Jeremiah 37:1

JEREMIAH 37

JEREMIAH SCOURGED AND IMPRISONED

This chapter and the next, record events in the life of Jeremiah during the final days of the siege of Jerusalem in the closing period of the reign of Zedekiah (circa 589 B.C.), which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of many of its inhabitants to Babylon.

In fact, "From this chapter to Jeremiah 44 (inclusive), we have little else than an account of events relating to the personal history of Jeremiah."[1]

During this final siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah had evidently requested help from Pharaoh-Hophra who had come to the throne of Egypt that very year. He made a move as if to help Zedekiah and his Jerusalem defenders against the Babylonians, with the result that, for a short time only, Nebuchadnezzar lifted the siege and devoted his full attention to the forces of Pharaoh-Hophra. Some say that the Egyptian force was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar, and others suppose that Pharaoh-Hophra withdrew without a battle. Either way, the result was an unqualified disaster for Zedekiah and Jerusalem.

During that short interval, while the siege had been lifted, the events of this chapter occurred. We have already studied Jeremiah 34 which gives an account of the Jewish reaction to this temporary respite from the siege. They thought, "Hallelujah! The war is over"; and so they enslaved the servants whom they had just manumitted!

Jeremiah 37:1-2

"And Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiachim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah. But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of Jehovah, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah."

This is a brief recapitulation of the history of the past eleven years. In the first capture of Jerusalem, the Babylonians had taken Coniah and carried him away to Babylon along with many other captives. Nebuchadnezzar placed Coniah's uncle Zedekiah on the throne as a sworn vassal of the king of Babylon. He reigned eleven years, and the events of this chapter were very near the end of that period. Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar returned for the final siege which is under way in this chapter.