Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, August 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Jeremiah 37:20

But now please listen, O my lord the king. May my petition come before you. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jeremiah;   Jonathan;   Prisoners;   Zedekiah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prisons;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jeremiah;   Prison;   Zedekiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Providence of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jeremiah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jehonathan;   Jeremiah;   Jonathan;   Prison, Prisoners;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Government;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Jonathan;   Pharaoh;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jonathan ;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jonathan (1);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Cruelty;   Jonathan, Jehonathan;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So now please listen, my lord the king. May my petition come before you. Don’t send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.”
Hebrew Names Version
Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Yonatan the Sofer, lest I die there.
King James Version
Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
English Standard Version
Now hear, please, O my lord the king: let my humble plea come before you and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, lest I die there."
New American Standard Bible
"But now, please listen, my lord the king; please let my plea come before you and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, so that I will not die there."
New Century Version
But now, my master, king of Judah, please listen to me, and please do what I ask of you. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the royal secretary, or I will die there!"
Amplified Bible
"Therefore now, please listen, O my lord the king; please let my petition come before you and be acceptable and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I may not die there."
World English Bible
Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore heare nowe, I pray thee, O my lorde the King: let my prayer be accepted before thee, that thou cause mee not to returne to the house of Iehonathan the scribe, least I die there.
Legacy Standard Bible
But now, please listen, O my lord the king; please let my supplication come before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I may not die there."
Contemporary English Version
Please, don't send me back to that prison at Jonathan's house. If you do, I will die."
Complete Jewish Bible
So now, please listen, my lord king! I beg you, approve my request — don't make me return to the house of Y'honatan the secretary, or I will die there."
Darby Translation
And now hear, I pray thee, my lord, O king: let my supplication, I pray thee, come before thee; and cause me not to return into the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
Easy-to-Read Version
But now, my lord, king of Judah, please listen to me. Please let me bring my request to you. This is what I ask: Don't send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe. If you send me back, I will die there."
George Lamsa Translation
Therefore now listen to me, O my lord the king; let my supplication be acceptable before you, that you may not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
Good News Translation
And now, Your Majesty, I beg you to listen to me and do what I ask. Please do not send me back to the prison in Jonathan's house. If you do, I will surely die there."
Lexham English Bible
Now then, my lord the king, please let my plea fall before you. You must not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, so that I will not die there."
Literal Translation
And now hear, I beg you, O my lord the king, please let my plea fall before you, so that you do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I not die there.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And therfore heare now, o my lorde the kynge: let my prayer be accepte before the, & sende me nomore in to ye house of Ionathas the scrybe, that I dye not there.
American Standard Version
And now hear, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be presented before thee, that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
Bible in Basic English
And now be pleased to give ear, O my lord the king; let my prayer for help come before you, and do not make me go back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, for fear that I may come to my death there.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And now hear, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be presented before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.'
King James Version (1611)
Therefore heare now, I pray thee, O my Lord the king; let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee, that thou cause me not to returne to the house of Ionathan the scribe, lest I die there.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And therfore heare nowe O my Lorde the kyng, let my prayer be accepted before thee, and sende me no more into the house of Ionathan the scribe, that I dye not there.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And their sons shall go in as before, and their testimonies shall be established before me, and I will visit them that afflict them.
English Revised Version
And now hear, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Now therfor, my lord the kyng, Y biseche, here thou, my preier be worth in thi siyt, and sende thou not me ayen in to the hous of Jonathas, the scryuen, lest Y die there.
Update Bible Version
And now hear, I pray you, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray you, be presented before you, that you don't cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
New English Translation
But now please listen, your royal Majesty, and grant my plea for mercy. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan, the royal secretary. If you do, I will die there."
New King James Version
Therefore please hear now, O my lord the king. Please, let my petition be accepted before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there."
New Living Translation
Listen, my lord the king, I beg you. Don't send me back to the dungeon in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for I will die there."
New Life Bible
But now I ask you to listen, O my lord the king. Hear what I ask, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the writer, or I will die there."
New Revised Standard
Now please hear me, my lord king: be good enough to listen to my plea, and do not send me back to the house of the secretary Jonathan to die there."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now therefore, hear I beseech thee, O my lord the king, - Let my, supplication, I pray thee, fall prostrate before thee, and do not cause me to return unto the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there!
Douay-Rheims Bible
(37-19) Now therefore hear, I beseech thee, my lord the king: let my petition be accepted in thy sight: and send me not back into the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
Revised Standard Version
Now hear, I pray you, O my lord the king: let my humble plea come before you, and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, lest I die there."
Young's Literal Translation
And now, hearken, I pray thee, my lord, O king, let my supplication fall, I pray thee, before thee, and cause me not to return [to] the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I die not there.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But now, please listen, O my lord the king; please let my petition come before you and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I may not die there."

Contextual Overview

11When the Chaldean army withdrew from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army, 12Jeremiah started to leave Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to claim his portion there among the people. 13But when he reached the Gate of Benjamin, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, seized him and said, "You are deserting to the Chaldeans!" 14"That is a lie," Jeremiah replied. "I am not deserting to the Chaldeans!" But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and took him to the officials. 15The officials were angry with Jeremiah, and they beat him and placed him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe, for it had been made into a prison. 16So Jeremiah went into a cell in the dungeon and remained there a long time. 17Later, King Zedekiah sent for him and received him, and in his palace he privately asked, "Is there a word from the LORD?" "There is," Jeremiah replied. "You will be handed over to the king of Babylon." 18Then Jeremiah asked 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 or this land'? 20But now please listen, O my lord the king. May my petition come before you. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

be accepted before: Heb. fall before, Jeremiah 36:7, *marg.

lest: Jeremiah 26:15, Jeremiah 38:6-9, Acts 23:16-22, Acts 25:10, Acts 25:11, Acts 28:18, Acts 28:19

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 37:15 - in the Jeremiah 38:26 - General Jeremiah 40:8 - Jonathan Jeremiah 42:2 - be accepted before thee Lamentations 3:53 - cut Daniel 9:18 - present

Cross-References

Genesis 37:2
This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
Genesis 37:10
He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream that you have had? Will your mother and brothers and I actually come and bow down to the ground before you?"
Genesis 37:11
And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what he had said.
Genesis 37:12
Some time later, Joseph's brothers had gone to pasture their father's flocks near Shechem.
Genesis 37:16
"I am looking for my brothers," Joseph replied. "Can you please tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?"
Genesis 37:18
Now Joseph's brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
Genesis 37:29
When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
Genesis 37:32
They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, "We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe or not."
1 Samuel 24:20
Now I know for sure that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
1 Samuel 26:2
So Saul, accompanied by three thousand choice men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore hear now, one pray thee, O my lord the king,.... When the prophet spoke in the name of the Lord, and the words of the Lord, it was with great boldness and majesty; but when he spoke for himself, and on his own behalf, it was with great submission, as it became a subject to his king; and whom he owns as his sovereign lord, though a wicked prince, and whose destruction he knew was at hand:

let my supplication be accepted before thee; or, "fall before thee": see Jeremiah 36:7; which was as follows:

that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe; but that he might be discharged from his confinement; or however be removed into another prison, not so uncomfortable and disagreeable as this man's house or prison was; and which perhaps was still the worse through his cruel and ill natured carriage to him; and which all together endangered his life: wherefore he adds,

lest I die there; for though he had continued there many days, yet the place was so exceedingly noisome, that he thought he could not long continue there, was he remanded back to it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 37:20. Cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan — He had been ill used in this man's custody, so as to endanger his life, the place being cold, and probably unhealthy.


 
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