Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.
4. came in and went out ] was still coming in and going out, was still free, had not suffered arrest. That was immediately to follow.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. Now Jeremiah came in and went out] After the siege was raised, he had a measure of liberty; he was not closely confined, as he afterwards was. See Jer 37:16.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
We shall read afterward, Jer 37:15, that he was imprisoned; and we have heard, Jer 32, of two revelations he had while he was in prison; but as yet he walked at liberty.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. Jeremiah . . . not put . . . intoprisonHe was no longer in the prison court, as he had been(Jer 32:2; Jer 33:1),which passages refer to the beginning of the siege, not to the timewhen the Chaldeans renewed the siege, after having withdrawn for atime to meet Pharaoh.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people,…. Was at full liberty, and could go out of the city, and come in, when he pleased; or go into any part of it, and converse with the people, and prophesy to them; which he could not do in the latter part of Jehoiakim’s reign, who sent persons after him and Baruch to take them, and they were obliged to hide themselves, yea, the Lord hid them,
Jer 36:19; but now he was under no restraint, as least as yet:
for they had not put him into prison; not yet; they afterwards did,
Jer 37:15.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But Jeremiah tells us that he was then at liberty, coming in and going out among the people It may be that he had been in prison, but that after the rage of the king and of the people had cooled, he might have been set free. It is hence said that he was among the people, that is set at liberty, and at his own disposal, so that he could safely walk through the city; for to come and to go implies that he was free to follow his own business. He is said to come and to go who undertakes this or that concern as he pleases; for men, we know, are not engaged always in the same thing, but do various things as necessity requires. Such, then, was the condition of Jeremiah; he enjoyed common liberty. It is then added, that he was not as yet cast into prison, as it happened soon after. It is further said, that the army of Pharaoh was come out from Egypt to give aid to the Jews, and that thus the siege was raised, for the Chaldeans went forth to meet the Egyptians. At this time, then, Jeremiah received an answer from God. It seems not, therefore, probable that the messengers were sent, when the report spread through the city of the coming of the enemy, but rather when the city was relieved, for the condition of the people was still doubtful, as the liberty of the city and the land depended on the uncertain issue of the war. The Chaldeans had not yet come unto an engagement with the Egyptians. A victory gained by Pharaoh would have given the prospect of peace and safety to Zedekiah and the whole people; but if the Chaldeans gained the day, they saw that the greatest danger was at hand, for they would then be deprived of every assistance.
It was in this state of things that Zedekiah sent messengers to Jeremiah, to solicit his prayers. Thus we see that hypocrites are driven by the fear of God, whom yet they proudly despise, to seek his aid when forced to do so; nor is this done, that they may appear to do so before men, but because God brings them to such straits, that they cannot but feel that they stand in need of his help. They wish, indeed, as I have said, to obliterate every recollection of God, and were they also able to do so, they would rob him of all power and authority; but as they are forced, willing or unwilling, to know that God so reigns in heaven that the whole world is subject to his power, necessity constrains them formally to pray, and, in a manner, to conciliate his favor, or, at least, to try to do so. But as I have already said, they ought to begin with repentance and faith. Hypocrites withdraw themselves as far as they can, both from the promises of God and from the duty of repentance. They so seek God that they at the same time shun him.
We must also observe, that Zedekiah felt himself so guilty, that he could not pray himself. As, then, he was conscious of his own unworthiness, he put the Prophet, as it were, between himself and God, that he might suppliantly intercede for him. This also is what the faithful often do, for they seek aid here and there that they may be more readily heard by God; and this they do according to God’s command. But there is a great difference between the godly and hypocrites. The true worshippers of God, as I have said, are not content with their own prayers, but ask others to join them, while, at the same time, they pray God themselves. But hypocrites, what do they do? As they think that an access is forbidden them, and know that they are unworthy of being heard by God, they substitute others in their place to pray for them. Thus they do not seek themselves to know whether God will be propitious to them; and though they wish the whole world to pray for them, they do not yet pray themselves. Such, then, was the sottishhess of Zedekiah, who asked the holy Prophet to pray for him to God, while he himself was lying torpid in his own dregs; for he did not acknowledge that he was suffering a just punishment, nor had he recourse to the true remedy, that is, to return to God’s favor, to embrace his mercy and the promises of salvation. All these principal things he omitted, and only attended to what is, as they say, accessory.
Now as to the time, we ought carefully to notice that it was when the Egyptians came to raise the siege. Thus God for a time permitted hypocrites to be deceived by a fortunate event; for the Jews then began to praise their own prudence in forming a league with the Egyptians, for that kingdom, as it is well known, was powerful, and at the same time populous, so that a large army could be raised. As, then, they saw that their treaty turned out beneficially to them, they, no doubt, assumed to themselves great credit, and thus their boldness increased. But God, however, so touched their liearts, that they continued in suspense, and, by turns, greatly feared: for Zedekiah would not have sent to Jeremiah, except, constrained by some great necessity; and yet, as it has been said, success might have inebriated him; but God rendered him anxious, so as to feel that the prayer of the Prophet was needed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) Jeremiah came in and went out among the people.The statement is made in reference to the event narrated in Jer. 37:15. He was free when the kings message came to him: it was his answer to that message that led to his imprisonment.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
There is somewhat very singular in this relation of Jeremiah’s freedom. Surely the boldness, and faithfulness of the Prophet, must have been very galling to the king and his people. But God’s fear was upon them. Do my Prophets no harm! Psa 105:15 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 37:4 Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.
Ver. 4. Jeremiah came in and went out. ] He was yet at liberty; as the saints have some halcyons times, yet are never unexercised, as we see in the apostles, but especially in Paul. Act 5:13
For they had not put him in prison.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
for: Jer 37:15, Jer 32:2, Jer 32:3
Reciprocal: Jer 38:1 – Jucal
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 37:4. This verse is explanatory on the subject of Jeremiahs freedom. Some previous passages had spoken of his imprisonment, hut the parts of Jeremiahs book are not always chronological as to dates, This verse is necessary, therefore, to clarify the situation of the prophet.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
37:4 Now Jeremiah came {d} in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.
(d) That is, was out of prison and free.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jeremiah was at this time still free to move about the city. Later his arrest and confinement prohibited this.