Irijah

Jeremiah 37:11-15 - After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh's army, Jeremiah started to leave the city to go to the territory of Benjamin to get his share of the property among the people there. But when he reached the Benjamin Gate, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, arrested him and said, "You are deserting to the Babylonians!"

"That's not true!" Jeremiah said. "I am not deserting to the Babylonians." But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials. They were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had made into a prison.

I wonder how Irijah knew; that is, recognized Jeremiah. Maybe he didn't have to know him by sight. Maybe he had to ask everyone leaving the city who they were and what their business was.

I wonder why Irijah decided to pick on Jeremiah. Did he accuse any others of desertion? Was it just because Jeremiah was a prophet of God that Irijah arrested him? Did Jeremiah accidentally do something to arouse Irijah's suspicions? If not (and he probably didn't), what did Irijah have to gain by falsely accusing him? Had he worked out some deal with Jeremiah's enemies?