Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Imprisons jeremiah on account of his denunciations
Christian ministers » Faithful » Jeremiah
I have not hurried away from being your shepherd. I have not longed for the day of destruction. You know what I used to say.
Shortly after Jehoiakim son of Josiah became king of Judah, Jehovah said to me: Stand in the court of the Temple and proclaim all I have commanded you to say to the people who come from the towns of Judah to worship there. Do not omit anything. Perhaps the people will listen and give up their evil ways. If they do I will change my mind about the destruction I plan to bring on them for all their wicked deeds. read more.
Jehovah told me to say to the people: 'I Jehovah said that you must obey me by following the teaching that I gave you. You are to pay attention to the words of my servants, the prophets, whom I kept sending to you. You have never obeyed what they said. If you continue to disobey I will do to this Temple what I did to Shiloh, and all the nations of the world will use the name of this city as a curse.'' The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard me saying these things in the Temple. As soon as I had finished saying all that Jehovah commanded me to say, they grabbed me and shouted: You ought to be killed for this! Why have you said in Jehovah's name that this Temple will become like Shiloh and that this city will be destroyed and no one will live in it?' Then the people crowded around me. When the leaders of Judah heard what had happened, they hurried from the royal palace to the Temple and took their places at the New Gate. The priests and the prophets said to the leaders and to the people: This man deserves to be sentenced to death because he has spoken against our city. You heard him with your own ears. Then I Jeremiah said: Jehovah sent me to proclaim everything that you heard me say against this Temple and against this city. You must change the way you are living and the things you are doing. You must obey Jehovah your God. If you do, he will change his mind about the destruction that he said he would bring on you. I am in your hand (power)! Do with me whatever you think is fair and right. But if you put me to death, you and everyone else in Jerusalem will be guilty of murdering an innocent man. This is because everything I spoke came from Jehovah.
Jehovah told me to say to the people: 'I Jehovah said that you must obey me by following the teaching that I gave you. You are to pay attention to the words of my servants, the prophets, whom I kept sending to you. You have never obeyed what they said. If you continue to disobey I will do to this Temple what I did to Shiloh, and all the nations of the world will use the name of this city as a curse.'' The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard me saying these things in the Temple. As soon as I had finished saying all that Jehovah commanded me to say, they grabbed me and shouted: You ought to be killed for this! Why have you said in Jehovah's name that this Temple will become like Shiloh and that this city will be destroyed and no one will live in it?' Then the people crowded around me. When the leaders of Judah heard what had happened, they hurried from the royal palace to the Temple and took their places at the New Gate. The priests and the prophets said to the leaders and to the people: This man deserves to be sentenced to death because he has spoken against our city. You heard him with your own ears. Then I Jeremiah said: Jehovah sent me to proclaim everything that you heard me say against this Temple and against this city. You must change the way you are living and the things you are doing. You must obey Jehovah your God. If you do, he will change his mind about the destruction that he said he would bring on you. I am in your hand (power)! Do with me whatever you think is fair and right. But if you put me to death, you and everyone else in Jerusalem will be guilty of murdering an innocent man. This is because everything I spoke came from Jehovah.
Jehovah says: 'Do not deceive yourselves by thinking that the Babylonians will leave you. They will not leave you. Even if you would defeat the entire Babylonian army so that they had only a few badly wounded men left in their tents, they would get up and burn down this city!'
Jeremiah went into a prison cell, and he stayed there a long time. Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah, and the king asked him privately in the palace: Is there any message from Jehovah? Jeremiah answered: Yes! There is a message from Jehovah. You will be handed over to the king of Babylon. Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah: What crime have I committed against you, your administrators, or these people? Why have you put me in prison?
Criminals » In dungeons
So the king sent for Joseph. He was quickly brought out of jail. He shaved, changed his clothes, and went to the king.
At midnight Jehovah killed every firstborn male in Egypt from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who ruled the land to the firstborn son of the prisoner in jail, and also every firstborn animal.
I was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews. And here I have done nothing that they should have put me into the dungeon.
They will be gathered like prisoners in the dungeon tower. They will be confined in prison and after many days they will be punished.
Then the king ordered Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, Take with you three men and to pull him out of the well before he dies.
Jeremiah » The prophet » Imprisoned by zedekiah
While I was still imprisoned in the palace courtyard, Jehovah told me: Tell Ebedmelech the Ethiopian that Jehovah, the God of Israel, said: 'Just as I said I would, I am going to bring upon this city destruction and not prosperity. When this happens, you will be there to see it. I Jehovah will protect you, and you will not be handed over to the people you are afraid of. read more.
I will keep you safe, and you will not be put to death. You will escape with your life because you have put your trust in me. I Jehovah have spoken!'
I will keep you safe, and you will not be put to death. You will escape with your life because you have put your trust in me. I Jehovah have spoken!'
The word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard:
The officials were so angry with Jeremiah that they beat him and put him in prison in the scribe Jonathan's house, which had been turned into a prison. Jeremiah went into a prison cell, and he stayed there a long time. Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah, and the king asked him privately in the palace: Is there any message from Jehovah? Jeremiah answered: Yes! There is a message from Jehovah. You will be handed over to the king of Babylon. read more.
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah: What crime have I committed against you, your administrators, or these people? Why have you put me in prison? Where are the prophets who told you that the king of Babylon would not attack you and this land? Your Majesty, please listen, and accept my plea for mercy. Do not return me to the scribe Jonathan's house, or I will die there. King Zedekiah gave the command to have Jeremiah put in the courtyard of the prison. He gave him a loaf of bread every day from the bakers' street until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the prison.
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah: What crime have I committed against you, your administrators, or these people? Why have you put me in prison? Where are the prophets who told you that the king of Babylon would not attack you and this land? Your Majesty, please listen, and accept my plea for mercy. Do not return me to the scribe Jonathan's house, or I will die there. King Zedekiah gave the command to have Jeremiah put in the courtyard of the prison. He gave him a loaf of bread every day from the bakers' street until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the prison.
So they took me and let me down by ropes into Prince Malchiah's well, which was in the palace courtyard. There was no water in the well, only mud, and I sank down in it. Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch (officer) who worked in the royal palace, heard that they had put me in the well. At that time the king was holding court at the Benjamin Gate. So Ebedmelech went there and said to the king: read more.
Your Majesty, what these men have done is wrong. They have put Jeremiah in the well, where he is sure to die of starvation, since there is no more food in the city. Then the king ordered Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, Take with you three men and to pull him out of the well before he dies. So Ebedmelech went with the men to the palace storeroom and got some worn-out clothing which he let down to me by ropes. He told me to put the rags under my arms, so that the ropes would not hurt me. I did this. So they pulled me up out of the well. After that I was kept in the courtyard.
Your Majesty, what these men have done is wrong. They have put Jeremiah in the well, where he is sure to die of starvation, since there is no more food in the city. Then the king ordered Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, Take with you three men and to pull him out of the well before he dies. So Ebedmelech went with the men to the palace storeroom and got some worn-out clothing which he let down to me by ropes. He told me to put the rags under my arms, so that the ropes would not hurt me. I did this. So they pulled me up out of the well. After that I was kept in the courtyard.
They sentence my life to prison and keep hurling stones at me. Waters were flowing over my head; I said: I am cut off. I called out your name in prayer, O Jehovah, out of the lowest prison.
Prisons » Keepers of » Often used severity
Your Majesty, please listen, and accept my plea for mercy. Do not return me to the scribe Jonathan's house, or I will die there.
Prophets » The jews » Often imprisoned them
At that time the army of the king of Babylon was blockading Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah was locked up in the courtyard of the prison. This prison was in the palace of the king of Judah.
Tell them: 'It is the king's order that this man is to be put in prison and given prison food till I come again in peace.'
The officials were so angry with Jeremiah that they beat him and put him in prison in the scribe Jonathan's house, which had been turned into a prison. Jeremiah went into a prison cell, and he stayed there a long time.
Zedekiah » Made king of judah by nebuchadnezzar » Imprisons jeremiah on account of his denunciations
The officials were so angry with Jeremiah that they beat him and put him in prison in the scribe Jonathan's house, which had been turned into a prison. Jeremiah went into a prison cell, and he stayed there a long time. Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah, and the king asked him privately in the palace: Is there any message from Jehovah? Jeremiah answered: Yes! There is a message from Jehovah. You will be handed over to the king of Babylon. read more.
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah: What crime have I committed against you, your administrators, or these people? Why have you put me in prison? Where are the prophets who told you that the king of Babylon would not attack you and this land? Your Majesty, please listen, and accept my plea for mercy. Do not return me to the scribe Jonathan's house, or I will die there. King Zedekiah gave the command to have Jeremiah put in the courtyard of the prison. He gave him a loaf of bread every day from the bakers' street until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the prison.
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah: What crime have I committed against you, your administrators, or these people? Why have you put me in prison? Where are the prophets who told you that the king of Babylon would not attack you and this land? Your Majesty, please listen, and accept my plea for mercy. Do not return me to the scribe Jonathan's house, or I will die there. King Zedekiah gave the command to have Jeremiah put in the courtyard of the prison. He gave him a loaf of bread every day from the bakers' street until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the prison.
At that time the army of the king of Babylon was blockading Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah was locked up in the courtyard of the prison. This prison was in the palace of the king of Judah. When King Zedekiah of Judah locked up Jeremiah, Zedekiah asked him: Why are you prophesying? You are saying, 'this is what Jehovah says: I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.
King Zedekiah answered: Very well, then, do what you want to with him. I cannot stop you. So they took me and let me down by ropes into Prince Malchiah's well, which was in the palace courtyard. There was no water in the well, only mud, and I sank down in it. Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch (officer) who worked in the royal palace, heard that they had put me in the well. At that time the king was holding court at the Benjamin Gate. read more.
So Ebedmelech went there and said to the king: Your Majesty, what these men have done is wrong. They have put Jeremiah in the well, where he is sure to die of starvation, since there is no more food in the city. Then the king ordered Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, Take with you three men and to pull him out of the well before he dies. So Ebedmelech went with the men to the palace storeroom and got some worn-out clothing which he let down to me by ropes. He told me to put the rags under my arms, so that the ropes would not hurt me. I did this. So they pulled me up out of the well. After that I was kept in the courtyard. On another occasion King Zedekiah had me brought to him at the third entrance to the temple. He said: I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the whole truth. I answered: If I tell you the truth, you will put me to death, and if I give you advice, you will not pay any attention. So King Zedekiah promised me in secret: I swear by the living God, the God who gave us life, that I will not put you to death or hand you over to the men who want to kill you. Then I told Zedekiah that Jehovah, the God of Israel said: If you surrender to the king of Babylon's officers, your life will be spared, and this city will not be burned down. Both you and your family will be spared. But if you do not surrender, then this city will be handed over to the Babylonians. They will burn it down, and you will not escape from them. The king answered: I am afraid of our own people who have deserted to the Babylonians. I may be handed over to them and tortured. I said: You will not be handed over to them. I beg you to obey Jehovah's message. Then all will go well with you, and your life will be spared. Jehovah has shown me in a vision what will happen if you refuse to surrender. In it I saw all the women left in Judah's royal palace being led out to the king of Babylonia's officers. Listen to what they were saying as they went. The king's best friends misled him, they overruled him. And now that his feet have sunk in the mud, his friends have left him. Then I added: All your women and children will be taken out to the Babylonians. You will not escape from them. You will be taken prisoner by the king of Babylonia. And this city will be burned to the ground. Zedekiah replied: Do not let anyone know about this conversation, and your life will not be in danger. If the officials hear that I have talked with you, they will come and ask you what we said. They will promise not to put you to death if you tell them everything. Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there. Then all the officials came and questioned me. I told them exactly what the king had told me to say. There was nothing else they could do, because no one had overheard the conversation. I was kept in the palace courtyard until the day Jerusalem was captured.
So Ebedmelech went there and said to the king: Your Majesty, what these men have done is wrong. They have put Jeremiah in the well, where he is sure to die of starvation, since there is no more food in the city. Then the king ordered Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, Take with you three men and to pull him out of the well before he dies. So Ebedmelech went with the men to the palace storeroom and got some worn-out clothing which he let down to me by ropes. He told me to put the rags under my arms, so that the ropes would not hurt me. I did this. So they pulled me up out of the well. After that I was kept in the courtyard. On another occasion King Zedekiah had me brought to him at the third entrance to the temple. He said: I am going to ask you a question, and I want you to tell me the whole truth. I answered: If I tell you the truth, you will put me to death, and if I give you advice, you will not pay any attention. So King Zedekiah promised me in secret: I swear by the living God, the God who gave us life, that I will not put you to death or hand you over to the men who want to kill you. Then I told Zedekiah that Jehovah, the God of Israel said: If you surrender to the king of Babylon's officers, your life will be spared, and this city will not be burned down. Both you and your family will be spared. But if you do not surrender, then this city will be handed over to the Babylonians. They will burn it down, and you will not escape from them. The king answered: I am afraid of our own people who have deserted to the Babylonians. I may be handed over to them and tortured. I said: You will not be handed over to them. I beg you to obey Jehovah's message. Then all will go well with you, and your life will be spared. Jehovah has shown me in a vision what will happen if you refuse to surrender. In it I saw all the women left in Judah's royal palace being led out to the king of Babylonia's officers. Listen to what they were saying as they went. The king's best friends misled him, they overruled him. And now that his feet have sunk in the mud, his friends have left him. Then I added: All your women and children will be taken out to the Babylonians. You will not escape from them. You will be taken prisoner by the king of Babylonia. And this city will be burned to the ground. Zedekiah replied: Do not let anyone know about this conversation, and your life will not be in danger. If the officials hear that I have talked with you, they will come and ask you what we said. They will promise not to put you to death if you tell them everything. Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there. Then all the officials came and questioned me. I told them exactly what the king had told me to say. There was nothing else they could do, because no one had overheard the conversation. I was kept in the palace courtyard until the day Jerusalem was captured.