Jeremiah 38:1

1 Forsooth Shephatiah, son of Mattan, and Gedaliah, son of Pashur, and Jucal, son of Shelemiah, and Pashur, son of Malchiah, heard the words which Jeremy spake to all the people, saying,

Jeremiah 38:1 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 38:1

Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of
Pashur
Of these two persons we nowhere else read. Some think that Pashur, whose son Gedaliah was, is the same as is mentioned ( Jeremiah 20:1-18 ) ; which is not likely, since he was a priest, and this son a prince: and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah;
these had been sent by the king to Jeremiah, to inquire of the Lord, and to pray for him and his people, ( Jeremiah 21:1 ) ( 37:3 ) ; all four were princes, prime ministers of state, of great power and authority, and to whom the king could deny nothing, or withstand, ( Jeremiah 38:4 Jeremiah 38:5 ) ; these heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people;
that is, to as many of them as came to the court of the prison to visit him; some out of good will, and some out of ill will; and others out of curiosity; being desirous to know by the prophet how things would go with them; and by which means what he said was spread all over the city, and came to the ears of the above princes; and no doubt there were persons enough officious enough to carry these things to them: saying;
as follows:

Jeremiah 38:1 In-Context

1 Forsooth Shephatiah, son of Mattan, and Gedaliah, son of Pashur, and Jucal, son of Shelemiah, and Pashur, son of Malchiah, heard the words which Jeremy spake to all the people, saying,

2 The Lord saith these things, Whoever dwelleth in this city, shall die by sword, and hunger, and pestilence; but he that fleeth to [the] Chaldees, shall live, and his soul shall be whole and living. (The Lord saith these things, Whoever remaineth in this city, shall die by the sword, and by hunger, and by pestilence; but he who fleeth to the Chaldeans, shall live, and he shall be whole and living.)

3 The Lord saith these things, This city to be betaken shall be betaken into the hand of the host of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it. (The Lord saith these things, This city shall be delivered into the hands, or into the power, of the army of the king of Babylon, and they shall capture it.)

4 And the princes said to the king, We pray, that this man be slain; for of before-casting he discomforteth the hands of (the) men warriors, that dwelled in this city, and the hands of all the people, and speaketh to them by all these words. For why this man seeketh not peace to this people, but evil. (And the officers said to the king, We pray, that this man be killed; because by such forecasting he weakeneth the hands, or the resolve, of the warriors, and the hands of all the people, who still remain in this city, yea, by speaking to them by all these words. For this man seeketh not peace for this people, but evil.)

5 And king Zedekiah said, Lo! he is in your hands, for it is not leaveful that the king deny anything to you. (And King Zedekiah said, Lo! he is in your hands, for it is not lawful for the king to deny anything to you.)