Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 37

Verse 1

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

Verse 2

words = prophecies.

Verse 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 .

Verse 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.

Verse 9

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

Verse 10

every man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .

Verse 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.

Verse 13

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

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

Verse 14

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

Verse 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.

Verse 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.

Verse 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 .

Verse 18

offended = sinned.

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

Verse 19

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

Verse 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.