Jeremiah 37:3

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 37:1-10

Here is, 1. Jeremiah's preaching slighted, Jer. 37:1, 2. Zedekiah succeeded Coniah, or Jeconiah, and, though he saw in his predecessor the fatal consequences of contemning the word of God, yet he did not take warning, nor give any more regard to it than others had done before him. Neither he, nor his courtiers, nor the people of the land, hearkened unto the words of the Lord, though they already began to be fulfilled. Note, Those have hearts wretchedly hard indeed that see God's judgments on... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 37:3

And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest ,.... That is, Zephaniah the priest, as the accents shaw; though his father Maaseiah was doubtless a priest too; according to the Syriac version, both Jehucal, called Jucal, Jeremiah 38:1 ; and Zephaniah, were priests; since it reads in the plural number, "priests": these the king sent as messengers to the Prophet Jeremiah, saying, pray now unto the Lord our God for us . This message... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 37:3

Zedekiah - to the prophet Jeremiah - He was willing to hear a message from the Lord, provided it were according to his own mind. He did not fully trust in his own prophets. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 37:3

Verse 3 Jeremiah had briefly explained what was the state of the city and the land, that though they had been already severely chastised by God’s scourges, they yet remained obstinate in their wickedness. He now adds, that messengers were sent to him by King Zedekiah, when danger arose from the Chaldeans; and it is probable that this message came to Jeremiah when the siege was raised, or if the siege still continued, it was at a time when the Jews, no doubt, flattered themselves with the hope... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 37:1-3

Prayer without obedience. Though Zedekiah will give no heed to the message from God to him through Jeremiah, he is not the less anxious to secure the prophet's intercession with God for deliverance from approaching calamity. The king illustrates the too common case of those people who will fly to the protection of religion in trouble, though they neglect all its obligations of holiness and of service. I. RELIGION REQUIRES OBEDIENCE GOD 'S WILL . It is not all on one side, God... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 37:1-21

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 37:2-3

( Vide Jeremiah 21:1 , Jeremiah 21:2 .)—M. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 37:2-4

Give us of your oil. Here we have King Zedekiah, his servants, and his people, asking the prayers of the prophet of God, whose word of counsel and warning they had all along despised. The verses remind us of the parable of the ten virgins; for, as there, the foolish say unto the wise, "Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out," so here the foolish king and people entreat the aid of the wise servant of God when, as the midnight cry came to those virgins, so the dread judgment of God... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 37:3

And Zedekiah the king sent. This was Zedekiah's second embassy to Jeremiah. His request on the former occasion bad been for a prophecy; on the present it was for an "effectual fervent prayer," such as Hezekiah's embassy asked of Isaiah ( Isaiah 37:6 ). But the issue was to be very different from that in the case of Sennacherib's invasion! Jehucal . The same man appears in Jeremiah 38:1 , among those who brought about the imprisonment of Jeremiah. Zephaniah . The high priest's deputy,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 37:3

A request for intercession. A request of this kind has always to be looked at through the character of the man who prefers it. It makes all the difference whether it be the utterance of grovelling superstition or of enlightened piety. It is a long way from this request of Zedekiah to the request of Paul: "Brethren, pray for us." Let us try to estimate— I. THE NOTION ZEDEKIAH HAD OF GOD . A notion evidently altogether detached from any considerations of character; we are... read more

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