Jeremiah 39:15
Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
Original Language Analysis
יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ
came unto Jeremiah
H3414
יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ
came unto Jeremiah
Strong's:
H3414
Word #:
2 of 10
jirmejah, the name of eight or nine israelites
הָיָ֣ה
H1961
הָיָ֣ה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
3 of 10
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
דְבַר
Now the word
H1697
דְבַר
Now the word
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
4 of 10
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
יְהוָ֑ה
of the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֑ה
of the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
5 of 10
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
בִּֽהְיֹת֣וֹ
H1961
בִּֽהְיֹת֣וֹ
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
6 of 10
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
עָצ֔וּר
while he was shut up
H6113
עָצ֔וּר
while he was shut up
Strong's:
H6113
Word #:
7 of 10
to inclose; by analogy, to hold back; also to maintain, rule, assemble
בַּחֲצַ֥ר
in the court
H2691
בַּחֲצַ֥ר
in the court
Strong's:
H2691
Word #:
8 of 10
a yard (as inclosed by a fence); also a hamlet (as similarly surrounded with walls)
Historical Context
The 'court of the prison' was a relatively open detention area within the palace complex (contrast the muddy cistern of 38:6), where Jeremiah received a daily bread ration before the siege cut off food supplies (37:21). This was where Zedekiah could secretly consult him (38:14-28) while officially keeping him detained. The flashback structure of verse 15 connects God's word during crisis to His subsequent faithfulness after crisis.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's word coming to Jeremiah 'while shut up' encourage believers facing restriction or confinement?
- What does the flashback structure teach about God's sovereign awareness and advance preparation even before crises resolve?
- How does this verse's placement demonstrate that divine promises sustain us through trials before we see their fulfillment?
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Analysis & Commentary
Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison (בַּעֲצֻרוֹ, ba'atzuro)—The timing marker indicates this oracle (fulfilled in vv. 16-18) was received during imprisonment before the city's fall. The verb atzar (עָצַר) means detained, restrained, confined. Physical confinement never restricts divine communication—God's word (דְּבַר־יְהוָה, devar-YHWH) reaches His servants in dungeons as readily as palaces.
This introduces the prophecy to Ebed-melech (the Ethiopian who rescued Jeremiah from the cistern, 38:7-13), promising his safety because 'you have put your trust in me' (39:18). While chapter 39 records Jerusalem's fall chronologically, this verse flashes back to earlier imprisonment, showing that even then God was arranging protective promises for the faithful. The structure demonstrates that divine word precedes and governs historical events—prophecy before fulfillment, promise before provision.