Jeremiah 37 · Verse 12

Jeremiah 37:12

Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.
Jeremiah 37:12, King James Version

Jeremiah 37:12 in other translations

BSBJeremiah started to leave Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to claim his portion there among the people.
WEBthen Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the middle of the people.
ASVthen Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people.
YLTthat Jeremiah goeth out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin, to receive a portion thence in the midst of the people.
DARBYthat Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to have his portion there among the people.
BBEJeremiah went out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, with the purpose of taking up his heritage there among the people.
WebsterThen Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.

What does Jeremiah 37:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. Benjamin--to his own town, Anathoth. to separate himself--Margin translates, "to slip away," from a Hebrew root, "to be smooth," so, to slip away as a slippery thing that cannot be held. But it is not likely the prophet of God would flee in a dishonorable way; and "in the midst of the people" rather implies open departure along with others, than clandestine slipping away by mixing with the crowd of departing people. Rather, it means, to separate himself, or to divide his place of residence, so as to live partly here, partly there, without fixed habitation, going to and fro among the people [Ludovicus De Dieu]. Maurer translates, "to take his portion thence," to realize the produce of his property in Anathoth [Henderson], or to take possession of the land which he bought from Hanameel [Maurer].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Jeremiah went forth - At the time that Nebuchadnezzar had raised the siege, and gone to meet the Egyptian army. Go into the land of Benjamin - To Anathoth, his native city. To separate himself thence - "To receive a portion thereof among the people;" - Blayney: who supposes that Jeremiah went to receive a portion of the proceeds of his patrimony at Anathoth, which had, previously to the siege, been in the hands of the Chaldeans. The siege being now raised, he thought of looking thus after his own affairs. The Chaldee is to the same sense. "He went that he might divide the inheritance which he had there among the people." Dahler translates, 'He went to withdraw himself from the siege, as many others of the inhabitants." I believe he went to withdraw himself from a city devoted to destruction, and in which he could no longer do any good.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 37:11-21

There are times when it is the wisdom of good men to retire, to enter into their chambers, and to shut the doors, Is. 26:20. Jeremiah was seized as a deserter, and committed to prison. But it is no new thing for the best friends of the church to be belied, as in the interests of her worst enemies. When thus falsely accused, we may deny the charge, and commit our cause to Him who judges righteously. Jeremiah obtained…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 37:11-21 →

Jeremiah 37:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּצֵ֤אvai.ye.Tze'and he went outH3318
יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙yir.me.Ya.huJeremiahH3414
מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םmi.Ru.sha.Limfrom JerusalemH3389
לָלֶ֖כֶתla.Le.khetto goH1980
אֶ֣רֶץ'E.retz[the] land ofH776
בִּנְיָמִ֑ןbin.ya.MinBenjaminH1144
לַחֲלִ֥קla.cha.Likto receive a portionH2505
מִשָּׁ֖םmi.Shamfrom thereH8033
בְּת֥וֹךְbe.Tokhin amongH8432
הָעָֽם\׃ha.'Amthe peopleH5971

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 37:12

  • Jeremiah 1:1

    The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:

  • Matthew 10:23

    But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

  • 1 Chronicles 6:60

    And out of the tribe of Benjamin; Geba with her suburbs, and Alemeth with her suburbs, and Anathoth with her suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities.

  • Joshua 21:17-18

    And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities.

  • Nehemiah 6:11

    And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

  • Jeremiah 32:8-9

    So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.

  • 1 Kings 19:3

    And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer–sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

  • 1 Kings 19:9

    And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:22

    Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
went.
1Ki 19:3,9; Ne 6:11; Mt 10:23; 1Th 5:22
the land.
1:1; Jos 21:17,18; 1Ch 6:60
separate himself thence. or, slip away from thence.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 37:11

    And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,

  • Jeremiah 37:12

    Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.

  • Jeremiah 37:13

    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.

Read all of Jeremiah 37

Jeremiah 37:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Salíase de Jerusalem Jeremías para irse á tierra de Benjamín, para apartarse de allí en medio del pueblo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		que Jérémie sortit de Jérusalem pour s’en aller dans le pays de Benjamin au milieu du peuple, pour avoir de là sa part.
German
Elberfelder 1871		da ging Jeremia aus Jerusalem hinaus, um in das Land Benjamin unter das Volk zu gehen, um seinen Anteil von dort zu holen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cumque pervenisset ad portam Benjamin, erat ibi custos portæ per vices, nomine Jerias filius Selemiæ filii Hananiæ: et apprehendit Jeremiam prophetam, dicens: Ad Chaldæos profugis.