Jeremiah 37:11-21

English Standard Version

Jeremiah Imprisoned

¹¹ Now when ^(A)the Chaldean army had withdrawn from Jerusalem at the approach of Pharaoh's army, ¹² Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go to ^(B)the land of Benjamin ^(C)to receive his portion there ^(D)among the people. ¹³ When he was at ^(E)the Benjamin Gate, a sentry there named Irijah the son of ^(F)Shelemiah, son of Hananiah, seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ^(G)“You are deserting to the Chaldeans.” ¹⁴ And Jeremiah said, “It is a lie; I am not deserting to the Chaldeans.” But Irijah would not listen to him, and seized Jeremiah and brought him to ^(H)the officials. ¹⁵ And the officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him ^(I)and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for it had been made a prison.

^16 (J)When Jeremiah had come to the dungeon cells and remained there many days, ¹⁷ King Zedekiah sent for him and received him. The king questioned him ^(K)secretly in his house and said, “Is there any word from the Lord?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” Then he said, ^(L)“You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.” ¹⁸ Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, “What wrong have I done to you or your servants or this people, ^(M)that you have put me in prison? ^19 (N)Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you and against this land’? ²⁰ Now hear, please, O my lord the king: ^(O)let my humble plea come before you and ^(P)do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, lest I die there.” ²¹ So King Zedekiah gave orders, and they committed Jeremiah to ^(Q)the court of the guard. And a loaf of bread was given him daily from the bakers' street, ^(R)until all the bread of the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in ^(S)the court of the guard.