The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah
Jeremiah 38
Chapter XXXVIII · Vol. III, pp. 1279–1280
1 Jeremiah, by a false suggestion, is put into the dungeon of Malchiah. 7 Ebed-melech, by suit, getteth him some enlargement. 14 In a secret conference he counselleth the king by yielding to save his life. 24 By the king's instructions he concealeth the conference from the princes.
1 Then Shephatiaha the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, bheard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,1
a ch.21.1-10;37.3.
1 In forming an estimate of the unbelieving disregard shown by the princes and people to the word of the Lord by Jeremiah, it is necessary to observe the argument from patriotism they were able to allege against his advice to submit to the Chaldeans—the high, and not undeserved reliance they placed upon their military courage—and, strange to say, the dependence they placed upon the miraculous protection of that God whose laws they disregarded. See, for illustration, Josephus' Antiq.—C.
2 Thus saith the LORD, cHe that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.
c See ch.21.9; 32.3-5,28,29;24.8; 34.2,7?,19-22;ver.17-23;ch.xxxix. lii. 2 Ki.xxv. 2 Ch.xxxvi.
3 Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.
4 Therefore dthe princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death; for ethus 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 unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare2 of this people, but the hurt.
5 Then Zedekiah the king said, gBehold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.
6 Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the hdungeon3 of Malchiah the son of Hammelech,4 that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire; so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.5
* The description of this prison is sufficiently horrible, and it wonderfully contrasts with modern Christian efforts to secure comparative comfort to prisoners, in food, health, and sleep; and, as far as possible, to convert every prison into a school of reformation, instead of a seat of cruelty. That it is necessary, for the sake of truth, to call these efforts modern, is cause of humiliation—that these efforts have been, at last, successfully made, is cause of deep thankfulness to God. 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy,' Mat.5.7.—C.
h La.3.55. ch.37.15,16,21. 2 Co.4.8,9. He.11.36. Ps.109.5. Lu.3.19,20.
3 See note * in first column.
4 Or, the king.
5 The dungeon was doubtless an old cistern in which the water was exhausted. Jerusalem abounds in cisterns. In every large house there are two or three of them. Generally the only opening is a circular hole at the top, in the crown of the arched roof, through which the bucket is let down for water. A more horrible prison could scarcely be imagined; and a very brief confinement in such a place would have been fatal.—P.
7 Now when Ebed-melech ithe 6Ethiopian, one of the jeunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon, the king then ksitting7 in the gate of Benjamin,
i Ps.68.31; 87.4. Lu.10.30-33. ch.39.16-18.
6 A stranger, a Cushite, or not improbably a negro interferes for the prophet when so cruelly treated by his own kindred. But this need not be matter of wonder. Jesus 'came unto his own, and his own received him not:' they 'hated him without a cause,' and crucified him for his love!—C.
j ch.29.2;34.19.
k De.21.19; 22.15. Ru.4.1-11. Ps.69.12. Am.5.10,12,15.
7 Sitting as supreme judge, hearing causes and appeals, as was the custom of Jewish kings, 2 Sa.15.2.—C.
8 Ebed-melechl went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying,
l With ch.3.14,15. Jonah 3.10. Mat.8.10; 21.41,42.
9 My lord the king, these men nhave done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to8 die for hunger in the place where he is; ofor there is no more bread in the city.
10 Thenp the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence 9thirty men with thee,1 and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
11 So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts, and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
12 And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, qPut now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine arm-holes under the cords.2 And Jeremiah did so.
q Mar.12.42-44;14.3-9. 1 Co.1.27. Ep.4.32. Mat.10.41,42.
2 It is most probable Jeremiah had been let down into the dungeon naked. The skilful humanity of the Ethiopian is very remarkable, and suggests the idea, that Jeremiah was a large and heavy man, who, in his present state of debility, required much care and tenderness.—C.
13 So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and rJeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
r ch.37.21; 32.2,8; ver.28;ch.39.14-18.
14 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the 3third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, sI will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.
3 Or, principal, 1 Ki.10.5. 2 Ki.16.18.
s ch.21.2; 37.3,17. 1 Ki.22.16. ch.42.3,4,20.
15 Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, twilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?4
4 The interrogative form of the preceding sentence seems to require that this should also be a question, and not an affirmation, as the words might bear. By comparing this question with the king's reply, ver.16, the meaning appears to be, 'Wilt thou not (merely) hearken unto me,' to learn my message and report it to the princes my enemies?—C.
16 So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, uAs the LORD liveth, vthat made us this soul,5 I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of xthese men that seek thy life.
u He.6.16. 1 Sa.30.15. 2 Ki.2.2,4,6.
v Is.57.16. Zec.12.1. He.12.9. Nu.16.22; 27.16.
5 That made us living, spiritual, intelligent, and immortal. Comp. Is.57.16. Ps.16.10,11.—C.
x ver.1,4;ch.37.15.
17 Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the yGod of hosts, the zGod of Israel, aIf thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:
A.M. cir. 3415. B.C. cir. 589.
y Ps.80.7,14. Am.5.27.
z 1 Ch.17.24. Ezr.9.4.
a 2 Ki.24.12. Mat.16.25. ch.39.3. See ver.2.
18 But bif thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.
b ver.2,23; ch.27.11-17;21.4-14; 24.8-10; 32.3-5,28,29; 34.3,19-22; 37.8-10,17;39.5-7;52.7-11. 2 Ki.25.4-10. 2 Ch.36.12-19. La.4.20. Eze.12.13; 17.15-20; 21.25,26.
19 And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, cI am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.6
c Ju.9.54. 1 Sa.31.4. Pr.29.25.
6 Zedekiah is a melancholy example of that weakness of mind, that, seeing what is right, could wish to do it; but more dreads the world's 'loud laugh,' than it fears God's displeasure; and more courts the present applause of men, than the future honour that cometh of God.—C.
20 But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, dI beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy esoul shall live.
d Da.4.27. 2 Co.5.20. Phile.9. Is.1.19,20; 3.10,11. 2 Ch.20.20. Ja.1.22.
e Is.55.3.
21 But if thou grefuse to go forth, hthis is the word that the LORD hath showed me:
g Pr.1.30,31. Is.1.19,20.
h ver.18; ch.26.15. Eze.3.17. 1 Co.11.23. Ac.20.20,27.
22 And, behold, all the women that are left7 in the king of Judah's house, shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes; and thosei women shall say, Thy jfriends8 have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the kmire, and they are lturned away back.
7 This statement intimates either that a number of the women had fled to the Chaldeans, or that, in the present depressed state of Judah, the establishment had been greatly reduced.—C.
i 2 Ki.24.14,15. 2 Ch.36.13. ch.41.10;43.6.
8 Heb. the men of thy peace. ['Thy friends (thy pretended friends) have set thee on (encouraged thee to oppose the Chaldeans), and have prevailed against thee (thy better judgment weakly maintained); thy feet are sunk,' &c.—C.]
k Ps.69.2,14.
l Is.42.17.
23 Son they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans; and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but oshalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause9 this city to be burned1 with fire.
n 2 Ki.25.4,6. ch.39.6; 41.10; 43.6. See on ver.18.
o ch.52.8,13.
9 Heb. burn, &c.
1 Thou shalt cause this city to be burned—by thy weakness in yielding thine own judgment to the passionate importunity of the princes and populace.—C.
24 Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.
25 But if pthe princes 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 the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death: also what the king said unto thee:
p ver.1,4,5.
26 Then thou shalt say unto them, I2 presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.
27 Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded.3 So they left off speaking with4 him: for the matter was not perceived.
3 Though no man is authorized to tell a falsehood in order to escape an inconvenience or a danger, yet no man is bound to tell an enemy what that enemy does not ask, or what that enemy has no right to demand. The princes asked Jeremiah what he had said unto the king, not what the LORD had spoken by him. He answered them, therefore, in strict accordance with their question. He told them his own petition: he was silent about the LORD'S message by him, about which they had made no inquiry.—C.
4 Heb. were silent from.
Notes
Reflections.—It is better to submit to the rebukes of Providence than to contend with them. If we cannot have our liberties, let us never throw away our lives. And let God's ministers act faithfully and friendly, though impenitent sinners should reward them with hatred and murder. It forebodes ill when magistrates are daily growing worse [compare ch. xxvi. xxxiv. xxxvi.]; when great men weakly yield to their inferiors in the cause of God and truth; and when they who have a friendship for his faithful servants will not own it as they might in time of need, when perhaps their enemies attempt privately to murder them. But, lo, how God cares for them, and raises up and emboldens friends beyond expectation! How early Ethiopia stretches out her hands to God! And what sense of justice and piety is found in a Gentile, living amidst the most degenerate professors! With speed and compassion we ought to relieve the distressed; and with great meekness and earnestness should ministers instruct such as oppose themselves, and render good for evil. Nor is a readiness to die in the cause of truth inconsistent with every prudent precaution to preserve ourselves. Sinners fondly desire that God would alter his purposes or threatenings for their sake, even when they continue deaf to his admonitions, and refuse submission, the only real means of deliverance. They often deter themselves from duty by fears trifling and groundless; and that which they seek to avoid by sin is brought on them by the justice of God; and by sinning to avoid shame, they often bring both sin and ruin upon themselves and their subjects. To avoid shame, they will not avow before men the regard which their conscience obliges them to have for the faithful servants of God; nay, to preserve their reputation before wicked men, they will risk their eternal salvation. We had need then to be wise as serpents, as well as harmless as doves. And though we must never tell a lie, yet we must not tell all that we know to every impertinent inquirer.