Question 1

Why did King Zedekiah ask Jeremiah to pray for him if he did not obey God?

Accepted Answer

Zedekiah was scared of the Babylonian army and hoped God would step in to rescue him and the city. He knew Jeremiah was a real prophet, so he asked for prayer. But he did not want to repent or follow the hard message God had already given. This shows a kind of half-hearted religion, where someone wants God’s help in trouble but does not want to change their ways. The passage warns that asking for prayer without a willing heart to obey God does not bring the blessing people hope for.

Question 2

What was happening when the Chaldeans left Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army?

Accepted Answer

Babylon’s army, called the Chaldeans, was surrounding Jerusalem. When they heard that Pharaoh’s army from Egypt was coming, they pulled back for a time. The people in Jerusalem thought this meant they were safe and that Egypt would save them. But God told Jeremiah that this relief was only temporary. Pharaoh’s army would go back home, and the Chaldeans would return, fight again, and burn the city. The break in the siege was a test, not a sign that judgment was canceled.

Question 3

Why did God say, “Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us”?

Accepted Answer

God said this because the people were comforting themselves with lies. They thought the danger was over when the Chaldeans briefly left and believed that their plans and alliances would protect them. Through Jeremiah, God warned that this thinking was self-deception. Even if the Chaldeans seemed weak or wounded, God had decided that they would take the city and burn it. The warning shows how easy it is to mistake a short break in trouble for real peace when the heart has not turned back to God.

Question 4

Why was Jeremiah accused of falling away to the Chaldeans at the gate of Benjamin?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem toward the land of Benjamin, likely to his home area, while the Babylonian army had pulled back. A guard named Irijah stopped him at the gate and accused him of running over to the enemy. Because Jeremiah had been saying that Babylon would capture the city, many already thought he was a traitor. Even though Jeremiah said the charge was false, the guard did not listen and took him to the princes. This shows how speaking hard truth can make people suspect your loyalty, even when you are faithful to God.

Question 5

What does Jeremiah’s imprisonment in this passage teach about suffering for truth?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah is beaten and put in a harsh prison, even though he has only spoken God’s word. The princes are angry because his message goes against their plans and their false hopes. Later the king moves him to the court of the prison and makes sure he gets bread, but Jeremiah is still not free. His story shows that obeying God and telling the truth can lead to misunderstanding, slander, and real pain. Yet Jeremiah does not change his message. This encourages believers to stay faithful even when obedience brings hardship.

Question 6

What is the significance of Jeremiah telling Zedekiah, “Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon”?

Accepted Answer

When Zedekiah secretly asks if there is any word from God, Jeremiah does not soften the message. He tells the king plainly that he will be handed over to the king of Babylon. This means there is no escape through Egypt, clever plans, or wishful thinking. It shows that God’s word does not change just because it is unpopular or painful to hear. The king’s request for a private word from God cannot overturn the public warning already given. God’s judgment will stand unless there is real repentance, which is missing here.

Question 7

How does this passage show the danger of trusting human help instead of God?

Accepted Answer

The people of Jerusalem look to Egypt and Pharaoh’s army to save them from Babylon. When the Chaldeans pull back, they think their plan worked. But God says Pharaoh’s army will go home and Babylon will return and burn the city. Depending on Egypt instead of listening to God’s warning becomes part of their downfall. The passage shows that human help, politics, and force cannot protect a person or a nation when they harden themselves against God’s clear word. Trust in people without turning to God leads to disappointment and loss.

Question 8

How can a reader today apply the message of this passage about Zedekiah and Jeremiah?

Accepted Answer

This passage invites readers to ask whether they are like Zedekiah, who wanted prayer but did not want to obey. It encourages honest self-examination: Do I only seek God in crisis, or am I willing to hear and follow his word even when it cuts across my plans? It also calls for courage, like Jeremiah’s, to hold to truth even when people misunderstand or oppose it. Finally, it warns against false comfort, urging us to put our hope in God’s word rather than in quick fixes, alliances, or temporary reliefs from trouble.

Jeremiah 37:1

And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.

Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah

Jeremiah Imprisoned

Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah

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Jeremiah 37:1

And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.

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