Jeremiah 35-37 - Prayer Tents

Jeremiah 35

The Faithful Recabites

35This is the message the Lord gave Jeremiah when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah:H1697H3414H3068H3117H3079H1121H2977H4428H3063H5592“Go to the settlement where the families of the Recabites live, and invite them to the Lord’s Temple. Take them into one of the inner rooms, and offer them some wine.”H1980H1004H7397H1696H935H1004H3068H259H3957H3196H82483So I went to see Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah and grandson of Habazziniah and all his brothers and sons—representing all the Recabite families.H3947H2970H1121H3414H1121H2262H251H1121H1004H73974I took them to the Temple, and we went into the room assigned to the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, a man of God. This room was located next to the one used by the Temple officials, directly above the room of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the Temple gatekeeper.H935H1004H3068H3957H1121H2605H1121H3012H376H430H681H3957H8269H4605H3957H4641H1121H7967H8104H55925I set cups and jugs of wine before them and invited them to have a drink,H5414H6440H1121H1004H7397H1375H4392H3196H3563H559H8354H31966but they refused. “No,” they said, “we don’t drink wine, because our ancestor Jehonadab

son of Recab gave us this command: ‘You and your descendants must never drink wine.H559H8354H3196H3122H1121H7394H1H6680H559H8354H3196H1121H5704H57697And do not build houses or plant crops or vineyards, but always live in tents. If you follow these commands, you will live long, good lives in the land.’H1129H1004H2232H2233H5193H3754H3117H3427H168H2421H7227H3117H6440H127H14818So we have obeyed him in all these things. We have never had a drink of wine to this day, nor have our wives, our sons, or our daughters.H8085H6963H3082H1121H7394H1H6680H8354H3196H3117H802H1121H13239We haven’t built houses or owned vineyards or farms or planted crops.H1129H1004H3427H3754H7704H223310We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed all the commands of Jehonadab, our ancestor.H3427H168H8085H6213H3122H1H668011But when King Nebuchadnezzar

of Babylon attacked this country, we were afraid of the Babylonian and Syrian armies. So we decided to move to Jerusalem. That is why we are here.”H5019H4428H894H5927H776H559H935H935H3389H6440H2428H3778H6440H2428H758H3427H338912Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah:H1697H3068H3414H55913“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Go and say to the people in Judah and Jerusalem, ‘Come and learn a lesson about how to obey me.H559H3068H6635H430H3478H1980H559H376H3063H3427H3389H3947H4148H8085H1697H5002H306814The Recabites do not drink wine to this day because their ancestor Jehonadab told them not to. But I have spoken to you again and again, and you refuse to obey me.H1697H3082H1121H7394H6680H1121H8354H3196H6965H3117H8354H8085H1H4687H1696H7925H1696H808515Time after time I sent you prophets, who told you, “Turn from your wicked ways, and start doing things right. Stop worshiping other gods so that you might live in peace here in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you would not listen to me or obey me.H7971H5650H5030H7925H7971H559H7725H376H7451H1870H3190H4611H3212H310H312H430H5647H3427H127H5414H1H5186H241H808516The descendants of Jehonadab son of Recab have obeyed their ancestor completely, but you have refused to listen to me.’H1121H3082H1121H7394H6965H4687H1H6680H5971H808517“Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you refuse to listen or answer when I call, I will send upon Judah and Jerusalem all the disasters I have threatened.’”H559H3068H430H6635H430H3478H935H3063H3427H3389H7451H1696H1696H8085H7121H603018Then Jeremiah turned to the Recabites and said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed your ancestor Jehonadab in every respect, following all his instructions.’H3414H559H1004H7397H559H3068H6635H430H3478H8085H4687H3082H1H8104H4687H6213H668019Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Recab will always have descendants who serve me.’”H559H3068H6635H430H3478H3122H1121H7394H3772H376H5975H6440H3117

Jeremiah 36

Baruch Reads the Lord’s Messages

36During the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king in Judah

, the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah:H7243H8141H3079H1121H2977H4428H3063H1697H3414H3068H5592“Get a scroll, and write down all my messages against Israel, Judah, and the other nations. Begin with the first message back in the days of Josiah, and write down every message, right up to the present time.H3947H4039H5612H3789H1697H1696H3478H3063H1471H3117H1696H3117H2977H31173Perhaps the people of Judah will repent when they hear again all the terrible things I have planned for them. Then I will be able to forgive their sins and wrongdoings.”H1004H3063H8085H7451H2803H6213H7725H376H7451H1870H5545H5771H24034So Jeremiah sent for Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated all the prophecies that the Lord had given him, Baruch wrote them on a scroll.H3414H7121H1263H1121H5374H1263H3789H6310H3414H1697H3068H1696H4039H56125Then Jeremiah said to Baruch, “I am a prisoner here and unable to go to the Temple.H3414H6680H1263H559H6113H3201H935H1004H30686So you go to the Temple on the next day of fasting, and read the messages from the Lord that I have had you write on this scroll. Read them so the people who are there from all over Judah will hear them.H935H7121H4039H3789H6310H1697H3068H241H5971H3068H1004H6685H3117H7121H241H3063H935H58927Perhaps even yet they will turn from their evil ways and ask the Lord’s forgiveness before it is too late. For the Lord has threatened them with his terrible anger.”H5307H8467H6440H3068H7725H376H7451H1870H1419H639H2534H3068H1696H59718Baruch did as Jeremiah told him and read these messages from the Lord to the people at the Temple.H1263H1121H5374H6213H3414H5030H6680H7121H5612H1697H3068H3068H10049He did this on a day of sacred fasting held in late autumn

, during the fifth year of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah. People from all over Judah had come to Jerusalem to attend the services at the Temple on that day.H2549H8141H3079H1121H2977H4428H3063H8671H2320H7121H6685H6440H3068H5971H3389H5971H935H5892H3063H338910Baruch read Jeremiah’s words on the scroll to all the people. He stood in front of the Temple room of Gemariah, son of Shaphan the secretary. This room was just off the upper courtyard of the Temple, near the New Gate entrance.H7121H1263H5612H1697H3414H1004H3068H3957H1587H1121H8227H5608H5945H2691H6607H2319H8179H3068H1004H241H597111When Micaiah son of Gemariah and grandson of Shaphan heard the messages from the Lord,H4321H1121H1587H1121H8227H8085H5612H1697H306812he went down to the secretary’s room in the palace where the administrative officials were meeting. Elishama the secretary was there, along with Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Acbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.H3381H4428H1004H5608H3957H8269H3427H476H5608H1806H1121H8098H494H1121H5907H1587H1121H8227H6667H1121H2608H826913When Micaiah told them about the messages Baruch was reading to the people,H4321H5046H1697H8085H1263H7121H5612H241H597114the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah, grandson of Shelemiah and great-grandson of Cushi, to ask Baruch to come and read the messages to them, too. So Baruch took the scroll and went to them.H8269H7971H3065H1121H5418H1121H8018H1121H3570H1263H559H3947H3027H4039H7121H241H5971H3212H1263H1121H5374H3947H4039H3027H93515“Sit down and read the scroll to us,” the officials said, and Baruch did as they requested.H559H3427H7121H241H1263H7121H24116When they heard all the messages, they looked at one another in alarm. “We must tell the king what we have heard,” they said to Baruch.H8085H1697H6342H413H376H7453H559H1263H5046H5046H4428H169717“But first, tell us how you got these messages. Did they come directly from Jeremiah?”H7592H1263H559H5046H3789H1697H631018So Baruch explained, “Jeremiah dictated them, and I wrote them down in ink, word for word, on this scroll.”H1263H559H7121H1697H6310H3789H1773H561219“You and Jeremiah should both hide,” the officials told Baruch. “Don’t tell anyone where you are!”H559H8269H1263H3212H5641H3414H376H3045H37520Then the officials left the scroll for safekeeping in the room of Elishama the secretary and went to tell the king what had happened.H935H4428H2691H6485H4039H3957H476H5608H5046H1697H241H4428

King Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll

21The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll. Jehudi brought it from Elishama’s room and read it to the king as all his officials stood by.H4428H7971H3065H3947H4039H3947H476H5608H3957H3065H7121H241H4428H241H8269H5975H5921H442822It was late autumn, and the king was in a winterized part of the palace, sitting in front of a fire to keep warm.H4428H3427H1004H2779H8671H2320H254H1197H644023Each time Jehudi finished reading three or four columns, the king took a knife and cut off that section of the scroll. He then threw it into the fire, section by section, until the whole scroll was burned up.H3065H7121H7969H702H1817H7167H8593H5608H7993H784H254H4039H8552H784H25424Neither the king nor his attendants showed any signs of fear or repentance at what they heard.H6342H7167H899H4428H5650H8085H169725Even when Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah begged the king not to burn the scroll, he wouldn’t listen.H494H1806H1587H6293H4428H8313H4039H808526Then the king commanded his son Jerahmeel, Seraiah son of Azriel, and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch and Jeremiah. But the Lord had hidden them.H4428H6680H3396H1121H4429H8304H1121H5837H8018H1121H5655H3947H1263H5608H3414H5030H3068H5641

Jeremiah Rewrites the Scroll

27After the king had burned the scroll on which Baruch had written Jeremiah’s words, the Lord gave Jeremiah another message. He said,H1697H3068H3414H310H4428H8313H4039H1697H1263H3789H6310H3414H55928“Get another scroll, and write everything again just as you did on the scroll King Jehoiakim burned.H3947H7725H312H4039H3789H7223H1697H7223H4039H3079H4428H3063H831329Then say to the king, ‘This is what the Lord says: You burned the scroll because it said the king of Babylon would destroy this land and empty it of people and animals.H559H3079H4428H3063H559H3068H8313H4039H559H3789H559H4428H894H935H935H7843H776H7673H120H92930Now this is what the Lord says about King Jehoiakim of Judah: He will have no heirs to sit on the throne of David. His dead body will be thrown out to lie unburied—exposed to the heat of the day and the frost of the night.H559H3068H3079H4428H3063H3427H3678H1732H5038H7993H3117H2721H3915H714031I will punish him and his family and his attendants for their sins. I will pour out on them and on all the people of Jerusalem and Judah all the disasters I promised, for they would not listen to my warnings.’”H6485H2233H5650H5771H935H3427H3389H376H3063H7451H1696H808532So Jeremiah took another scroll and dictated again to his secretary, Baruch. He wrote everything that had been on the scroll King Jehoiakim had burned in the fire. Only this time he added much more!H3947H3414H312H4039H5414H1263H5608H1121H5374H3789H6310H3414H1697H5612H3079H4428H3063H8313H784H3254H7227H1992H1697

Jeremiah 37

Zedekiah Calls for Jeremiah

37Zedekiah son of Josiah succeeded Jehoiachin

son of Jehoiakim as the king of Judah. He was appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.H4428H6667H1121H2977H4427H3659H1121H3079H5019H4428H894H4427H776H30632But neither King Zedekiah nor his attendants nor the people who were left in the land listened to what the Lord said through Jeremiah.H5650H5971H776H8085H1697H3068H1696H3027H5030H34143Nevertheless, King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the priest, son of Maaseiah, to ask Jeremiah, “Please pray to the Lord our God for us.”H6667H4428H7971H3081H1121H8018H6846H1121H4641H3548H5030H3414H559H6419H3068H4304Jeremiah had not yet been imprisoned, so he could come and go among the people as he pleased.H3414H935H3318H8432H5971H5414H1004H36285At this time the army of Pharaoh Hophra

of Egypt appeared at the southern border of Judah. When the Babylonian army heard about it, they withdrew from their siege of Jerusalem.H6547H2428H3318H4714H3778H6696H3389H8085H8088H5927H33896Then the Lord gave this message to Jeremiah:H1697H3068H5030H3414H5597“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The king of Judah sent you to ask me what is going to happen. Tell him, ‘Pharaoh’s army is about to return to Egypt, though he came here to help you.H559H3068H430H3478H559H4428H3063H7971H1875H6547H2428H3318H5833H7725H4714H7768Then the Babylonians

will come back and capture this city and burn it to the ground.’H3778H7725H3898H5892H3920H8313H7849“This is what the Lord says: Do not fool yourselves into thinking that the Babylonians are gone for good. They aren’t!H559H3068H5377H5315H559H3778H1980H3212H321210Even if you were to destroy the entire Babylonian army, leaving only a handful of wounded survivors, they would still stagger from their tents and burn this city to the ground!”H5221H2428H3778H3898H7604H1856H582H6965H376H168H8313H5892H784

Jeremiah Is Imprisoned

11When the Babylonian army left Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s approaching army,H2428H3778H5927H3389H6440H6547H242812Jeremiah started to leave the city on his way to the territory of Benjamin, to claim his share of the property among his relatives there

.H3414H3318H3389H3212H776H1144H2505H8432H597113But as he was walking through the Benjamin Gate, a sentry arrested him and said, “You are defecting to the Babylonians!” The sentry making the arrest was Irijah son of Shelemiah, grandson of Hananiah.H8179H1144H1167H6488H8034H3376H1121H8018H1121H2608H8610H3414H5030H559H5307H377814“That’s not true!” Jeremiah protested. “I had no intention of doing any such thing.” But Irijah wouldn’t listen, and he took Jeremiah before the officials.H559H3414H8267H5307H3778H8085H3376H8610H3414H935H826915They were furious with Jeremiah and had him flogged and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary. Jonathan’s house had been converted into a prison.H8269H7107H3414H5221H5414H612H1004H3083H5608H6213H360816Jeremiah was put into a dungeon cell, where he remained for many days.H3414H935H1004H953H2588H3414H3427H7227H311717Later King Zedekiah secretly requested that Jeremiah come to the palace, where the king asked him, “Do you have any messages from the Lord?” “Yes, I do!” said Jeremiah. “You will be defeated by the king of Babylon.”H6667H4428H7971H3947H4428H7592H5643H1004H559H1697H3068H3414H559H3426H559H5414H3027H4428H89418Then Jeremiah asked the king, “What crime have I committed? What have I done against you, your attendants, or the people that I should be imprisoned like this?H3414H559H4428H6667H2398H5650H5971H5414H1004H360819Where are your prophets now who told you the king of Babylon would not attack you or this land?H346H5030H5012H559H4428H894H935H77620Listen, my lord the king, I beg you. Don’t send me back to the dungeon in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for I will die there.”H8085H113H4428H8467H5307H6440H7725H1004H3083H5608H419121So King Zedekiah commanded that Jeremiah not be returned to the dungeon. Instead, he was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace. The king also commanded that Jeremiah be given a loaf of fresh bread every day as long as there was any left in the city. So Jeremiah was put in the palace prison.H6667H4428H6680H6485H3414H2691H4307H5414H3117H3603H3899H644H2351H3899H5892H8552H3414H3427H2691H4307