Jeremiah 38:9-19

9 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Yirmeyahu the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.

10 Then the king commanded `Eved-Melekh the Kushite, saying, Take from hence thirty men with you, and take up Yirmeyahu the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.

11 So `Eved-Melekh took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took there rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Yirmeyahu.

12 `Eved-Melekh the Kushite said to Yirmeyahu, Put now these rags and worn-out garments under your armholes under the cords. Yirmeyahu did so.

13 So they drew up Yirmeyahu with the cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Yirmeyahu remained in the court of the guard.

14 Then Tzidkiyahu the king sent, and took Yirmeyahu the prophet to him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said to Yirmeyahu, I will ask you a thing; hide nothing from me.

15 Then Yirmeyahu said to Tzidkiyahu, If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? and if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.

16 So Tzidkiyahu the king swore secretly to Yirmeyahu, saying, As the LORD lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.

17 Then said Yirmeyahu to Tzidkiyahu, Thus says the LORD, the God Tzva'ot,, the God of Yisra'el: If you will go forth to the king of Bavel's princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house.

18 But if you will not go forth to the king of Bavel's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Kasdim, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape out of their hand.

19 Tzidkiyahu the king said to Yirmeyahu, I am afraid of the Yehudim who are fallen away to the Kasdim, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

Jeremiah 38:9-19 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.