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When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days, then Zedekiah the king sent, and had him brought out. The king asked him secretly in his house, “Is there any word from Yahweh?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” He also said, “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”
Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
Jeremiah 37:16-18 sits inside this longer paragraph.
When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days, then Zedekiah the king sent, and had him brought out. The king asked him secretly in his house, “Is there any word from Yahweh?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” He also said, “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”
Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison? Now where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you, nor against this land?’ 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.”
When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days,
then Zedekiah the king sent, and had him brought out. The king asked him secretly in his house, “Is there any word from Yahweh?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” He also said, “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”
Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?
When Jeremiah was come into the dungeon-house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him; and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said: 'Is there any word from the LORD?' And Jeremiah said: 'There is.' He said also: 'Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.'
Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah: 'Wherein have I sinned against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv16–18 The particle כי, ki, is to be taken here…
The particle כי, ki, is to be taken here as an adverb of time, as I think, though interpreters have not observed this, When Jeremiah, he says, came into the house of the pit or dungeon, or of the prison. The word בור means also sometimes the grave, but is to be taken here for a pit or a deep place: he means that it was a dark and filthy prison. And he adds, and to the dwellings I know not why some have rendered it, “victualling houses;” for the word החניות, echeniot, means narrow prisons, which we call at this day cachots: he was therefore cast into a dungeon, where there were narrow places, that, the holy man had no space either freely to rise or to stand or to sit down, or to he down. Then the Prophet shews that he was so confined by the straitness of the place, that he could hardly sit or lay down or stand erect.; and he says that he was there many days.
We must notice the circumstances of the case: It was a thing cruel enough in itself, that an innocent man, after having been beaten, should be thrust into prison: but when a dark and deep prison was chosen, and when he was confined to a narrow place, as though he was in fetters, it was a great addition to the indignity offered to him. Since then the holy Prophet was so atrociously treated, let us not think it strange, when the same thing at this day is endured by God’s children, and for the same cause, even for bearing testimony to celestial truth. When the length of time is added, it increased the evil; for he was not retained in prison for a few days or for a month, but until the city was taken; not indeed in that prison, for the king, as we shall presently see, removed him into the ccurt of the prison. He was, however, the second time cast into a filthy prison, as though he was destined to die; thence he was afterwards removed also by the order of the king. But the Prophet says, that he was in that dungeon many days. It now follows —
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv16–18 Jer 37:16 When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon,…
Jer 37:16 When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
Ver. 16. When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon.] {a} Heb., Into a place or house of the pit or hole, where the prophet could neither walk nor handsomely lie down, when worse men a great deal had what liberty they listed.
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And into the cabins.] Or, Cells, where they scarce put any but traitors, and similar foul offenders. Such they had at Athens, called barathrum, the infernal region, at Rome, tullianum, underground execution chamber, or profundum maris, &c., deep sea into which whosoever was put could hardly be put to more misery.
And Jeremiah had remained there many days.] Till the return of the Chaldees likely. Canes lingunt ulcera Lazari. Dogs licked the sores of Lazarus.
{a} In domum cisternae.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv16–18 The Hebrew words which we translate
The Hebrew words which we translate
dungeon signify the house of the lake; they certainly signify some pit, or deep hole, or place in the prison, where were some cells or apartments, in which they were wont to keep those whom they judged great malefactors, or against whom they had some special anger; how many days the prophet was forced to abide in this miserable place it is not said, but it should seem by Jer 37:9, that it was until the Chaldean army was returned to the siege.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv16–18 When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon,.... Or, "into…
When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon,.... Or, "into the house of the pit" (l); a dungeon, like a pit or ditch, dark, dirty, or dismal:
and into the cabins; or "cells" (m); into a place more inward than the cells, as the Targum; into the innermost and worst part in all the prison, where a man could not well lie, sit, nor stand:
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and Jeremiah had remained there many days; in this very uncomfortable condition; very probably till the Chaldean army returned to Jerusalem, as he foretold it should.
(l) "in, vel ad domum laci", Pagninus, Montanus; "in domum foveae", Schmidt. (m) "et in cellulas illius", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "et ad cellas", Schmidt.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv16–17 The dungeon - The Hebrew words signify some pit,…
The dungeon - The Hebrew words signify some pit, or deep hole, where were some cells or apartments, in which they were wont to keep those whom they judged great malefactors.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv16–17 Verse 16. Entered into the dungeon, and into the…
Verse 16. Entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins] The dungeon was probably a deep pit; and the cabins or cells, niches in the sides, where different malefactors were confined. See Blayney.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv16–18 Jer 37:16. When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon…
Jer 37:16. When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon — Hebrew אל בית הבור, into the house of the pit, ditch, or lake; and into the cabins — Or, cells, as החניות signifies. “From comparing this place with chap. Jer 38:6, it seems likely that this dungeon was a deep pit, sunk perpendicularly like a well, in the middle court or quadrangle, around which the great houses were built; and that in the sides of it, near the bottom, were scooped niches, like the cabins of a ship, for the separate lodgment of the unfortunate persons who were let down there. Hence also it may be, that the same word here rendered dungeon is frequently put for the grave; the ancient repositories of the dead being often constructed with niches, in the same manner in which the bodies were placed, separately. Accordingly we read, Isa 14:15, Yet thou shalt be brought down to the grave, to the sides of the pit, אל ירכתי בור. How long Jeremiah was forced to remain in this miserable place is not said, but it seems from Jer 37:19. that it was until the Chaldean army was returned to the siege.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v16 Dungeon - literally, house of a cistern or pit,…
Dungeon - literally, house of a cistern or pit, and evidently underground. In this cistern-like excavation were several cells or arched vaults, in one of which with little light and less ventilation Jeremiah remained a long time.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v18 Prophets. He insults over these impostors, and speaks boldly.…
Prophets. He insults over these impostors, and speaks boldly. The Chaldeans were now returned, chap. xxxviii.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv16–18 dungeon . . . cabins--The prison consisted of a…
dungeon . . . cabins--The prison consisted of a pit (the "dungeon") with vaulted cells round the sides of it. The "cabins," from a root, "to bend one's self."
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv16–17 JEREMIAH’S INTERVIEW WITH THE KING, Jer_37:16-21.
JEREMIAH’S INTERVIEW WITH THE KING, Jer_37:16-21.
16. Cabins — Vaults. The mention of them indicates that Jeremiah’s imprisonment began with the extreme rigour of cruelty. The word is found nowhere else.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv16–17 16. dungeon house] lit. as mg. house of the…
16. dungeon house] lit. as mg. house of the pit. Cp. Jer_38:6.
cells] The Heb. word is found here only and seems to denote a room with a vaulted roof.
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many days] during which time the Chaldaeans resumed the siege and the danger became so pressing that Zedekiah was induced to send for the prophet, and ask him for some intimation of the future.
16–21. See introd. summary to ch.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv17–18 (17) Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him…
(17) Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out . . .—The king seems to have been at once better than his counsellors, and afraid of them. He regrets the severity of the prophet’s treatment, and hopes that there may yet be “a word of the Lord” less harsh than before, and with this view summons him to his palace, as before he had sent asking for his intercession. The prophet is, however, true to his calling, and not even the hope of gaining protection against his persecutors will lead him to change one jot or tittle of his message. He answers with a stern abruptness, and adds the new prediction, that the king himself shall be taken prisoner,—what is now reported being earlier than Jer_32:4-5.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv16–17 Into the dungeon, and into the cabins. The former…
Into the dungeon, and into the cabins. The former word undoubtedly implies an underground excavation. The latter is of more uncertain signification. It most probably means "vaults;" but it may mean "curved posts something analogous to stocks. (see on Jer_20:2)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v17 Is there any word from the Lord?
Jer_37:17
Is there any word from the Lord?
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. . . There is.
Is there any word from the Lord?
The man who asked this momentous question belonged to the class of solemn triflers. He came with the right question in his mouth, and sometimes to get a right question is to be half-way on to the answer. To get the question rightly stated is ofttimes already the answer half-given. And he came with his question to the right quarter. He had come to the man that had a living connection with God. Yet we know from the way he treated the answer to the question that he came in the wrong spirit. Not that there was any gaiety or carelessness about his manner. He was as solemn as solemn could be when he asked this question of the prophet of God, Is there any word from the Lord? But he went away to show that he had been merely trifling with the question. And what was possible for Zedekiah is possible for you and for me. We may come to the Word of God with the right question in our mouth, we may come with a solemn reverent manner about us, we may pride ourselves that we are not of those who make jokes about the Word of God, or treat the ordinances of Gods house with any levity, we may pride ourselves that we are not of those who turn the house of God into a theatre or place of amusement, we have the conviction that the institution of Gods house is meant to get us into a closer connection with God, we believe that the Word of God which lies before us is a very message from God to man, and we come to the open Bible Sunday after Sunday with this question professedly, Is there any word from Jehovah? any word from Jehovah about my duty for to-day, about my duty for to-morrow--is there any word from Jehovah? We have got the right question, and we come in a reverent manner. God forbid that we should be triflers as Zedekiah was, and mistake solemnity of manner for obedience to the Word of God. By his sword on the field of battle the King of Babylon had won this right--the right to put on the head of whomsoever he would the crown of Judah. He offered it to Mattaniah; he offered it, accompanied by one condition. The King of Babylon could not afford that Judah should form an alliance with Egypt, that great rival power to him. He was in a gracious mood, and though he had conquered Israel, he was willing that an Israelite--one of the seed royal should yet hold the throne of David. And in that gracious mood he offered to Mattaniah the throne of Judah, accompanying his offer with this simple condition: he asked him to swear loyalty to the King of Babylon, and take an oath of allegiance to the King of Babylon. It was meant to keep the King of Judah from forming an alliance with a hostile power, from forming an alliance with Egypt. And Mattaniah had sense to see it was a grand offer that was made him. He knew that this king had power to take him away in chains to Babylon, and to take his people with him. He knew that human nature was frail, he knew that this new-made king had much reason to keep him walking in the path of gratitude. But knowing that human nature was frail, he wanted to fence him in by the continual remembrance of that oath, and he changed his name from Mattaniah, the gift of Jehovah, to Zedekiah, the justice of Jehovah. And ever afterwards when that kings name was mentioned, it would take his mind back to that oath when he sware by the justice of Jehovah that he would be loyal to the king who had so befriended him. At first he felt no inconvenience from his vow, but as the years passed on his gratitude seemed to melt away. The King of Egypt made overtures to him, and his people were inclined to listen. He had prophets in great number, and they urged him to accept the overtures of the King of Egypt. There was one prophet in his city that warned him that he could not do a dishonourable thing and prosper. There was one prophet who reminded him that the man of God was a man who, though he swore to his hurt, would keep his oath. We may suppose that Jeremiah pleaded with Zedekiah even with tears Do the righteous thing. What will the heathen nations say, what will outsiders say, if the people of God break their bargain and lightly hold their oaths? Will not they, blaspheme the God of Israel? An honourable heathen man will keep his oath. So spoke Jeremiah, as he pleaded with his king, but his warning voice fell unheeded on that deaf ear. By and by came the army of the Chaldeans and besieged Jerusalem. They were closely shut up for a while, and still the prophet of God was allowed to remain in the prison. The king had secret hopes that the King of Egypt would come to his help, and so long as he had hope from another quarter he would not trouble the messenger of God. By and by the army of the Chaldeans removed from the city. They went away to fight the army that was coming from Egypt to help the besieged. The general that was at the head of these forces knew well how to conduct a campaign. He had no desire that the army that was coming to help Israel should get the length of Jerusalem. He would rather deal with them separately. He went and met the army and turned it aside the way that it came, and then he came back to the city and closely invested it on every side. Then, when all hope of Egypt was shut off; then, when Zedekiah had proved that they who lean on Egypt lean on a broken reed which enters into the heart of man and pierces him; then it was that the old, old story was told. When death is thundering at the door the scoffer takes down the Bible from the shelf. So was it with Zedekiah. So long as he had one single hope from men, of being himself able to overcome, or of getting help from Egypt--so long he left the prophet of God to pine in the prison cell, and did not feel it necessary to go and seek help from him. But when at last all hope of being saved in any other way was taken away, then he secretly came to the messenger of Jehovah as the scoffer secretly takes out the Bible and tries to find out what the Word of the Lord is. Then he came and asked this question, Is there any word from the Lord? Zedekiah had made God the last shift, and God had a good excuse for withholding any light from the king who had acted so dishonourably. But He is long-suffering, He is patient, even though we make Him the last shift. Even from the bed of death ofttimes He hears the cry for mercy and reveals His will. There is, said Jeremiah, there is word from the Lord to thee. Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the King of Babylon. An honest, kindly, blunt, definite statement. Thou shalt delivered into the hand of the King of Babylon. Ah, sometimes we have seen it in the individual, that deceitful disease consumption has laid hold on him, and the prophets of smooth things say, You will get better; and they feed his hopes upon this; and the prophet of God comes his way and tells him he is a dying man, that there is no escape for him. It is felt to be impend. The prophets of smooth things would not have plainly said, Thou shalt be delivered into the hands of the King of Babylon. They would have hid that. But this is the kinder way of the two. Yet Zedekiah did not act upon the light that he had received. Somehow he had a hope that he would escape. Even though the walls had a breach in them there was that private way of escape. That was his last resource, and so long as he thought there was the least possibility of escape he was scarcely prepared to receive the Word of the Lord, this message that God had sent to him, so that he did not act upon it. He bore no grudge to the prophet for speaking so plainly. He had no unkindly feelings towards him, but the opposite, he had very kindly feelings towards him, and was willing to run a serious risk of difficulty with his cabinet rather than not do kindness to the prophet of Jehovah, the faithful servant of king and country. And thus it came to pass that they were again brought together in friendly conference. He had done an act of kindness to the prophet of the Lord. The cup of cold water that is given to a disciple never loses its reward. After that deed of kindness done there was a fuller revelation of the will of God. At first it had only been, Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the King of Babylon, and the second time Jeremiah pointed to the way of salvation. Escape there is none if you are to trust to your own power to fight or to trust to Egypt. There is no escape; thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the King of Babylon. The simple question is whether you are going just now to give yourself into his hands or are going to wait until you are dragged by force by his servants into his presence. Go forth now. he says, and surrender to him, and though thy sin has been great he will pardon thee. Surrender to him, lay down thine arms, yield to him, and thou shalt live, and thy city shall be saved. It was a double-sided message this. The first part of it was, Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the King of Babylon. That was certain. The second part was, If thou surrender now thou shalt find salvation. This is a message for us to-day. Have not we acted as that ungrateful king acted? Although rebellion was in our blood, has not God treated us with grace and given us this fair earth, and life on such an earth as this is a blessing not to be lightly esteemed. And our King, when this race rebelled, might easily have swept it off. Instead, He gave us another chance also. And though He treated us so kindly, allowed us with rebellion in our very hands to love and enjoy the benefits of life on this fair earth, have not we done just what Zedekiah did, forgotten allegiance to our gracious King and listened to the overtures of His enemy, and gone and done what Satan wanted us to do? And our city, what is it but the city of destruction? We see that death is coming nearer, escape there is none, and we come to the Prophet of God, not to Jeremiah, but to Jesus, who is the Mediator of the new covenant, and we say to Him, Is there any word from Jehovah? And He says, There is. Thou shalt surely die, thou shalt surely be delivered into the hands of God. We cannot escape. We will be delivered into the hands of the King against whom we have rebelled. That is one fact there is no blinking of. And we say, Is that all the message? Thank God it is not all. Jesus says, There is a way of salvation. Dont wait until you are taken and dropped by force into His presence by that servant of His that is called Death. But go forth now and yield to Him, surrender to Him, and all will be well. Let us mark well the penalty that followed Zedekiah for his disobedience to the Word of Jehovah. He went away clinging to that hope that he would yet escape. He did not act upon the light that he had been given. He still had the hope that he would escape by that private path, by the way of the kings garden, and so he had not courage to go out and put himself into the hands of the princes and the King of Babylon, the princes that were at the head of the army. He did not act upon the light he had received when Jeremiah pleaded with him to do it. Obey, said he, the voice of the Lord, and it shall be well with thee and thy house. All that Zedekiah could say was, I am afraid the Jews will mock me if I do--mock me, they will mock me. He had not a doubt that Nebuchadnezzar would pardon. He knew there was pardon awaiting him out there, he knew there was life awaiting him out there, but he knew that he would be mocked if he did it. Many a one has been laughed into hell; I never knew of any one being laughed out of it. Ofttimes the young seeker feels that it has come to a point, and, just when he is taking the step, it is the jeer of the companion that comes in. I am afraid my companion will mock me. A godless companion will mock you. What of that? Are you not manly enough to be laughed at? They will mock me, said poor Zedekiah, and he had not courage to be mocked. That cursed pride had scared him past the gate that led to salvation. And by and by there was a breach in the walls, and the princes of the King of Babylon s army were in the breach, and when Zedekiah saw that, he took the secret way of escape; and by night he made for the hills away down through the ravine that led to Jericho, escaping away to the hills of Palestine. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after him and overtook him on the plains of Jericho, and brought him before the king. Then he saw his two sons put to death before his eyes; then they came to him and put his eyes out--be was only thirty-two years of age; then they loaded him with fetters, and condemned him to this awful imprisonment for life. And the bitterest pang in the torment of all, he had this knowledge, that he might have escaped it if he had only done what the Lord had wanted him to do. Had I only obeyed the voice of Jeremiah I might have had my two sons yet; I would have had my eyesight; I would not have had these chains. It was the sting of the scorpion in his torment, this memory of what might have been, had he only taken the step--a single step of surrender. (James Paterson, M. A.)
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The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv16, 18 Jeremiah was put into an underground cell
Jeremiah was put into an underground cell
This can be stated in active form. AT: "the officials put Jeremiah into a room that was under the ground" (See: Active or Passive)
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brought him
"brought Jeremiah"
his house
the palace of King Zedekiah
You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon
The word "hand" is a metonym for the power or control that the hand exercises. This can be translated in active form. See how you translated similar words in Jeremiah 32:4. AT: "I will certainly put you under the control of the king of Babylon" or "I will certainly allow the king of Babylon to do whatever he wants with you" (See: Metonymy and Active or Passive)
translationWords
Jeremiah
day
king
Zedekiah
send
palace
house
word
Yahweh
hand
Babylon
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv17–18 37:17 By asking Jeremiah about other messages from the…
37:17 By asking Jeremiah about other messages from the Lord, the king indicated that he was fearful of the future and still hoped that the Lord would defeat the Babylonians. Jeremiah answered quickly and emphatically that there was no hope for the kind of divine intervention that had destroyed the Assyrian army during Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kgs 19:8-37).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.