Yirmeyah 38:26

26 Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my techinnah (supplication) before HaMelech, that he would not cause me to return to Bais Yonatan, to die there.

Yirmeyah 38:26 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 38:26

Then thou shalt say unto them
Here the king puts words into the prophet's mouth, what he should say to the princes, to put them off from inquiring further, and so keep the matter a secret: I presented my supplication before the king;
or "caused [it] to fall" {d}; delivered it in an humble and submissive manner: that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there;
this he had entreated of the king before, ( Jeremiah 37:20 ) ; and now, no doubt, renewed his request, having this fair opportunity with the king alone to do it; or, however, it is highly probable he did it upon this hint of the king. This shows how much the king stood in fear of his princes in this time of his distress; and that he had only the name of a king, and had not courage and resolution enough to act of himself, according to the dictates of his mind; yea, that he feared men more than he feared the Lord.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (ytnxt yna lypm) "cadere feci deprecationem meam", Pagninus; "cadere faciens fui" Schmidt.

Yirmeyah 38:26 In-Context

24 Then said Tzidkiyah unto Yirmeyah, Let no ish know of these devarim, and thou shalt not die.

25 But if the sarim hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto HaMelech, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what HaMelech said unto thee;

26 Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my techinnah (supplication) before HaMelech, that he would not cause me to return to Bais Yonatan, to die there.

27 Then came all the sarim unto Yirmeyah, and questioned him; and he told them according to all these devarim that HaMelech had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter had not been overheard.

28 So Yirmeyah abode in the Khatzer (courtyard) of the Guard until the day that Yerushalayim was captured; and he was there when Yerushalayim was taken.