Jeremiah 37:17

Then Zedekiah the king sent and tooke him out, and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the Lord ? and Ieremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be deliuered into the hand of the king of Babylon. Jeremiah 37:17 (KJV)

The book of Jeremiah is a prophetic work in the Old Testament that records the messages God gave to the prophet Jeremiah for the people of Judah before and during the Babylonian exile. This particular scene occurs in the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, while Jerusalem was under siege by the Babylonian army. The nation was facing imminent disaster, and the king was desperate for divine guidance.

Zedekiah’s inquiry is presented as a secret meeting in the king’s house. Out of fear and desperation, the king sent for Jeremiah and asked, “Is there any word from the Lord?” He hoped to hear a promise of deliverance or at least a direction that might save his people and his throne.

Jeremiah’s response is blunt and faithful to the message he had received from God. He answered, “There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.” The prophet conveyed that the inevitable outcome was the capture of Judah by Babylon, a prediction that would later be fulfilled.

In addition to the prophetic declaration, Jeremiah warned Zedekiah about the consequences of his choices. He advised that surrendering to the Babylonians would spare the king’s life, whereas continued resistance would bring the destruction of Jerusalem and the eventual capture of Zedekiah himself. This counsel underscores the harsh reality of the impending judgment and the limited options available to a nation under siege.