Jeremiah 37:20

Translations

Modern

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.”

Traditional

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.

Literal

…and now listen, please, O my lord the king: Let my petition, please, be accepted before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I should not die there.

Latin

Nunc ergo audi, obsecro, domine mi rex: valeat deprecatio mea in conspectu tuo, et ne me remittas in domum Jonathan scribæ, ne moriar ibi.

Original

Hebrew

English

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.”

Notes

Jeremiah 37:18–20

Jeremiah likely thought Zedekiah was behind his arrest and imprisonment. The prophet was probably in poor health after being whipped and held without medical care and with little food.

Jeremiah 37:1–38:28

The focus now returns to Zedekiah, who became king of Judah after his nephew Jehoiachin. These chapters describe meetings between Zedekiah and Jeremiah, highlighting Zedekiah’s struggle to fully commit to God's word (compare Deuteronomy 10:12–13). Zedekiah is a classic example of a person with divided loyalty (James 1:6–8).

Theme notes and profiles

Jeremiah Persecution

Events

Prophecies of Jeremiahc. 628 BC

Related verses

Jeremiah 36:7
Perhaps they will bring their petition before the LORD, and each one will turn from his wicked way; for great are the anger and fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people.”
Jeremiah 38:26
…then tell them, ‘I was presenting to the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.’”
Acts 25:10–11
Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
Jeremiah 26:15
But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its residents; for truly the LORD has sent me to speak all these words in your hearing.”
Acts 23:16–22
But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
Acts 28:18–19
They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.
Jeremiah 38:6–9
So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

People

Jonathan: Scribe with a house used as prison

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Courts and Trials Jehoiachin Jonathan Oholah and Oholibah Writer

Topics

Jeremiah: The Prophet: Imprisoned by Zedekiah Jonathan: A Scribe Prisoners: Severe Hardships of, Mitigated Prisons: Keepers of Often Used Severity Prisons: Persons Confined in Might Have Their Condition Ameliorated by the King Zedekiah: Made King of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar: Imprisons Jeremiah on Account of his Denunciations

Jeremiah 37:20

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