Jeremiah 37:17
King Zedekiah sent for him and received him. The king questioned him secretly in his house and said, “Is there any word from the LORD?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” Then he said, “You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Zedekiah asks "Is there any word from the Lord?" not out of genuine seeking, but from a place of desperate, private hope for a different message, revealing his deep moral compromise. Jeremiah, however, speaks boldly, delivering the grim truth directly to the king, demonstrating a prophet's unwavering commitment even when his life is in the king's hands.
King Zedekiah, facing the return of the Babylonian army, secretly summons Jeremiah from prison, hoping for a word of hope amidst his fear and shame. The king's private audience reveals his wavering resolve, contrasting with his princes who previously had Jeremiah thrown into a cistern. Despite his own perilous situation and recent suffering, Jeremiah bravely delivers God's stark message: the king will indeed be captured by the Babylonians.
Why did King Zedekiah send for Jeremiah in secret? It wasn't just curiosity; it was a desperate man seeking an edge.
Zedekiah, facing the return of the Babylonian army, acted out of a mix of fear and a sliver of hope. He had heard Jeremiah’s warnings before, but now, with the walls of Jerusalem under renewed threat, he privately summoned the prophet.
A King's Desperation
Imagine being pulled from prison, facing the king who holds your life in his hands. What would you say?
Jeremiah, despite his recent suffering and the precariousness of his situation, did not waver. He delivered God's message with incredible faithfulness.
Truth Above All
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
Yahweh, the personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament. It signifies the self-existent, eternal, and redemptive God of Israel who intervenes in human history.
dabar · Hebrew Noun
A message or revelation communicated by God to a human representative. It implies divine authority and the active intervention of God in the affairs of His people.
nathan · Hebrew Verb
To be handed over, given, or surrendered to an enemy as a consequence of judgment or failure. It signifies the removal of divine protection.
Zedekiah's secret consultation with Jeremiah reveals his desperate hope for a different word from God, even as he fears his own people and faces inevitable doom. The prophet's unwavering faithfulness, even when delivering a message that will cost him dearly, stands in stark contrast to the king's political weakness and moral compromise.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Jerusalem and deports many prominent citizens, including members of the royal family and skilled workers, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's decline and exile.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel. Zedekiah, Jehoiachin's uncle, is installed as king but becomes a Babylonian vassal.
c. 589 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Despite warnings from Jeremiah, King Zedekiah rebels against Babylon and allies with Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar responds by laying siege to Jerusalem.
c. 588 BC
Jeremiah Imprisoned
Jeremiah is arrested by officials who accuse him of desertion and throw him into a cistern prison. He is later rescued by an Ethiopian eunuch at the king's command.
King Ahab also secretly seeks a word from a prophet, Micaiah, about an upcoming battle. Like Zedekiah, Ahab desires a favorable prophecy, but Micaiah, like Jeremiah, delivers a starkly negative and truthful message from the Lord.
Ezekiel 13:6-7This passage condemns prophets who offer false hope and misleading visions, promising peace where there is none. Zedekiah's desperate, secretive inquiry highlights his desire for such false comfort, contrasting with Jeremiah's faithful, albeit painful, truth.
Jeremiah 38:14-28This later encounter shows Zedekiah again seeking a word from Jeremiah in secret, demonstrating his continued weakness and fear of his officials. It underscores the king's pattern of wanting God's word but refusing to obey it, even at great personal cost.
John 12:42-43This New Testament passage describes some rulers who believed in Jesus but, for fear of the Pharisees, did not confess him. Their hidden belief and fear of public opinion mirror Zedekiah's shame in being seen consulting Jeremiah, revealing a similar moral cowardice.
calvinJeremiah 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 the king sent, and tookhim 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 Babyl…
pooleJeremiah 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."
Is there any word from the Lord? that is, Hath God revealed any thing to thee, concerning what will be the issue of the return of the Chaldean army to the siege of the city? What needed Zedekiah to have asked this, to whom God by this proph…
Zedekiah asks "Is there any word from the Lord?" not out of genuine seeking, but from a place of desperate, private hope for a different message, revealing his deep moral compromise. Jeremiah, however, speaks boldly, delivering the grim truth directly to the king, demonstrating a prophet's unwavering commitment even when his life is in the king's hands.
King Zedekiah, facing the return of the Babylonian army, secretly summons Jeremiah from prison, hoping for a word of hope amidst his fear and shame. The king's private audience reveals his wavering resolve, contrasting with his princes who previously had Jeremiah thrown into a cistern. Despite his own perilous situation and recent suffering, Jeremiah bravely delivers God's stark message: the king will indeed be captured by the Babylonians.
King Zedekiah, facing the return of the Babylonian army, secretly summons Jeremiah from prison, hoping for a word of hope amidst his fear and shame. The king's private audience reveals his wavering resolve, contrasting with his princes who previously had Jeremiah thrown into a cistern. Despite his own perilous situation and recent suffering, Jeremiah bravely delivers God's stark message: the king will indeed be captured by the Babylonians.
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c. 588 BC— this verse
Zedekiah Consults Jeremiah Secretly
With the Babylonian siege ongoing and facing immense pressure, King Zedekiah secretly summons Jeremiah to inquire about any message from the LORD. Jeremiah delivers a grim prophecy of the king's capture.
c. 587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
After a prolonged siege, the Babylonians breach Jerusalem's walls. Zedekiah attempts to flee but is captured, blinded, and taken to Babylon.
c. 587 BC
Third Babylonian Deportation
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its temple, deporting most of the remaining population to Babylon. This event marks the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
"King Zedekiah sent for him and received him. The king questioned him secretly in his house and said, “Is there any word from the LORD?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” Then he said, “You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”" — Zedekiah asks "Is there any word from the Lord?" not out of genuine seeking, but from a place of desperate, private hope for a different message, revealing his deep moral compromise. Jeremiah, howeve…
