Jeremiah 37:18
New International Version
Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “What crime have I committed against you or your attendants or this people, that you have put me in prison?

New Living Translation
Then 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?

English Standard Version
Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, “What wrong have I done to you or your servants or this people, that you have put me in prison?

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people, that you have put me in prison?

King James Bible
Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

New King James Version
Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “What offense have I committed against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

New American Standard Bible
Moreover, Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you, or your servants, or this people, that you have put me in prison?

NASB 1995
Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

NASB 1977
Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

Legacy Standard Bible
Moreover, Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you or against your servants or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

Amplified Bible
Moreover, Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

Christian Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people that you have put me in prison?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people that you have put me in prison?

American Standard Version
Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, Wherein have I sinned against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

Contemporary English Version
Then I continued, "Your Majesty, why have you put me in prison? Have I committed a crime against you or your officials or the nation?

English Revised Version
Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, Wherein have I sinned against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, "What crime have I committed against you, your administrators, or these people? Why have you put me in prison?

Good News Translation
Then I asked, "What crime have I committed against you or your officials or this people, to make you put me in prison?

International Standard Version
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, "What offense have I committed against you, your officials, or these people that you have put me in prison?

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people, that you have put me in prison?

NET Bible
Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, "What crime have I committed against you, or the officials who serve you, or the people of Judah? What have I done to make you people throw me into prison?

New Heart English Bible
Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, "Wherein have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

Webster's Bible Translation
Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, In what have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

World English Bible
Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Jeremiah says to King Zedekiah, “What have I sinned against you, and against your servants, and against this people, that you have put me into a prison-house?

Young's Literal Translation
And Jeremiah saith unto the king Zedekiah, 'What have I sinned against thee, and against thy servants, and against this people, that ye have given me unto a prison-house?

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jeremiah will say to king Zedekiah, What did I sin against thee, and against thy servants, and against this people that thou gavest me to the house of the prison?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jeremias said to king Sedecias: In what have I offended against thee, or thy servants, or thy people, that thou hast cast me into prison?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah: “How have I sinned against you, or your servants, or your people, such that you would cast me into a house of imprisonment?

New American Bible
Jeremiah then asked King Zedekiah: “How have I wronged you or your officials or this people, that you should put me in prison?

New Revised Standard Version
Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, “What wrong have I done to you or your servants or this people, that you have put me in prison?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, What offence have I done against you or against your servants or against this people, that you have put me into prison?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Jeremiah said to King Tsedeqia: "What have I sinned against you and against your Servants and against this people that you have thrown me in the house of prisoners?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah: 'Wherein have I sinned against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Jeremias said to the king, Wherein have I wronged thee, or thy servants, or this people, that thou puttest me in prison?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jeremiah Imprisoned
17Later, 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.” 18Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people, that you have put me in prison? 19Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, claiming, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or this land’?…

Cross References
Jeremiah 38:14-27
Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance to the house of the LORD. “I am going to ask you something,” said the king to Jeremiah. “Do not hide anything from me.” / “If I tell you,” Jeremiah replied, “you will surely put me to death. And even if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” / But King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us this life, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of these men who are seeking your life.” ...

Jeremiah 21:1-2
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said, / “Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”

Jeremiah 32:3-5
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. / Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the hands of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. / He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will stay until I attend to him, declares the LORD. If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed.’”

Jeremiah 34:2-5
The LORD, the God of Israel, told Jeremiah to go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him that this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down. / And you yourself will not escape his grasp, but will surely be captured and delivered into his hand. You will see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face; and you will go to Babylon. / Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah. This is what the LORD says concerning you: You will not die by the sword; ...

Jeremiah 29:25-26
this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “In your own name you have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests. You said to Zephaniah: / ‘The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada, to be the chief officer in the house of the LORD, responsible for any madman who acts like a prophet—you must put him in stocks and neck irons.

2 Kings 25:1-7
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it. / And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. / By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. ...

2 Chronicles 36:11-13
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. / And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke for the LORD. / He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.

Ezekiel 17:15-21
But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’ / ‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. / Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. ...

Isaiah 39:5-7
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of Hosts: / The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. / And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Lamentations 1:18
The LORD is righteous, yet I rebelled against His command. Listen, all you people; look upon my suffering. My young men and maidens have gone into captivity.

Acts 24:10-21
When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense. / You can verify for yourself that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. / Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city. ...

Acts 25:8-12
Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” / But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?” / Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. ...

Acts 26:1-3
Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: / “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews, / especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.

Matthew 10:18-20
On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. / But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. / For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Mark 13:9-11
So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. / And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations. / But when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.


Treasury of Scripture

Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, What have I offended against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

Jeremiah 26:19
Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

Genesis 31:36
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

1 Samuel 24:9-15
And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? …

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Jeremiah 37
1. The Egyptians having raised the siege of the Chaldeans,
3. king Zedekiah sends to Jeremiah to pray for the people.
6. Jeremiah prophesies the Chaldeans' certain return and victory.
11. He is taken for a fugitive, beaten, and put in prison.
16. He assures Zedekiah of the captivity.
18. Entreating for his liberty, he obtains some favor.














Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah
Jeremiah, the prophet, stands as a courageous figure in the face of adversity. His direct approach to King Zedekiah highlights his unwavering commitment to truth and justice. The Hebrew root for "asked" (שָׁאַל, sha'al) implies a seeking or inquiring, often with a sense of urgency or necessity. Jeremiah's question is not merely rhetorical; it is a plea for justice and an appeal to the king's conscience. Historically, Zedekiah was the last king of Judah, reigning during a tumultuous period marked by Babylonian threats. His interactions with Jeremiah reveal a man torn between political pressures and the prophetic warnings he receives.

What crime have I committed
Jeremiah's question underscores his innocence and the unjust nature of his imprisonment. The Hebrew word for "crime" (עָוֹן, avon) often denotes iniquity or guilt, suggesting a moral or legal wrongdoing. Jeremiah's use of this term is significant, as it challenges the legitimacy of the accusations against him. In the broader scriptural context, prophets often faced persecution for their messages, which were unpopular with those in power. Jeremiah's plight is a testament to the cost of prophetic ministry and the courage required to stand for God's truth.

against you, or your servants, or this people
Jeremiah's appeal is comprehensive, addressing the king, his officials, and the nation. This triad reflects the interconnectedness of leadership and the populace in ancient Judah. The phrase "your servants" (עֲבָדֶיךָ, avadekha) refers to the king's officials or court, who were often complicit in the political machinations of the time. "This people" (הָעָם הַזֶּה, ha'am hazeh) refers to the nation of Judah, who were suffering under the threat of Babylonian conquest. Jeremiah's ministry was to all these groups, calling them to repentance and faithfulness to God.

that you have put me in prison
The act of imprisoning Jeremiah is a stark representation of the rejection of God's message. The Hebrew word for "prison" (בֵּית הַכֶּלֶא, beit hakkele) literally means "house of confinement," indicating a place of restriction and suffering. Jeremiah's imprisonment is symbolic of the spiritual bondage of Judah, who refused to heed God's warnings. Archaeological findings from the period, such as prison cells and administrative buildings, provide a tangible context for understanding the conditions Jeremiah faced. His question to Zedekiah is a poignant reminder of the cost of discipleship and the call to remain faithful amidst persecution.

(18) What have I offended against thee . . .?--The cruelty of his treatment draws from the prophet an indignant protest. Of what crime had he been guilty, but that of speaking the word which the Lord had given him to speak, and was this a crime in the eyes of any true Israelite? No act of treachery or desertion could be proved against him.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Jeremiah
יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ (yir·mə·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3414: Jeremiah -- 'Yah loosens', the name of a number of Israelites

asked
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

King
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

Zedekiah,
צִדְקִיָּ֑הוּ (ṣiḏ·qî·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6667: Zedekiah -- 'Yah is righteousness', six Israelites

“How
מֶה֩ (meh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

have I sinned
חָטָ֨אתִֽי (ḥā·ṭā·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

against you
לְךָ֤ (lə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

or your servants
וְלַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ (wə·la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

or these
הַזֶּ֔ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

people,
וְלָעָ֣ם (wə·lā·‘ām)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you have put
נְתַתֶּ֥ם (nə·ṯat·tem)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

me in
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

prison?
בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 37:18 Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah Wherein (Jer.)
Jeremiah 37:17
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