Jeremiah 37:21 - Exposition

Court of the prison; rather, court of the watch (as Jeremiah 32:2 ). A piece of bread; literally, a circle ( i.e. round cake) of bread. This is mentioned elsewhere in descriptions of poverty ( 1 Samuel 2:36 ; Proverbs 6:26 ); but as the ancient Oriental bread was not our delicate white bread, it was a real "staff of life." The Syrian peasants still eat cakes of coarse meal, of about the thickness of parchment, and equal in size to a large plate (Orelli's 'Travels'). The bakers' street. Probably the several trades were confined to special quarters and streets. In Cairo each trade has still its own bazaar (saddlers, carpets, hardware, goldsmiths, sweetmeats, etc.).