What is the setting for the events that follow?

The next section of Jeremiah, in Jeremiah 37:1–39:18, describes events leading up to the fall of Jerusalem. The section after that, in Jeremiah 40:1–44:30, describes events after the fall. The material is mostly biographical and was most likely compiled by Baruch who is mentioned in a brief addition at the end in Jeremiah 45:1–5¹.

What happens to Jerusalem must be seen in connection with what has just taken place in Jeremiah 36:1–32, where Jehoiakim burnt the scroll containing the Lord’s word. Judgment comes to Jerusalem because, starting with its kings and including its prophets, priests and people, the nation continues to stubbornly reject the word of the Lord.

The opening verse of Jeremiah 37:1–21 moves the narrative from the rule of Jehoiakim to the rule of Zedekiah. After the invasion of 597 BC, Nebuchadnezzar had taken Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, into exile and he made Zedekiah king of Judah. Zedekiah is one of the main characters in the narrative of Jeremiah 37:1–39:18; the other is Jeremiah.

Zedekiah’s rule is summed up in one sentence, 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. Appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah would have been viewed by many in his own land as a pro-Babylonian, puppet king. The false prophets had spoken of a short exile and the immanent return of Coniah to once again take the throne. This contradicted what Jeremiah had said (Jeremiah 22:24–30), but many still considered Coniah to be the legitimate king of Judah. There was also a strong pro-Egyptian faction in Judah who opposed Zedekiah. The king therefore found himself in tricky political waters but showed himself to be weak and a man without convictions. It seems he could not resist the pro-Egyptian forces in his government and eventually rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, breaking the covenant he had made with him. Politically speaking, this ultimately led to the destruction of Jerusalem as Nebuchadnezzar ruthlessly crushed the rebellion. His relationship with Jeremiah was especially revealing. He seems almost irresistibly drawn to Jeremiah, knowing that he is indeed the Lord’s prophet, and yet he simply does not have the willingness or courage to accept the message Jeremiah proclaimed.