Jeremiah 38:19-28

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.

20 But Yirmeyahu said, They shall not deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the voice of the LORD, in that which I speak to you: so it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.

21 But if you refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:

22 behold, all the women who are left in the king of Yehudah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Bavel's princes, and those women shall say, Your familiar friends have set you on, and have prevailed over you: [now that] your feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back.

23 They shall bring out all your wives and your children to the Kasdim; and you shall not escape out of their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Bavel: and you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.

24 Then said Tzidkiyahu to Yirmeyahu, Let no man know of these words, and you shall not die.

25 But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don't hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also what the king said to you:

26 then you shall tell them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Yonatan's house, to die there.

27 Then came all the princes to Yirmeyahu, and asked him; and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.

28 So Yirmeyahu abode in the court of the guard until the day that Yerushalayim was taken.

Jeremiah 38:19-28 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.