For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
King Zedekiah of Judah had imprisoned him, saying, 'Why do you keep prophesying and claiming that the LORD says, Look, I will hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it?'
This verse explains that King Zedekiah imprisoned the prophet Jeremiah because Jeremiah kept delivering God's unpopular message that Jerusalem would fall to Babylon.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred around 588-586 BC during the final siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army under King Nebuchadnezzar. King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, was desperately trying to maintain morale and hope among his people while the city was under attack. Jeremiah's prophecies of certain defeat were seen as treasonous and damaging to the war effort, leading to his imprisonment.
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