Jeremiah 37:14

¹² Jeremiah started to leave Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to claim his portion there among the people.

¹³ But when he reached the Gate of Benjamin, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, seized him and said, “You are deserting to the Chaldeans!”

“That is a lie,” Jeremiah replied. “I am not deserting to the Chaldeans!” But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and took him to the officials.

¹⁵ The officials were angry with Jeremiah, and they beat him and placed him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe, for it had been made into a prison.

¹⁶ So Jeremiah went into a cell in the dungeon and remained there a long time.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “That is a lie,” Jeremiah replied. “I am not deserting to the Chaldeans!” But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and took him to the officials.
KJV: Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
WEB: Then Jeremiah said, “That is false! I am not defecting to the Chaldeans.” But he didn’t listen to him; so Irijah seized Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
ASV: Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him; so Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
DARBY: And Jeremiah said, It is false: I am not deserting to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him; and Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
BLB: And Jeremiah said, “Falsehood!” I am not falling away to the Chaldeans.” And he would not listen to him, and Irijah seized Jeremiah and brought him to the princes.

ÅB: Da sa Jeremias: Det er løgn; jeg vil ikke gå over til kaldeerne. Men Jerija hørte ikke på Jeremias, han grep ham og førte ham til høvdingene.
OTB: «Det er falskt!» svarte Jeremia. «Jeg deserterer ikke til babylonerne.» Men Jirija lyttet ikke og arresterte Jeremia, og førte ham til embetsmennene.
B1930: Da sa Jeremias: Det er løgn; jeg vil ikke gå over til kaldeerne. Men Jerija hørte ikke på Jeremias, han grep ham og førte ham til høvdingene.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 27:12
Do not hand me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
Read in context
Matthew 5:11–12
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
Read in context
Jeremiah 40:4–6
But now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains that were on your wrists. If it pleases you to come with me to Babylon, then come, and I will take care of you. But if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, go no farther. Look, the whole land is before you. Wherever it seems good and right to you, go there.”
Read in context
Psalms 52:1–2
Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long.
Read in context
Psalms 35:11
Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
Read in context
1 Peter 3:16
keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
Read in context
1 Peter 4:14–16
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
Read in context
Nehemiah 6:8
Then I sent him this reply: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”
Read in context