COURT OF THE GUARD (חֲצַ֣ר הַמַּטָּרָ֔ה, court of the guard). KJV, court of the “prison.” With the exception of Nehemiah 3:25, the phrase is used exclusively in the Book of Jeremiah. The court was an area within the palace complex where Jeremiah was detained (32:2), where he received visitors (32:8), and carried on business (32:12). The court had a cistern into which Jeremiah was placed by court officials who wished to kill him (38:6).