17. secretly—Zedekiah was ashamed to be seen by his courtiers consulting Jeremiah (John 12:43; John 5:44; John 19:38). thou shalt be delivered—Had Jeremiah consulted his earthly interests, he would have answered very differently. Contrast Jeremiah 6:14; Isaiah 30:10; Ezekiel 13:10. read more
Jeremiah’s arrest and imprisonment 37:11-21The text records five steps in Jeremiah’s prison experiences. First, he was arrested in the gate and committed to a dungeon on a false charge of treason (Jeremiah 37:11-15). Second, he was released from the dungeon but restricted to the courtyard of the prison (Jeremiah 37:16-21). Third, he was imprisoned in Malchijah’s miry dungeon in the prison courtyard (Jeremiah 38:6). Fourth, he was released from this dungeon but restricted to the prison courtyard... read more
Zedekiah secretly sent for Jeremiah and brought him into the palace. The king feared his nobles who were "hawks" militarily and hostile to Jeremiah. Zedekiah asked the prophet if the Lord had given him any message in response to his previous praying (Jeremiah 37:3). Jeremiah replied that he did have a message from the Lord: that the king would become a prisoner of Nebuchadnezzar. The king was really the one bound in this situation, and the prisoner was the truly free man. [Note: This interview... read more
The consequences of his arrest and imprisonment 37:17-21 read more
1-5. The general position.1. Coniah] see on Jeremiah 22:24. Whom] referring to Zedekiah. 3. Zephaniah] see on Jeremiah 21:1.5. This refers to the temporary raising of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians on the approach of an Egyptian army under Pharaoh-Hophra. He either retired or was defeated, for the siege was soon renewed.6-10. The return of the Chaldeans foretold.11-15. Jeremiah imprisoned.12. To separate himself thence] RV ’to receive his portion there,’probably referring to an... read more
Events during the Siege of Jerusalem (Reign of Zedekiah)Here after two parenthetical chapters (35, 36) concerning the time of Jehoiakim, we revert to the narrative (beginning in Jeremiah 32) of the last two years of Zedekiah. read more
(17) Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out . . .—The king seems to have been at once better than his counsellors, and afraid of them. He regrets the severity of the prophet’s treatment, and hopes that there may yet be “a word of the Lord” less harsh than before, and with this view summons him to his palace, as before he had sent asking for his intercession. The prophet is, however, true to his calling, and not even the hope of gaining protection against his persecutors will lead him to... read more
The Punishment of Evil Jeremiah 37:9-10 The great teaching of the text is that we must not allow appearances to mislead us respecting the fact and certainty of the law of retribution. I. We mark some illustrations of the law of retribution furnished by the history of the nations. The Old Testament records many instances of the fact that God makes the law of retribution to act by unlikely instruments, in unlikely ways, and at unlikely times. Very memorable was the retribution that Israel... read more
CHAPTER XIIJEREMIAH’S IMPRISONMENTJeremiah 37:11-21, Jeremiah 38:1-28, Jeremiah 39:15-18"Jeremiah abode in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken."- Jeremiah 38:28"WHEN the Chaldean army was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army, Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin "to transact certain family business at Anathoth. {Cf. Jeremiah 32:6-8}He had announced that all who remained in the city should perish, and that only those who... read more
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E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 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 . read more