Jeremías 38:4

4 Los jefes le dijeron al rey:—Hay que matar a este hombre. Con semejantes discursos está desmoralizando a los soldados y a todo el pueblo que aún quedan en esta ciudad. Este hombre no busca el bien del pueblo, sino su desgracia.

Jeremías 38:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 38:4

Therefore the princes said unto the king
The four princes mentioned in ( Jeremiah 38:1 ) , having heard what Jeremiah said to the people, laid the case before the king, and addressed him upon it in the following manner: we beseech thee, let this man be put to death;
or,

``let this man now be put to death,''

as the Targum. They speak very disrespectfully of the prophet, him "this man"; and with great authority to the and not in a submissive supplicating way, as we render it; the king, being in distress, was in their hands; he stood in fear of them, and could do nothing against their will and pleasure; and they urge that he might die instantly; they were for taking away his life at once. The reason they give follows: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this
city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them;
dispirited the soldiers who were set for the defence of the city, such of them as were left, who were not taken off by the sword, famine, or pestilence; since, if what Jeremiah said was true, all attempts to defend it must be in vain; and the people be without any hope of being delivered out of the hands of the enemy: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt;
than which nothing was more false; for the prophet foreseeing that their lives were in danger, through the sword, famine, or pestilence, by continuing in the city, advised them to go out of it, and surrender to the Chaldeans, whereby they would be preserved.

Jeremías 38:4 In-Context

2 «Así dice el SEÑOR: “El que se quede en esta ciudad morirá de hambre, por la espada o por la peste. Pero el que se pase a los babilonios vivirá. ¡Se entregará como botín de guerra, pero salvará su vida!”

3 Así dice el SEÑOR: “Esta ciudad caerá en poder del ejército del rey de Babilonia, y será capturada”».

4 Los jefes le dijeron al rey:—Hay que matar a este hombre. Con semejantes discursos está desmoralizando a los soldados y a todo el pueblo que aún quedan en esta ciudad. Este hombre no busca el bien del pueblo, sino su desgracia.

5 El rey Sedequías respondió:—Lo dejo en sus manos. Ni yo, que soy el rey, puedo oponerme a ustedes.

6 Ellos tomaron a Jeremías y, bajándolo con cuerdas, lo echaron en la cisterna del patio de la guardia, la cual era de Malquías, el hijo del rey. Pero como en la cisterna no había agua, sino lodo, Jeremías se hundió en él.