Jeremiah 37:11–21

Jeremiah’s Imprisonment

¹¹When the Chaldean army withdrew from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army, ¹²Jeremiah started to leave Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to claim his portion there ^samong the people. ¹³But when he was at the Benjamin Gate, ^tan officer of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, son of Hananiah, and he apprehended Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are deserting to the Chaldeans.”

¹⁴“That’s a lie,” Jeremiah replied. “I am not deserting to the Chaldeans!” Irijah would not listen to him but apprehended Jeremiah and took him to the officials. ¹⁵The officials were angry at Jeremiah and beat him and placed him in jail in the house of Jonathan ^uthe scribe, for it had been made into a prison. ¹⁶So Jeremiah went into a cell in the dungeon ^vand stayed there many days.

Jeremiah Summoned by Zedekiah

¹⁷King Zedekiah later sent for him and received him, and in his house privately asked him, “Is there a word from the Lord?” ^w

“There is,” Jeremiah responded, and he continued, “You will be handed over to the king of Babylon.” ^x18Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people that you have put me in prison? ¹⁹Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, claiming, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you and this land’? ^y20So now please listen, my lord the king. May my petition come before you. ^zDon’t send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.”

²¹So King Zedekiah gave orders, and Jeremiah was placed in the guard’s courtyard. ^aHe was given a loaf of bread each day from the baker’s street until all the bread was gone from the city. So Jeremiah remained in the guard’s courtyard.