Jeremiah 37:15

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

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

the princes: Jeremiah 20:1-3, Jeremiah 26:16, Matthew 21:35, Matthew 23:34, Matthew 26:67, Matthew 26:68, Luke 20:10, Luke 20:11, Luke 22:64, John 18:22, Acts 5:28, Acts 5:40, Acts 16:22-24, Acts 23:2, Acts 23:3, 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, Hebrews 11:36-38

put: Genesis 39:20, 2 Chronicles 16:10, 2 Chronicles 18:26, Acts 5:18, Acts 12:4-6, Revelation 2:10

in the: Jeremiah 37:20, Jeremiah 38:6, Jeremiah 38:26

Reciprocal: Genesis 42:19 - house Exodus 23:2 - to decline 1 Kings 22:27 - Put this fellow 2 Kings 6:31 - if the head 2 Chronicles 18:25 - and carry him back Jeremiah 20:2 - smote Jeremiah 36:5 - General Jeremiah 37:4 - for Jeremiah 40:8 - Jonathan Lamentations 3:52 - chased Mark 12:3 - they Luke 4:28 - were Acts 16:24 - the inner 2 Corinthians 6:5 - imprisonments

Cross-References

Genesis 21:14
Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar's shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.

Judges 4:22
When Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to greet him and said to him, "Come, and I will show you the man you are seeking." So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera dead, with a tent peg through his temple.

2 Kings 6:19
And Elisha told them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking." And he led them to Samaria.

John 1:38
Jesus turned and saw them following. "What do you want?" He asked. They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are You staying?"

John 4:27
Just then, His disciples returned and were astonished that He was speaking with a woman. But no one asked Him, "What do You want from her?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"

John 18:4
Jesus, knowing all that was coming upon Him, stepped forward and asked them, "Whom are you seeking?"

John 18:7
So He asked them again, "Whom are you seeking?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they answered.

John 20:15
"Woman, why are you weeping?" Jesus asked. "Whom are you seeking?" Thinking He was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah,.... For attempting to depart the city, and go off to the Chaldeans, as Irijah had suggested to them, and to whom they hearkened; and perhaps would not hear what the prophet had to say for himself; and if they did, it had no weight with them:

and smote him; either with their fists, or with rods, or a scourge; perhaps he underwent the punishment of forty stripes save one, according to the law; and they may be said to smite or beat him, because they ordered it to be done:

and put him in prison, in the house of Jonathan the scribe; or secretary of state; such an one as Elishama was in Jehoiakim's time, who had a house or apartment at court as he had, who was now dead or removed, Jeremiah 36:12;

for they had made that the prison; which had not used to be; but by the courtiers, and with the consent of this scribe, secretary, or chancellor, it was made a prison; not for common malefactors, but for state prisoners; and a bad prison it seems it was. Very probably this scribe was a very cruel wicked man, who used those very ill that were his prisoners; and indeed, if he had not been of such a character, he would scarcely have suffered his house to have been made a prison.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The house - Probably the official residence of the secretary of state.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 37:15. And smote him — Without any proof of the alleged treachery, without any form of justice.

In prison to the house of Jonathan — In Asiatic countries there is an apartment in the houses of the officers of the law, to confine all the accused that are brought before them. Jonathan was a scribe or secretary, and had a prison of this kind in his house.