Jeremiah 38:17-28

Interview with Zedekiah

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD 1God of hosts, the 2God of Israel, 'If you will indeed 3go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will survive.
18 'But if you will 4not go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city 5will be given over to the hand of the Chaldeans; and they will burn it with fire, and 6you yourself will not escape from their hand.' "
19 Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I 7dread the Jews who have 8gone over to the Chaldeans, for they may give me over into their hand and they will 9abuse me."
20 But Jeremiah said, "They will not give you over. Please 10obey * the LORD in what I am saying to you, that it may go 11well with you and 12you may live.
21 "But if you keep refusing to go out, this is the word which the LORD has shown me:
22 'Then behold, all of the 13women who have been left in the palace of the king of Judah are going to be brought out to the officers of the king of Babylon; and those women will say, "Your close friends * Have misled and overpowered you; While your feet were sunk in the mire, They turned back."
23 'They will also bring out all your wives and your 14sons to the Chaldeans, and 15you yourself will not escape from their hand, but will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon, and 16this city will be burned with fire.' "
24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Let no man know about these words and you will not die.
25 "But if the 17officials hear that I have talked with you and come to you and say to you, 'Tell us now what you said to the king and what the king said to you; do not hide it from us and we will not put you to death,'
26 then you are to say to them, 'I was 18presenting my petition before the king, not to make me return to the house of Jonathan to die there.' "
27 Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him. So he reported to them in accordance with all these words which the king had commanded; and they ceased speaking with him, since the conversation had not been overheard.
28 So Jeremiah 19stayed in the court of the guardhouse until the day that Jerusalem was captured.

Jeremiah 38:17-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 38

This chapter is taken up in giving an account of Jeremiah's being cast into a dungeon; his deliverance from it; and private conversation with King Zedekiah. The occasion of the prophet's being cast into a dungeon was his discourse to the people, which four of the princes represented to the king as seditious, and moved to have him put to death; and, being delivered into their hands, was put into a miry dungeon, Jer 38:1-6. Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, hearing of his miserable case, represented it to the king, and interceded for his release; which being granted, with the help of thirty men, and by means of old clouts and rotten rags, let down by cords, drew him up, and placed him in the court of the prison, Jer 38:7-13. King Zedekiah sends for Jeremiah, and has a private conference with him about the state of affairs; when the prophet faithfully told him how things would issue, and gave him his best advice, Jer 38:14-23; upon parting, the king desires the conference might be kept a secret from the princes, which was accordingly done, Jer 38:24-27; and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison till the taking of Jerusalem, Jer 38:28.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Psalms 80:7, 14; Amos 5:27
  • 2. 1 Chronicles 17:24; Ezekiel 8:4
  • 3. 2 Kings 24:12; 2 Kings 25:27-30; Jeremiah 21:8-10; Jeremiah 27:12, 17; Jeremiah 38:2; Jeremiah 39:3
  • 4. Jeremiah 27:8
  • 5. 2 Kings 25:4-10; Jeremiah 24:8-10; Jeremiah 32:3-5; Jeremiah 37:8; Jeremiah 38:3
  • 6. Jeremiah 32:4; Jeremiah 34:3
  • 7. Isaiah 51:12, 13; Isaiah 57:11; John 12:42; John 19:12, 13
  • 8. Jeremiah 39:9
  • 9. 2 Chronicles 30:10; Nehemiah 4:1; Jeremiah 38:22
  • 10. 2 Chronicles 20:20; Jeremiah 11:4, 8; Jeremiah 26:13; Daniel 4:27; Acts 26:29
  • 11. Jeremiah 7:23
  • 12. Genesis 19:20; Isaiah 55:3
  • 13. Jeremiah 6:12; Jeremiah 8:10; Jeremiah 43:6
  • 14. 2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 39:6; Jeremiah 41:10
  • 15. Jeremiah 38:18
  • 16. Jeremiah 38:18
  • 17. Jer 38:4-6, 27
  • 18. Jeremiah 37:20
  • 19. Psalms 23:4; Jeremiah 15:20, 21; Jeremiah 37:20, 21; Jeremiah 38:13; Jeremiah 39:13, 14

Footnotes 8

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