37:1 Et regnavit rex Sedecias filius Josiae pro Jechonia filio Joakim, quem constituit regem Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis in terra Juda :
*H Now king Sedecias the son of Josias reigned instead of Jechonias the son of Joakim: whom Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon made king in the land of Juda.
Ver. 1. Sedecias. He was less impious than his two predecessors; but too weak to do good.
* Footnote
* 4_Kings
24 : 17
And he appointed Matthanias, his uncle, in his stead: and called his name Sedecias.
37:2 et non obedivit ipse, et servi ejus, et populus terrae, verbis Domini, quae locutus est in manu Jeremiae prophetae.
But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land did obey the words of the Lord, that he spoke in the hand of Jeremias the prophet.
* Footnote
* 2_Paralipomenon
36 : 15
And the Lord the God of their fathers sent to them, by the hand of his messengers, rising early, and daily admonishing them: because he spared his people and his dwelling place.
37:3 Et misit rex Sedecias Juchal filium Selemiae, et Sophoniam filium Maasiae, sacerdotem, ad Jeremiam prophetam, dicens : Ora pro nobis Dominum Deum nostrum.
*H And king Sedecias sent Juchal the son of Selemias, and Sophonias the son of Maasias the priest to Jeremias the prophet, saying: Pray to the Lord our God for us.
Ver. 3. Pray, or consult. He wished to know whether the Chaldees would return. C. — He feared, yet ill-treated the prophet, as Herod did the baptist. W.
A.M. 3414, A.C. 590.
37:4 Jeremias autem libere ambulabat in medio populi : non enim miserant eum in custodiam carceris. Igitur exercitus Pharaonis egressus est de Aegypto, et audientes Chaldaei qui obsidebant Jerusalem, hujuscemodi nuntium, recesserunt ab Jerusalem.
Now Jeremias walked freely in the midst of the people: for they had not as yet cast him into prison. And the army of Pharao was come out of Egypt: and the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem, hearing these tidings, departed from Jerusalem.
37:5 Et factum est verbum Domini ad Jeremiam prophetam, dicens :
And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias the prophet, saying:
37:6 Haec dicit Dominus Deus Israel : Sic dicetis regi Juda, qui misit vos ad me interrogandum : Ecce exercitus Pharaonis, qui egressus est vobis in auxilium, revertetur in terram suam in Aegyptum :
*H Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Thus shall you say to the king of Juda, who sent you to inquire of me: Behold the army of Pharao, which is come forth to help you, shall return into their own land, into Egypt.
Ver. 6. Return, routed. C. xlvi. 15. His army was small. Ezec. xvii. 17. and xxx. 21. This king Ephree, (C. xliv. 30.) or Apries, had succeeded Psammis, after an interregnum of ten years' continuance. Herod. ii. 161. — He foresaw that his own dominions would be invaded, after Jerusalem, the key, was taken. The other allies of Juda perfidiously sat still, or joined the Chaldees. C.
37:7 et redient Chaldaei, et bellabunt contra civitatem hanc, et capient eam, et succendent eam igni.
And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.
37:8 Haec dicit Dominus : Nolite decipere animas vestras, dicentes : Euntes abibunt, et recedent a nobis Chaldaei : quia non abibunt.
*H Thus saith the Lord: Deceive not your souls, saying: The Chaldeans shall surely depart and go away from us: for they shall not go away.
Ver. 8. Away. They departed indeed, but for a short time.
37:9 Sed etsi percusseritis omnem exercitum Chaldaeorum qui praeliantur adversum vos, et derelicti fuerint ex eis aliqui vulnerati, singuli de tentorio suo consurgent, et incendent civitatem hanc igni.
*H But if you should even beat all the army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there should be left of them some wounded men: they shall rise up, every man from his heart, and burn this city with fire.
Ver. 9. Tent. So easy it is for God to destroy by few as well as by many! H.
37:10 Ergo cum recessisset exercitus Chaldaeorum ab Jerusalem, propter exercitum Pharaonis,
Now when the army of the Chaldeans was gone away from Jerusalem, because of Pharao's army,
37:11 egressus est Jeremias de Jerusalem ut iret in terram Benjamin, et divideret ibi possessionem in conspectu civium.
*H Jeremias went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin: and to divide a possession there in the presence of the citizens,
Ver. 11. Possession, lately purchased. C. xxxii. Lyran. — Yet some think this had not yet taken place. C. — Sept. "to buy provisions among." Heb. "to slip away thence in the midst of the people." H. — He wished to escape the fury of his enemies at Jerusalem. C. — It is an old device of persecutors to lay false charges on the innocent, as Julian and the Arians did. Hist. Tripart. vi. 27. W.
37:12 Cumque pervenisset ad portam Benjamin, erat ibi custos portae per vices, nomine Jerias filius Selemiae filii Hananiae : et apprehendit Jeremiam prophetam, dicens : Ad Chaldaeos profugis.
And when he was come to the gate of Benjamin, the captain of the gate, who was there in his turn, was one named Jerias, the son of Selemias, the son of Hananias: and he took hold of Jeremias the prophet, saying: Thou art fleeing to the Chaldeans.
37:13 Et respondit Jeremias : Falsum est : non fugio ad Chaldaeos. Et non audivit eum, sed comprehendit Jerias Jeremiam, et adduxit eum ad principes :
And Jeremias answered: It is not so, I am not fleeing to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Jerias took Jeremias and brought him to the princes.
37:14 quam ob rem irati principes contra Jeremiam, caesum eum miserunt in carcerem qui erat in domo Jonathan scribae : ipse enim praepositus erat super carcerem.
*H Wherefore the princes were angry with Jeremias, and they beat him, and cast him into the prison that was in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for he was chief over the prison.
Ver. 14. Beat him, as a traitor and fugitive. — Prison, very deep. v. 19. C.
37:15 Itaque ingressus est Jeremias in domum laci et in ergastulum : et sedit ibi Jeremias diebus multis.
*H So Jeremias went into the house of the prison, and into the dungeon: and Jeremias remained there many days.
Ver. 15. Prison. Lit. "lake or pit," (H.) such as was used to keep wine. Thus God tries his chosen friends, according to their strength!
37:16 Mittens autem Sedecias rex, tulit eum : et interrogavit eum in domo sua abscondite, et dixit : Putasne est sermo a Domino ? Et dixit Jeremias : Est : et ait : In manus regis Babylonis traderis.
Then Sedecias the king, sending, took him: and asked him secretly in his house, and said: Is there, thinkest thou, any word from the Lord? And Jeremias said. There is. And he said: Thou shalt be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon.
37:17 Et dixit Jeremias ad regem Sedeciam : Quid peccavi tibi, et servis tuis, et populo tuo, quia misisti me in domum carceris ?
And Jeremias said to king Sedecias: In what have I offended against thee, or thy servants, or thy people, that thou hast cast me into prison?
37:18 ubi sunt prophetae vestri, qui prophetabant vobis, et dicebant : Non veniet rex Babylonis super vos, et super terram hanc ?
*H Where are your prophets that prophesied to you, and said: The king of Babylon shall not come against you, and against this land?
Ver. 18. Prophets. He insults over these impostors, and speaks boldly. The Chaldees were now returned. C. xxxviii.
37:19 Nunc ergo audi, obsecro, domine mi rex : valeat deprecatio mea in conspectu tuo, et ne me remittas in domum Jonathan scribae, ne moriar ibi.
*H 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.
Ver. 19. Be. Heb. "fall prostrate." C. xxxvi. 7.
37:20 Praecepit ergo rex Sedecias ut traderetur Jeremias in vestibulo carceris, et daretur ei torta panis quotidie, excepto pulmento, donec consumerentur omnes panes de civitate : et mansit Jeremias in vestibulo carceris.
*H Then king Sedecias commanded that Jeremias should be committed into the entry of the prison: and that they should give him daily a piece of bread, beside broth, till all the bread in the city were spent: and Jeremias remained in the entry of the prison.
Ver. 20. Entry, where he had been already. C. xxxii. 1. and xxxiv. 1. 7. — Piece. Roll, sufficient for a day's maintenance. C. — Prot. "a piece of bread (Sept. a loaf) out of the baker's street." H.