Jeremiah 32:3

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

Complete Jewish Bible:

where Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah had imprisoned him after demanding, "How dare you prophesy that ADONAI says, 'I will hand this city over to the king of Bavel, and he will capture it;

Berean Standard Bible:

For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying: “Why are you prophesying like this? You claim that the LORD says, ‘Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.

American Standard Version:

For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

For Zedekiah^{H6667} king^{H4428} of Judah^{H3063} had shut him up^{H3607}, saying^{H559}, Wherefore dost thou prophesy^{H5012}, and say^{H559}, Thus saith^{H559} the LORD^{H3068}, Behold, I will give^{H5414} this city^{H5892} into the hand^{H3027} of the king^{H4428} of Babylon^{H894}, and he shall take^{H3920} it;

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Commentary for Jeremiah 32:3

Jeremiah 32:3 is a verse set within the broader context of the prophetic ministry of Jeremiah during a time of significant upheaval and crisis for the kingdom of Judah. The verse specifically addresses an action taken by King Zedekiah, who had imprisoned Jeremiah for his prophecies. These prophecies were deeply unsettling to the king and his court, as they foretold the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.

The historical context of this verse is the final years of the kingdom of Judah, around 588-586 BCE, when the Babylonian Empire was exerting its dominance over the region. Jeremiah had been warning the people of Judah and its leaders that their disobedience to God would lead to their defeat and exile. His message was clear: God would use the Babylonians as an instrument of judgment against His people for their idolatry and injustice.

King Zedekiah's decision to shut Jeremiah up reflects the tension between the prophetic word and political expediency. The king's actions demonstrate a desire to suppress the uncomfortable truths spoken by Jeremiah, perhaps in a misguided attempt to maintain morale among the people or to silence a voice that threatened his authority and the status quo.

The themes present in this verse include divine judgment, the role of a prophet as a bearer of difficult truths, and the conflict between the word of God and the desires of those in power. Jeremiah's unwavering commitment to speaking the words given to him by God, despite personal risk and opposition from the highest levels of government, highlights the tension between spiritual integrity and political power. It also underscores the theme of faithfulness to God's calling, even when such faithfulness comes at great personal cost.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H6667
   There are 62 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: צִדְקִיָּה
   Transliteration: Tsidqîyâh
   Pronunciation: tsid-kee-yaw'
   Description: or צִדְקִיָּהוּ; from צֶדֶק and יָהּ; right of Jah; Tsidkijah, the name of six Israelites; Zedekiah, Zidkijah.
   
2. Strong's Number: H4428
   There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מֶלֶךְ
   Transliteration: melek
   Pronunciation: meh'-lek
   Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal.
   
3. Strong's Number: H3063
   There are 754 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהוּדָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhûwdâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-hoo-daw'
   Description: from יָדָה; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory; Judah.
   
4. Strong's Number: H3607
   There are 17 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כָּלָא
   Transliteration: kâlâʼ
   Pronunciation: kaw-law'
   Description: a primitive root; to restrict, by act (hold back or in) or word (prohibit); finish, forbid, keep (back), refrain, restrain, retain, shut up, be stayed, withhold.
   
5. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
6. Strong's Number: H5012
   There are 102 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָבָא
   Transliteration: nâbâʼ
   Pronunciation: naw-baw'
   Description: a primitive root; to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse); prophesy(-ing), make self a prophet.
   
7. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
8. Strong's Number: H5414
   There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַן
   Transliteration: nâthan
   Pronunciation: naw-than'
   Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
   
9. Strong's Number: H5892
   There are 937 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עִיר
   Transliteration: ʻîyr
   Pronunciation: eer
   Description: or (in the plural) עָר; or עָיַר; (Judges 10:4), from עוּר; a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post); Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
   
10. Strong's Number: H3027
    There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָד
    Transliteration: yâd
    Pronunciation: yawd
    Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
    
11. Strong's Number: H894
    There are 233 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בָּבֶל
    Transliteration: Bâbel
    Pronunciation: baw-bel'
    Description: from בָּלַל; confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire; Babel, Babylon.
    
12. Strong's Number: H3920
    There are 112 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: לָכַד
    Transliteration: lâkad
    Pronunciation: law-kad'
    Description: a primitive root; to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere; [idiom] at all, catch (self), be frozen, be holden, stick together, take.