremiah’s prison experiences:. (1) put in on false charge (Jeremiah 37:11-15); (2) released, but confined in the court of the prison; (3) imprisoned again in Malchiah’s miry dungeon (Jeremiah 38:1-6); (4) released again as before (Jeremiah 38:13-28); (5) carried away in chains by Nebuchadnezzar, but released at Ramah (Jeremiah 40:1-4).

in prison = in the house of bonds.

the prison = the house of detention.

Jeremiah 37:16

When, &c. = For Jeremiah [actually] entered, &c,

dungeon = house of the pit. Hebrew. bor. See notes on Genesis 21:19 (“well”). Isaiah 14:19 (“pit”).

cabins = cells.

remained = abode. Note the Figure of speech Cyeloides, marking the refrain, which is repeated in Jeremiah 37:21, and in Jeremiah 38:13, Jeremiah 38:28; as shown in the Structure.

Jeremiah 37:17

Is there . . . There is = Does there exist. . . ? . . . There does exist. Hebrew. yesh . . . yesh. See notes on Proverbs 8:21; Proverbs 18:24; and Luke 7:25.

Jeremiah 37:18

offended = sinned.

prison = the house of detention. See Jeremiah 37:16.

Jeremiah 37:19

your prophets. Not Jehovah’s. From the beginning they had prophesied falsely. See Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 27:16; Jeremiah 28:2.

Jeremiah 37:21

prison = guard-house. Not the same word as in Jeremiah 37:15.

piece = a cake. Compare Jeremiah 52:6. Three were reckoned as a meal (Luke 11:5); a soldier’s ration at that time.