Jeremiah 37:12 — Meaning and Application

For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained {but} wounded men among them, {yet} should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire. {wounded: Heb. thrust through}

And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army, {broken...: Heb. made to ascend}

Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people. {separate...: or, to slip away from thence in the midst of the people}

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.

Then said Jeremiah, {It is} false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes. {false: Heb. falsehood, or, a lie}