Jeremiah takes the opportunity of being in the king’s presence to once again proclaim his innocence. What wrong have I done to you or your servants or this people, that you put me in prison? Where are your prophets who prophesied to you saying, The king of Babylon will not come against you and against this land?' Jeremiah is asking the king that proper charges be brought against him. If he is a false prophet and a traitor then why has his message been fulfilled; the Babylonians are back and about to destroy the city. Where are the false prophets who claimed this would not happen? Why are they not thrown into prison? These questions not only expose the hard-hearted rejection of the Lord's word by the people of Judah, but in particular, it exposes Zedekiah’s own total lack of willingness to listen to the Lord and respond in obedience. The implication is that Zedekiah will take no action against the false prophets nor vindicate Jeremiah. He is too fearful of the political implications of believing the Lord’s message.
18 Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, “What wrong have I done to you or your servants or this people, that you have put me in prison?