Jeremiah 37:17

Then 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.

Then Zedekiah {H6667} the king {H4428} sent {H7971}, and took him out {H3947}: and the king {H4428} asked {H7592} him secretly {H5643} in his house {H1004}, and said {H559}, Is there any word {H1697} from the LORD {H3068}? And Jeremiah {H3414} said {H559}, There is {H3426}: for, said {H559} he, thou shalt be delivered {H5414} into the hand {H3027} of the king {H4428} of Babylon {H894}.

Then Tzidkiyahu the king sent and had him brought; and the king asked him secretly, in his palace, "Is there any word from ADONAI?" "There is," Yirmeyahu said. "You will be handed over to the king of Bavel."

Later, King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah and received him in his palace, where he asked him privately, “Is there a word from the LORD?” “There is,” Jeremiah replied. “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”

then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from Jehovah? And Jeremiah said, There is. He said also, Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.

Jeremiah 37:17 KJV Commentary: The Unwavering Prophecy

Jeremiah 37:17 captures a critical, clandestine meeting between King Zedekiah and the prophet Jeremiah during one of the most tumultuous periods in Judah's history. The verse reveals a king's desperate search for hope and a prophet's unyielding delivery of a harsh divine truth.

Context of Jeremiah 37:17

This verse is set amidst the final days of the Kingdom of Judah, specifically during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. The city was under immense pressure from Nebuchadnezzar's forces. Prophet Jeremiah had consistently warned the people and their leaders about impending judgment and urged surrender to Babylon, which led to his unpopularity and imprisonment. King Zedekiah, who had been placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar himself after the first deportation (2 Kings 24:17), found himself in a desperate situation. He secretly sent for Jeremiah, bringing him out of his confinement in the court of the prison, hoping for a different message from the LORD.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Prophetic Integrity: Despite his imprisonment and the personal danger, Jeremiah faithfully delivers God's unpalatable message without softening it. He does not offer false hope to the king but speaks the truth of God's judgment.
  • Divine Sovereignty and Judgment: The prophecy that Zedekiah "shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon" underscores God's absolute control over nations and His unwavering judgment against persistent disobedience. This was the consistent message Jeremiah had delivered for decades, as seen in Jeremiah 27:8.
  • Human Desperation: King Zedekiah's secret inquiry highlights his internal conflict and fear. He sought a word from the LORD, possibly hoping for a reprieve or a way out of the siege, but was met with confirmation of his worst fears. This contrasts sharply with his public stance of defiance.
  • Consequences of Rebellion: The verse serves as a direct confirmation of the severe consequences facing Judah due to their long history of rebellion against God, idol worship, and rejection of His prophets.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "Is there [any] word from the LORD?" in Hebrew is hayesh dabar Yahweh (הֲיֵשׁ דְּבַר יְהוָה). Dabar (דָּבָר) means 'word,' 'matter,' or 'thing,' but when associated with Yahweh (the LORD), it signifies a direct, authoritative, and often prophetic message from God. Zedekiah isn't asking for advice, but for a divine revelation. Jeremiah's concise answer, "There is," followed by the definitive "thou shalt be delivered," emphasizes the certainty and finality of God's decree, leaving no room for misinterpretation or negotiation.

Related Scriptures

This verse is a direct precursor to the fulfillment of prophecies concerning Jerusalem's fall and Zedekiah's capture. The tragic end of Zedekiah, including his sons being killed before his eyes and then being blinded, is recorded in Jeremiah 39:7 and 2 Kings 25:7, confirming the accuracy of Jeremiah's difficult message.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 37:17 offers several timeless lessons:

  1. Facing Uncomfortable Truths: We are often like Zedekiah, hoping for a comfortable word from God, even when our actions contradict His will. This verse reminds us that God's truth, though sometimes difficult, is always ultimately for our good and will prevail.
  2. God's Word is Unchanging: Despite human resistance or desire for a different outcome, God's prophetic word stands firm and will be fulfilled. This provides a foundation of trust in God's reliability and justice.
  3. Courage to Speak Truth: Jeremiah's example challenges believers to speak God's truth, even when it is unpopular or puts us at risk, trusting in God's faithfulness to His message and His messenger.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 21:7

    And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.

  • Jeremiah 38:5

    Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he [is] in your hand: for the king [is] not [he that] can do [any] thing against you.

  • Jeremiah 38:24

    Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.

  • Jeremiah 38:27

    Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.

  • Jeremiah 38:14

    ¶ Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that [is] in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.

  • Jeremiah 38:16

    So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, [As] the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

  • Ezekiel 12:12

    And the prince that [is] among them shall bear upon [his] shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with [his] eyes.

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