Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 37:3

"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 Jehovah our God for us." — Jeremiah 37:3 (ASV)

This embassy is not to be confused with that (Jeremiah 21:1) which took place when Nebuchadnezzar was just marching upon Jerusalem; this was in the brief interval of hope occasioned by the approach of an Egyptian army to raise the siege. The Jews were elated by this temporary relief and miserably abused it (Jeremiah 34:11). Zedekiah seems to some extent to have shared their hopes and to have expected that the prophet would intercede for the city as successfully as Isaiah had done (Isaiah 37:6). Jehucal was a member of the warlike party (Jeremiah 38:1), as also was the deputy high priest Zephaniah, but otherwise he was well-disposed toward Jeremiah.