Jeremiah 38:9-19

9 "My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of ¹hunger, ²for there is no bread left in the city."

10 Then the king commanded ³Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, "Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."

11 So ⁴Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern ⁵by ropes.

12 Then ⁶Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, "Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and ⁷the ropes." Jeremiah did so.

13 Then they drew Jeremiah up with ⁸ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the ⁹court of the guard.

Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah Again

14 King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the LORD. The king said to Jeremiah, "I will ask you a question; hide nothing from me."

15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me."

16 Then King Zedekiah swore ¹⁰secretly to Jeremiah, ¹¹"As the LORD lives, ¹²who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of ¹³these men who seek your life."

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ¹⁴If you will surrender to ¹⁵the officials of the king of Babylon, ¹⁶then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

18 But if you do not surrender to ¹⁷the officials of the king of Babylon, ¹⁸then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, ¹⁹and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand."

19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Judeans ²⁰who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with 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.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 11:22; [Jeremiah 14:16, 18; Jeremiah 19:9]
• 2. [Jeremiah 37:21]
• 3. [See ver. 7 above]
• 4. [See ver. 7 above]
• 5. ver. 6
• 6. [See ver. 7 above]
• 7. [See ver. 11 above]
• 8. [See ver. 11 above]
• 9. [See ver. 6 above]
• 10. Jeremiah 37:17
• 11. See Ruth 3:13
• 12. [Isaiah 57:16]
• 13. See ver. 1-9
• 14. ver. 2, 21; [Jeremiah 27:12, 13; 2 Kings 24:12]
• 15. Jeremiah 39:3
• 16. [Jeremiah 34:4, 5]
• 17. [See ver. 17 above]
• 18. See Jeremiah 21:10
• 19. See Jeremiah 21:10
• 20. See Jeremiah 37:13