西底迦求耶利米代禱
1巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒立約西亞的兒子西底迦代替約雅敬的兒子哥尼雅做猶大王。 2西底迦和他的臣僕及人民卻沒有聽從耶和華藉耶利米先知說的話。 3西底迦王派示利米雅的兒子猶甲和瑪西雅的兒子祭司西番雅來對耶利米先知說：「求你為我們向我們的上帝耶和華禱告。」 4當時，耶利米還可以自由來往，沒有被他們囚在獄中。 5那時，法老的軍隊已從埃及出發，正在圍攻耶路撒冷的迦勒底人聽見消息就退兵了。
6耶和華對耶利米先知說： 7「這是以色列的上帝耶和華的話，『猶大王派你們來求問我，你們告訴他，前來支援你們的法老軍隊必中途返回埃及， 8而迦勒底人必捲土重來，攻佔這城，將它付之一炬。 9耶和華說，你們不要自欺，以為迦勒底人必撤軍。其實他們不會撤軍。 10即使你們能打敗迦勒底全軍，他們營中受傷的殘兵也必起來燒毀這城。』」
11當迦勒底人因害怕法老的軍隊而撤軍的時候， 12耶利米起身離開耶路撒冷，前往便雅憫境內去接收他在同族中應得的地業。 13當耶利米先知來到便雅憫門時，哈拿尼亞的孫子、示利米雅的兒子守門官伊利雅逮捕了他，說：「你想去投奔迦勒底人！」 14耶利米說：「不，我不是去投奔迦勒底人。」但伊利雅不信，把他押到眾官長那裡。 15官長們大怒，命人鞭打耶利米，把他囚禁在書記約拿單的房子裡，因為他們已把這房子改作監牢。 16耶利米被囚禁在地牢中許多天。
17後來，西底迦王派人把他帶到自己的宮中，私下問他：「耶和華有什麼話給你嗎？」耶利米說：「有，你要被交在巴比倫王手中。」 18耶利米又問他：「我在什麼事上得罪了你、你的臣僕或人民，以致你們把我囚在監牢中？ 19那些曾向你們預言『巴比倫王絕不會來這裡攻打你們』的先知如今在哪裡呢？ 20現在，我主我王啊，請聽我說！求你不要把我送回書記約拿單的房子，免得我死在那裡。」
21於是，西底迦王下令把耶利米囚在護衛兵的院子裡，派人每天從餅鋪取一個餅給他，直到城中絕糧。耶利米就這樣住在護衛兵的院子裡。
1And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah. 2But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.37.2 by…: Heb. by the hand of the prophet 3And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us. 4Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison. 5Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
6¶ Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 7Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land. 8And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire. 9Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.37.9 yourselves: Heb. your souls 10For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.37.10 wounded: Heb. thrust through
11¶ And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,37.11 broken…: Heb. made to ascend 12Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.37.12 separate…: or, to slip away from thence in the midst of the people 13And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans. 14Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.37.14 false: Heb. falsehood, or, a lie 15Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.
16¶ When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;37.16 cabins: or, cells 17Then 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. 18Moreover 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? 19Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land? 20Therefore 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.37.20 let…: Heb. let my supplication fall 21Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
