Definition: And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us.
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Jeremiah 37:3. It’s a really important part of a story about a king and a prophet being troubled by a difficult situation. Here's what it means in simpler terms: Basically, it’s a plea for help from a king to a prophet. Here’s the breakdown: “Jeremiah”: This is the name of the prophet who was sent. “Zedekiah the king”: This describes the person sending the message – a king named Zedekiah. “sent Jehucal, the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah…” These are the people who were sent to deliver the message: Jehucal: A son of Shelemiah. Zephaniah: A son of Maaseiah. “…and to the prophet Jeremiah”: These are the two people who were sending the message – Jeremiah and Zephaniah. “saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us.” This is the core of the message: Pray: They asked him to pray to God . unto the Lord…” : "unto" means "to" in this context – they’re asking him to do something. our God: They are praying for help from God. What's the big takeaway? This verse tells us that Zedekiah was facing a really difficult problem and needed someone to plead on his behalf. It suggests he might be in trouble, and this message is being sent out of concern for his well-being. Important Note: The story of Jeremiah 37 goes into some pretty dark details about Zedekiah's situation – he was accused of a serious crime and facing potential punishment. So, it’s a moment of great urgency and need. --- Do you want me to: Explain a specific part of the verse in more detail? Give you some context for the story?