When he was in the gate of Benjamin The gate leading toward the country of Benjamin; Irijah, the son of Hananiah Probably of that Hananiah whose death Jeremiah had foretold, Jeremiah 28:17; took Jeremiah the prophet Apprehended him as one who was about to desert the city, and fall off to the Chaldeans; the ground of which accusation was the prophet's having foretold that the Chaldeans should take the city, and exhorted the Jews to submit to them. Then said Jeremiah, It is false Though, as the Lord's prophet, he had faithfully revealed his will, and foretold the calamity that was about to come upon the nation, by means of the Chaldeans, this did not prove that he took their part, for at the same time he gave advice both to the king and people how they might, in some measure at least, escape the judgments he had denounced against them; nor had he now any design to flee to the Chaldeans; so far from it, that, when the city was taken, and the captain of the guard gave him his choice, either to go along with him to Babylon, or to go back to Gedaliah, whom the king of Babylon had left as deputy governor in Judea, he chose rather to go and live under Gedaliah's government in a poor condition, than to enjoy protection and plenty in an idolatrous country. But he hearkened not unto him The captain of the ward would not believe him, but carried him before the princes.
Related Commentaries of Jeremiah 37:13
Jeremiah 37:13-14
13 And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans.
14 Then said Jeremiah, It is false;e I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.