Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah 38:14-28

In this chapter, just as in the former, 1. Jeremiah, for his faithfulness, is put into the dungeon by the princes, ver. 1—6. 2. At the intersection of Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, by special order from the king, he is taken up out of the dungeon, and confined only to the court of the prison, ver. 7—12. 3. He has a private conference with the king upon the present juncture of affairs, ver. 14—23. 4. Care is taken to keep that conference private, ver. 24—28.

1. THEN Shephariah the son of Mattaw, and Gedaliah the son of Pašhur, and Jucat the son of Shelemiah, and Pašhur the son of Malchiah, heard the words ’that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying, 2. Thus faith the LORD, ‘He that remain, ’eth 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. 3. Thus faith the LORD, ‘This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it. 4. Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, ’let this man be put to death; for that he weakneeth 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 + welfare of this people, but the hurt. 5. Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, 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 dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mine: so Jeremiah took in the mist. 7. Now when ‘Ebed-melech’ the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon, (the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin) 8. Ebed-melech went forth out of the king’s house, and spoke to the king, saying, 9. My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon, and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is, for there is no more bread in the city. 10. Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, 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, Put now these old cast clouts, and rotten rags, under thine arm-holes, under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. 13. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon, and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

2. 1—13. Jeremiah’s troubles are not yet ended. We have here.

3. A fresh accusation brought against him by the princes. Though he was a prisoner, many came to him, whom he failed not faithfully to admit with the determined destruction of Jerusalem, and to thundled them, as the only way of securing their lives, to cast themselves on the mercy of the Chaldeans, who would certainly spare all those who surrendered, whilst they who profited in a fluidist defence would miserably perish by families, pestilences, and the sword. Such defence is the princes regarded as highly treasonable, tending to weaken the hands of the people, and betray the city; like therefore would they have the king put him to death as a publick enemy, who fought not

The welfare of the people, but their hurt. Note, (1.) It is a mercy, in times of calamity, if but our lives are given us for a prey. (2.) The enemies of God’s faithful ministers relate pains then as trainers, and troublers of the state, when, in truth, all their warnings and advice are designed purely for the lengthening the nation’s prosperity.

2. Jeremiah is, by the king’s permission, put into the dungeon. Unable to resist the authority of the princes in the present distracted state of things, or willing to gratify them, though at the expense of sacrificing a man whom he knew to be innocent, and a prophet of the Lord, he is given up to their hands, and from them he must expect no mercy. They drag the prophet from the court of the prison unto another, over which Midehiah presided; and, intending secretly to destroy him, which they dared not publicly do, they let him down with words into a deep, a noisome dungeon, where was no water, but more, into which he sunk, faith Josephus, up to the neck, and there left him, not doubting his hunger, cold, the damp and loathsomeness of the place, would soon put an end to him, and then he would appear to have died a natural death. Here he is supposed to have offered the prayer recorded Lam. iii. 55-57.

3. God yet remembers him, and raises him up a friend at court, when his case appeared desperate. Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian by birth, but possessed of more humanity and piety than any native Israelite; a great man in office, yet a good man in the worst times, and most corrupted court; not ashamed to own the suffering cause of God and truth; no sooner heard he the prophet’s miserable situation than he immediately fought the king, who was now sitting in the gate of Benjamin bearing castes, or holding some council of war or State; and boldly, as the presence of all his nobles, and many of the princes probably who were the authors of Jeremiah’s suffering, charges them with a most unjust and cruel procedure, and the consequences must necessarily be the prophet’s death, famished with hunger, unless speedily relieved. Note, Zeal for God makes men bold as lions.

4. Zedekiah gives Ebed-melech orders immediately to draw the prophet from his dungeon, and a guard of soldiers to saith him, if any dared attempt to oppose his release; and, with the ground humanity and tenderness, he took care to bring some soft rags to put under Jeremiah’s arms, that the cords which drew him up might not hurt him; and may, once more brought forth from the dark and dismal pit, he is reconveyed to the court of the prison. Probably Ebed-melech thought that later for the prophet than his discharge, as he would be there declared from danger, and fed from the king’s stores. Note, (1.) When we dare be faithful, we shall often find more favour than we expected. (2.) The least circumstances that bespeak the tenderness and humanity of a charitable heart shall be remembered and recommended at the resurrection of the jolt.

Chap. xxviii. 19. 1 Kings see. 16. 1 Or preuged. 16. fol. 16. Chap. xxix. 5. 1 Kings xxx. 15. 1 Heb. The word of peace. Chap. xxix. 6.

24. ¶ Then * Zedekiah the king sent and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into * the third entry that is in the house of the LORD; and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing: hide nothing from me. 15. Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, will thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, will thou not hearken unto me? 16. So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, At the LORD liveth, * that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life. 17. Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD the God of hosts, the God of Israel, If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto * the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burnt with fire, and thou shalt live, and thine house. 18. But if 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. 19. And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, left they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. 20. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee: obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live. 21. But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath flowed me: 22. And behold, all the women * that are left in the king of Judah’s house, shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those means shall say, They friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mine, and they are nursed away back. 23. So they shall bring out all thy wives and * thy children to the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the

king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burnt with fire. 24. ¶ Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die. 25. But if the princes hear that I have walked 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: 26. Then thou shalt say unto them, * I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to * Jerusalem’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: so they § left off speaking with him, for the matter was not perceived. 28. So Jeremiah abode * in the court of the prison, until the day that Jerusalem was taken, and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.

Severe struggles, no doubt, passed in the bosom of this unhappy monarch, halting between two opinions, divided between the fear of man and the fear of God, and perplexed with the warnings of conscience and the shivings of corruption.

1. He seeks another interview with the prophet; appoints the place of meeting, for secrecy probably, at the third entry or gate, as it is supposed, of the advent that went up from the king’s house to the temple; and, having ordered the prophet thither, he came to him, earnestly adjusting him to tell him if he had any farther used from the Lord; in hopes, perhaps, there might be some comfort yet in store for him. Vain expectation! which his heart continued impenitent and unhumbled.

2. Before he answers the king’s question he begs a solemn assurance from him, that he will not put him to death for speaking the truth; and, what was as much his concern as his own preservation, that he would follow the advice he gave him, v. 15. Note, (1.) Readiness to die in the cause of truth is one at all inconsistent with every prudent precaution to preserve our lives. (2.) Ministers have the most earnest solicitude that sinners should hear and comply with the advice on which their life, their eternal life, depends.

3. The king solemnly swears to save him harmless, as the Lord irons, who made us this soul, may be take my life, if ever I attempt to destroy thee. He will not himself put him to death, nor suffer the princes to hurt him. As to obeying the advice, he is silent; designing to follow it only so far as it pleased him.

4. Jeremiah fairly sets before him the only step which yet remained to be taken, in order to preserve himself and the city. By an immediate surrender, and calling himself on the clemency of the king of Babylon, the city should be preserved from ruin, himself be permitted to live in peace, if not in splendor, and his family be preserved: but, if he refused, there was no hope; the Chaldeans would infallibly force their way into it, and burn the city with fire; and, though he might attempt to escape, he should certainly be friend. Note, There is but one way that sinners can be safe, and that is by an entire submission to the righteousness of God, and calling their fools on the mercy of God revealed in the gospel. They who refuse to do this must perish.

5. Zedekiah hesitates, and suggests his fears of the ignominy he should be exposed to, if the Chaldeans delivered him up to the Jews who had fallen to them, who would now treat him with contempt, or revenge themselves on him for the threatenings he had uttered against them for defaming him: fear is themselves indeed groundless, and especially when, in obedience to a divine command, he can himself to the Lord’s protection. Note, (1.) When our foolish reasoning is heard, in opposition to God’s word, we are here to act wrong. (2.) For fear of being laughed at, many dare not seek to be saved. (3.) Many terrific themselves with groundless apprehensions of danger, when the path of duty is the only path of safety.

6. Jeremiah discures the objection with an assurance that his form were without foundation. They will not deliver thee up, but want thee with respect and kindness: it shall be well with thee, and thy soul shall live. But, as each moment of delay was dangerous, he urges him to an immediate compliance with the voice of God; otherwise the reproach he feared would come more bitterly upon him from his own house, who would upheard his folly for hearkening to the false prophets, those persuaded friends, but not enemies, to his peace, when he might have prevented their ruin and his own by hearkening to Jeremiah: for the city shall be taken, his wives and children dragged forth to the tents of the Chaldeans, himself unable to escape, and made prisoner by the king of Babylon; and he will cause Jerusalem to be burnt with fire through his folly and oblivency. Note, (1.) They who seek by sin to avoid shame will not expose themselves more bitterly to the reproach they desire to them. (2.) Wicked rulers are chargeable with all the evils they bring upon their unhappy subjects.

7. They pass heresymen; Zedekiah not being persuaded to yield Chap. xxxix. 20. 1. Chap. xxxix. 21. 1. Heb. Mere blue from him. 1. Chap. xxxix. 22. 1. Heb. Mere blue from him. 1. Chap. xxxix. 23. 1. Heb. Mere blue from him. 1. Chap. xxxix. 24.

yield to his advice, and, for the sake of his reputation, willing to keep the subject of this conference a secret from the princes, who would probably bear of it, and be curious to know what passed: he therefore confirms his promise of proceeding him, if he commanded the conversation; but charges him not to divulge to them any thing he had said, except his request not to be sent back again to Jonathan’s house, to die there; which request, no doubt, the prophet had made: and when the princes came to Jeremiah, with this he easily put them off, and thus abode in safety in the court of the prison, till Jerusalem was taken. Now, (1.) Many artfully greater concern for their worldly reputation, than for their salvation. (2.) We are not always obliged to call all we know to every impertinent enquirer. Tho’ we must never utter an untruth, we may safely conceal what others have no right to know, and it would be dangerous to ourselves to discover. The wisdom of the serpent is commendable, when joined to the harmlessness of the dove.