Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. New Living Translation But neither King Zedekiah nor his attendants nor the people who were left in the land listened to what the LORD said through Jeremiah. English Standard Version But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD that he spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. Berean Standard Bible But he and his officers and the people of the land refused to obey the words that the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. Berean Literal Bible And he did not listen—he and his servants and the people of the land—to the words of YHWH that He spoke by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet. King James Bible But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah. New King James Version But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land gave heed to the words of the LORD which He spoke by the prophet Jeremiah. New American Standard Bible But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. NASB 1995 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. NASB 1977 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. Legacy Standard Bible But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of Yahweh which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. Amplified Bible But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD which He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah. Berean Annotated Bible But he and his officers and the people of the land refused to obey the words that the LORD {YHWH} had spoken through Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet. Christian Standard Bible He and his officers and the people of the land did not obey the words of the LORD that he spoke through the prophet Jeremiah. Holman Christian Standard Bible He and his officers and the people of the land did not obey the words of the LORD that He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. American Standard Version But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of Jehovah, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah. Contemporary English Version But Zedekiah, his officials, and everyone else in Judah ignored everything the LORD had told me. English Revised Version But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah. GOD'S WORD® Translation But Zedekiah, his administrators, and the common people didn't listen to what the LORD had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah. Good News Translation But neither Zedekiah nor his officials nor the people obeyed the message which the LORD had given me. International Standard Version But neither he nor his officials nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD that were spoken by Jeremiah the prophet. NET Bible Neither he nor the officials who served him nor the people of Judah paid any attention to what the LORD said through the prophet Jeremiah. New Heart English Bible But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, listened to the words of the LORD, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah. Webster's Bible Translation But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, hearkened to the words of the LORD, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBut he and his officers and the people of the land refused to obey the words that the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. World English Bible But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, listened to Yahweh’s words, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand he has not listened—he, and his servants, and the people of the land—to the words of YHWH that He spoke by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet. Berean Literal Bible And he did not listen—he and his servants and the people of the land—to the words of YHWH that He spoke by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet. Young's Literal Translation and he hath not hearkened, he, and his servants, and the people of the land, unto the words of Jehovah, that He spake by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet. Smith's Literal Translation And he heard not, he and his servants, and the people of the land, to the words of Jehovah which he spake by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land did obey the words of the Lord, that he spoke in the hand of Jeremias the prophet. Catholic Public Domain Version And neither he himself, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, obeyed the words of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of Jeremiah, the prophet. New American Bible Neither he, nor his officials, nor the people of the land would listen to the words which the LORD spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. New Revised Standard Version But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD that he spoke through the prophet Jeremiah. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBut neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD, which he spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he and his Servants and the people of the land did not listen to the statement of LORD JEHOVAH that he spoke by Jeremiah the Prophet OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which He spoke by the prophet Jeremiah. Brenton Septuagint Translation And he and his servants and the people of the land hearkened not to the words of the Lord, which he spoke by Jeremias. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah1Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made Zedekiah son of Josiah the king of Judah, and he reigned in place of Coniah son of Jehoiakim. 2But he and his officers and the people of the land refused to obey the words that the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. 3Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, to Jeremiah the prophet with the message, “Please pray to the LORD our God for us!”… Cross References But he and his officers and the people of the land 2 Kings 24:12-16 Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials all surrendered to the king of Babylon. So in the eighth year of his reign, the king of Babylon took him captive. / As the LORD had declared, Nebuchadnezzar also carried off all the treasures from the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD. / He carried into exile all Jerusalem—all the commanders and mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen and metalsmiths—ten thousand captives in all. Only the poorest people of the land remained. … 2 Kings 25:18-21 The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers. / Of those still in the city, he took a court official who had been appointed over the men of war, as well as five royal advisors. He also took the scribe of the captain of the army, who had enlisted the people of the land, and sixty men who were found in the city. / Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. … Daniel 9:6-7 We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, fathers, and all the people of the land. / To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You. refused to obey Jeremiah 7:23-24 but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you. / Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but they followed the stubborn inclinations of their own evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. Nehemiah 9:16-17 But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments. / They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them. 1 Samuel 8:19-20 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. / Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to judge us, to go out before us, and to fight our battles.” the words that the LORD had spoken 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. / But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy. 2 Kings 17:13-14 Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” / But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God. Zechariah 7:11-12 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing. / They made their hearts like flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD of Hosts had sent by His Spirit through the earlier prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of Hosts. through Jeremiah the prophet. 2 Chronicles 36:21 So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah. Daniel 9:2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. Ezra 1:1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows: 2 Kings 24:19-20 And Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. / For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon. 2 Chronicles 36:12-13 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. Jeremiah 52:2-3 And Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. / For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon. Ezekiel 17:15-18 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. … Treasury of Scripture But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did listen to the words of the LORD, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah. neither. 2 Kings 24:19,20 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done… 2 Chronicles 36:12-16 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD… Proverbs 29:12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. the prophet. Exodus 4:13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. Leviticus 8:36 So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. 2 Samuel 10:2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. Jump to Previous Attendants Attention Ear Hand Hearken Hearkened Jeremiah Paid Prophet Servants WordsJump to Next Attendants Attention Ear Hand Hearken Hearkened Jeremiah Paid Prophet Servants WordsJeremiah 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. But he and his officers and the people of the land This phrase refers to King Zedekiah, his officials, and the inhabitants of Judah. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile, ruling from 597 to 586 BC. His reign was marked by political instability and pressure from surrounding nations, particularly Babylon. The "officers" likely include military leaders and royal advisors, who played significant roles in the governance and defense of the nation. The "people of the land" refers to the general population of Judah, who were often caught between the political machinations of their leaders and the prophetic warnings delivered by Jeremiah. refused to obey the words that the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet Persons / Places / Events 1. ZedekiahThe last king of Judah, appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He is known for his weak leadership and failure to heed God's warnings through Jeremiah. 2. Jeremiah A major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his messages of warning and calls for repentance to the people of Judah. He faced significant opposition and persecution for his prophecies. 3. Servants and People of the Land Refers to the officials and the general populace of Judah who, along with King Zedekiah, ignored the prophetic messages delivered by Jeremiah. 4. The LORD The covenant God of Israel, who communicated His will and warnings through His prophets, including Jeremiah. 5. Babylonian Threat The geopolitical context of this passage involves the looming threat of Babylonian invasion and the eventual fall of Jerusalem, which Jeremiah warned about. Teaching Points The Consequences of DisobedienceIgnoring God's word leads to dire consequences. Zedekiah and the people of Judah faced destruction because they did not heed God's warnings through Jeremiah. The Role of Prophets Prophets are God's messengers, and their words should be taken seriously. Jeremiah's role was to convey God's truth, regardless of the people's response. Spiritual Deafness Just as the people of Judah were spiritually deaf to Jeremiah's warnings, we must examine our own lives to ensure we are not ignoring God's voice today. Leadership Accountability Leaders have a responsibility to listen to God's guidance and lead their people accordingly. Zedekiah's failure serves as a cautionary tale for leaders in all spheres. The Importance of Repentance The call to repentance is central to avoiding judgment. The people of Judah had multiple opportunities to turn back to God, highlighting the importance of repentance in our spiritual journey. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 37:2?2. How does Jeremiah 37:2 illustrate the consequences of ignoring God's word today? 3. What can we learn from Zedekiah's disobedience in Jeremiah 37:2? 4. How does Jeremiah 37:2 connect with the theme of rebellion in Scripture? 5. In what ways can we ensure we "listen to the words of the LORD"? 6. How can Jeremiah 37:2 guide us in respecting spiritual authority and guidance? 7. Why did Zedekiah and his officials ignore the words of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 37:2? 8. How does Jeremiah 37:2 reflect the consequences of disobedience to God's word? 9. What historical context led to the events described in Jeremiah 37:2? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 37? 11. In Jeremiah 37:2, how can we reconcile the claim that King Zedekiah and his officials refused to listen to God’s word with other passages suggesting they occasionally sought Jeremiah’s counsel? 12. Jeremiah 24:2 - How can we verify historically or archaeologically that this vision of two baskets of figs corresponds to real events involving the people of Judah? 13. If Jeremiah 48:42 says Moab will cease to be a people, how do later mentions of Moab or its descendants fit with this prophecy? 14. How do we address the lack of extrabiblical records confirming Babylon's interactions with Jerusalem in Jeremiah 37? What Does Jeremiah 37:2 Mean But heThe “he” is King Zedekiah, Judah’s last monarch before the Babylonian exile. Scripture paints him as personally accountable for the nation’s direction (2 Kings 24:18-19; 2 Chronicles 36:12). Though he occasionally sought Jeremiah’s counsel (Jeremiah 37:3), he refused to act on it. His example reminds us that no position, pedigree, or good intention excuses disobedience when God speaks plainly. and his officers The king’s officials (sometimes translated “servants” or “princes”) were the power-brokers of the court. They pressured Zedekiah to silence Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:4) and rejected the prophet’s call to surrender to Babylon (Jeremiah 38:17-18). 2 Chronicles 36:14 adds that “all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful,” underscoring that spiritual compromise often starts in the leadership circle and trickles down. and the people of the land God’s indictment sweeps beyond palace walls. The ordinary citizens—farmers, merchants, artisans—also “did not listen.” Earlier, Jeremiah had pleaded, “Obey My voice, and I will be your God” (Jeremiah 7:23-28), yet the majority chose idols and false assurances. National rebellion was not merely a problem “at the top”; it was woven into the culture (Jeremiah 11:7-8). Everyone shared responsibility for the coming judgment (2 Chronicles 36:16). refused to obey The verb is deliberate; they didn’t misunderstand—they “refused.” • Stubbornness (Jeremiah 17:23) • Open defiance (Jeremiah 44:16) • Hardened hearts (Hebrews 3:15) God had graciously repeated His warnings “again and again” (Jeremiah 25:3-7), yet each new appeal found the same closed ears. Persistent disobedience always sets the stage for inevitable discipline. the words that the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet Jeremiah’s messages were not personal opinions; they were “the word of the LORD” (Jeremiah 1:9). Scripture affirms that “no prophecy was ever brought about by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). Because every word is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), rejecting the prophet’s voice equaled rejecting God Himself. The coming siege, famine, and exile proved that the Lord’s Word stands literally and unfailingly true. summary Jeremiah 37:2 spotlights a tragic chain: king, officials, and common people together shut their ears to God’s clear, authoritative Word. Their collective refusal, despite repeated warnings, led directly to national collapse. The verse calls every reader—leader or layperson—to take God’s Word with utmost seriousness, trusting its accuracy and obeying its commands while there is still time to respond. (2) But neither he, nor his servants . . .--The verse gives a general survey of the character of Zedekiah's reign preparatory to the actual history that follows, which falls towards its close, probably in the seventh or eighth year of his reign. It will be noted that the "servants" here, as in Jeremiah 36:24, are the personal attendants of the king, his courtiers, as distinct from the "princes" of Judah and the "people of the land," that is, the great body of unofficial laymen.Hebrew Heה֥וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are and his officers וַעֲבָדָ֖יו (wa·‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 5650: Slave, servant and the people וְעַ֣ם (wə·‘am) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock of the land הָאָ֑רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land refused וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō) Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no to obey שָׁמַ֛ע (šā·ma‘) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently the words דִּבְרֵ֣י (diḇ·rê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause that the LORD יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel had spoken דִּבֶּ֔ר (dib·ber) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue through בְּיַ֖ד (bə·yaḏ) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 3027: A hand Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ (yir·mə·yā·hū) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3414: Jeremiah -- 'Yah loosens', the name of a number of Israelites the prophet. הַנָּבִֽיא׃ (han·nā·ḇî) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet Links Jeremiah 37:2 NIVJeremiah 37:2 NLT Jeremiah 37:2 ESV Jeremiah 37:2 NASB Jeremiah 37:2 KJV Jeremiah 37:2 BibleApps.com Jeremiah 37:2 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 37:2 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 37:2 French Bible Jeremiah 37:2 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jeremiah 37:2 But neither he nor his servants (Jer.) |
    |