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Zedekiah son of Josiah became king in place of Coniah son of Jehoiakim; Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made him king over the land of Judah.
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But neither he, nor his officials, nor the people of the land listened to the word that the LORD spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
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At one time King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah, asking, “Please pray for us to the LORD our God!”
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Now Jeremiah was still free to come and go among the people; he had not yet been put into prison.
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The army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt; when the report of this reached them, the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem withdrew from Jerusalem.
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Then the word of the LORD came to the prophet Jeremiah, saying:
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“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: This is what you are to say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: Behold, the army of Pharaoh that came out to help you will return to its own land, to Egypt.
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But the Chaldeans will come back and fight against this city; they will capture it and burn it with fire.
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Thus says the LORD: Do not deceive yourselves, saying, ‘The Chaldeans have surely gone away from us for good!’ For they have not gone away for good.
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For even if you were to strike down the whole army of the Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and only wounded men remained among them, each man in his tent would rise up and burn this city with fire.”
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When the army of the Chaldeans had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of fear of Pharaoh’s army,
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Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to receive his share of property among his relatives there.
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But when he came to the Benjamin Gate, there was there a guard officer named Irijah son of Shelemiah son of Hananiah; he seized the prophet Jeremiah, crying out, “You are deserting to the Chaldeans!”
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Jeremiah replied, “That is false; I am not deserting to the Chaldeans!” But Irijah would not listen to him; he seized Jeremiah and brought him before the officials.
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The officials were angry with Jeremiah; they beat him and put him in the house of confinement, the house of Jonathan the scribe, for they had made that house into a prison.
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So Jeremiah came into the vaulted cell beneath the ground. And Jeremiah remained there a long time.
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At one time King Zedekiah sent men to have him brought. Then the king secretly asked him in his palace, “Has a word from the LORD come?” Jeremiah answered, “It has!” And he said, “You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon!”
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Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “What wrong have I done to you, to your servants, and to this people, that you have put me in prison?
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Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying that the king of Babylon would not come against you and against this land?
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Now therefore, listen, my lord the king; let my plea come before you: do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.”
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So King Zedekiah gave the order, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guard and gave him daily a loaf of bread from the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
⚔️🏰🔒 Summary of Jeremiah 37 – The Unsteady King and the Persecuted Prophet
Jeremiah 37 records the continuing tragic story of King Zedekiah, who was inconsistent, and of Jeremiah’s fate as a prophet who suffered for speaking the truth. Though the king secretly wanted to know the word of the LORD, he still refused to obey. Jeremiah kept proclaiming the prophecy of destruction, even when this led to accusations of betrayal and imprisonment. This chapter highlights disobedience wrapped in religion, and how truth is often rejected even when it is needed.
📌 1. King Zedekiah Replaces Coniah (verses 1–2)
“Zedekiah… did not listen to the words of the LORD through Jeremiah…”
➡️ King Zedekiah became king over Judah, appointed by the king of Babylon in place of Jehoiachin (Coniah).
➡️ But like his predecessor, he and the people still refused to hear the word of God.
🎯 New leadership without repentance = a repeat of ruin.
📌 2. Zedekiah Asks Jeremiah to Pray (verses 3–5)
“Please pray to the LORD for us…”
➡️ Though disobedient, Zedekiah asked Jeremiah to pray, especially because word had come that the Egyptian army was coming to help Judah.
➡️ The Babylonian army withdrew for a time, creating false hope.
🎯 Many people want God’s help, but reject God’s way.
📌 3. The Word of the Lord: Babylon Will Return (verses 6–10)
“Do not deceive yourselves… they will return and burn this city.”
➡️ The Lord makes clear that even though Babylon withdraws, they will return and destroy Jerusalem.
➡️ Even if only wounded Babylonian soldiers remain, they can still burn the city — because the Lord has decreed its destruction.
🎯 Do not be deceived by a momentary victory if life is not yet aligned with the word of the Lord.
📌 4. Jeremiah Is Accused and Imprisoned (verses 11–16)
“You are going over to the Chaldeans!”
➡️ When Jeremiah was about to return to Anathoth, he was seized and accused of intending to defect to Babylon.
➡️ Without evidence, he was beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan, which had been made into a prison.
🎯 Those who proclaim the truth are often victims of false accusations, especially when a nation is hard-hearted.
📌 5. King Zedekiah Secretly Questions Jeremiah (verses 17–21)
“Is there a word from the LORD?”
➡️ Jeremiah replied firmly: “There is! You will be handed over to the king of Babylon.”
➡️ Jeremiah then asked not to be sent back to the harsh prison, and Zedekiah granted the request.
🎯 Zedekiah had an opportunity to repent, but chose popularity over truth.
📖 Main Teaching
- Spiritual consultation without repentance brings no change
- We may ask for prayer, but if the heart still rejects the word, the result remains destruction
- Truth may be rejected, but it cannot be silenced
- The Lord can use enemies to carry out judgment or correction
- A leader who does not dare to obey will continue to live in fear and confusion
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem… how often I longed to gather you, but you were not willing!”
➡️ Like Zedekiah — many want blessing, but are not willing to submit.
📖 John 3:20
“Everyone who does evil hates the light…”
➡️ Jeremiah brought the light, but was rejected because the truth is painful for those who live in sin.
📖 2 Timothy 4:3
“The time will come when people will not accept sound teaching…”
➡️ Just as in Jeremiah’s day — truth is not popular, but it must still be spoken.
📖 1 Peter 2:20
“If you suffer for doing good… this is pleasing to God.”
➡️ Jeremiah became an example of steadfast faith in the midst of persecution.
🕊️ “Is there any word from the LORD?” – Jeremiah 37:17
🕊️ “You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.” – Jeremiah 37:17
🕊️ “Zedekiah… did not listen to the word of the LORD.” – Jeremiah 37:2
🕊️ “Do not deceive yourselves…” – Jeremiah 37:9
