Jeremiah 38
OGCREVIEW OF CHAPTER SIXTEEN
I. Facts to Master
The man Nebuchadnezzar put on the throne as the last king of Judah (Jeremiah 37:1).
The names of the two messengers who Zedekiah sent to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:3).
Jeremiah’s personal condition at this time (Jeremiah 37:4).
The time of the request (Jeremiah 37:5).
Jeremiah’s prediction regarding the Egyptian army (Jeremiah 37:7).
Name of the arresting officer and the accusation he made against Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:13).
That which the princes did to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:15).
The nature of the area in which Jeremiah was imprisoned (Jeremiah 37:16).
The results of a secret interview between Jeremiah and Zedekiah (Jeremiah 37:17-21).
The place where Jeremiah was put when he continued to openly advocate surrender (Jeremiah 38:1-6).
The name and nationality of the person who rescued Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:7).
The place where Jeremiah remained until the Chaldeans conquered the city (Jeremiah 38:13; Jeremiah 38:28).
Two important dates in the reign of Zedekiah (Jeremiah 39:1-2).
The place where Zedekiah was captured (Jeremiah 39:5).
Nebuchadnezzar’s military headquarters (Jeremiah 39:5).
The last sight seen by Zedekiah before his eyes were put out (Jeremiah 39:6).
The Chaldean general who was in charge at the destruction of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 39:9).
Those who were left in the land (Jeremiah 39:10).
Person to whom Jeremiah was committed (Jeremiah 39:14).
Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning Ebed-melech (Jeremiah 39:15-18).
II. Questions to Ponder
For what reason did Jeremiah desire to leave Jerusalem during the lull in the siege? (Jeremiah 37:11-12).
What are two possible interpretations of the phrase in the midst of the people? (Jeremiah 37:12).
During the reign of Jehoiakim the princes were favorable to Jeremiah. How can you account for the change in attitude on the part of the princes in the reign of Zedekiah?
Why have a jail in the home of a scribe? (Jeremiah 37:15).
Evaluate the attitude of king Zedekiah toward Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:2 ff.; Jeremiah 37:17; Jeremiah 38:5; Jeremiah 38:14; Jeremiah 38:19; Jeremiah 38:24).
What excuses did Zedekiah give for not surrendering to the Chaldeans? (Jeremiah 38:19).
Why did not Zedekiah wish the princes to know he had spoken to Jeremiah? (Jeremiah 38:25). Did Jeremiah lie when questioned by the princes? (Jeremiah 38:26-27).
Jeremiah 38:1-6
C. Imprisoned by the Princes Jeremiah 38:1-6
TRANSLATION
(1) And Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur, the son of Malchiah heard the words which Jeremiah was speaking unto all the people, saying, Thus says the LORD: The one who dwells in this city shall die by the sword, famine, or pestilence. But the one who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live; his life will be his spoil and he will live. (3) Thus says the LORD: This city shall certainly be given into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will capture it. (4) Consequently the princes said to the king, it is our request that this man be put to death, for in this manner he is weakening the hands of the fighting men who remain in this city and all the people as well, by speaking these words. This man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm. (5) And king Zedekiah said, Behold, he is in your hand; for the king cannot oppose you in any way. (6) And they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard; and they let Jeremiah down by ropes. In the dungeon there was no water but mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud.
COMMENTS
The imprisonment in the court of the guard afforded Jeremiah the opportunity to communicate the message of God once again. He seems to have been able to converse with the soldiers who defended the city as well as with the general populace (cf. Jeremiah 32:9; Jeremiah 32:12). Meanwhile the final stage of the siege of Jerusalem had come. It was only a matter of days until the city would fall to the Chaldeans. The princes, highly displeased with the leniency being shown the prophet, watched his every move. Four princes in particular seem to have been particularly bitter enemies. Shephatiah is mentioned only here. The second prince named is Gedaliah. His father Pashur is probably the one who had put Jeremiah in the stocks earlier in his ministry (Jeremiah 20:1-2). Jucal (or Jehucal) was one of the princes sent by the king only a few weeks before to request Jeremiah to pray for the city. Pashur was one of the messengers of the king who had visited Jeremiah in an earlier interview (Jeremiah 21:1).
There in the court of the guard Jeremiah openly proclaimed the message he had been preaching ever since the Chaldean armies had first appeared in the land. Those who defected to the Chaldeans would escape with their lives; those who remained within Jerusalem were doomed (Jeremiah 38:2) for the Lord would shortly give the city into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 38:3). The princes were both alarmed and angered by such public proclamation. They rushed to Zedekiah and demanded that Jeremiah be put to death for high treason.
The charge against Jeremiah, that he weakened the hands of the men of war, is no doubt an accurate assessment of the impact of the preaching of Jeremiah. The phrase men of war that remain suggests that many had gone over to the Chaldeans (see also Jeremiah 38:19). The public statements of the prophet could well be classified as treason were it not for one fact. The words which Jeremiah spoke were not his own but the divine message which he had been charged to proclaim. It was Yahweh, the true sovereign of Israel, who was instructing and commanding His subjects to capitulate to the Chaldeans. The predictions of Jeremiah thus far had proven to be accurate thereby accrediting Jeremiah as a true spokesman of God. Only those who were spiritually blind could fail to see that Jeremiah was truly speaking the word of God.
For what they regarded as treason the princes demanded that Jeremiah be put to death (Jeremiah 38:4). The struggle against the Chaldeans was literally a matter of life and death. In the view of these princes Jeremiah by his public stance against further resistance was playing into the hand of the enemy. They would let the people perish rather than surrender! Now they were attempting to silence the only voice of reason and revelation in the entire city, How wrong they were when they declared that this man is no longer seeking the welfare of the people but their hurt (Jeremiah 38:4). Jeremiah was the only true friend which the people had left.
Weak-kneed Zedekiah capitulated to the demands of his princes. Behold he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you (Jeremiah 38:5). What little influence Zedekiah might previously have had over his princes had eroded. He is only a puppet in their hands now. He does not even attempt to argue the point with them. What a cowardly abdication of responsibility! What a shameful betrayal of duty!
Having gone through the formality of gaining the consent of the king, the murderers hurried Jeremiah off to his doom. They did not want his blood on their hands! Their plan was much more cruel. They cast Jeremiah into I cistern which served as a dungeon. This particular cistern, located in the court of the guard, was under the charge of Malchiah the son of Hammelech (lit., the son of the king), Malchiah seems to have been a member of the royal family if not a son of Zedekiah himself. So deep was the cistern that they had to let Jeremiah down into it with ropes. Though there was no water in the cistern the bottom of it was covered by a thick layer of mud. Slowly the prophet sunk into the mire. The pitiless princes wished this spokesman for God to die a slow, torturous, and frightful death. Unbelief makes men intolerant of God’s spokesmen; intolerance makes men cruel. There they left him. They were. rid of him. They had effectively silenced God’s messenger. The dungeon experience is without question the lowest point in the life of Jeremiah. He was now aged and perhaps infirm. The siege and famine in Jerusalem had doubtlessly taken its toll. Yet it should be noted that no word of protest is lodged, no cry of revenge, no prayer of imprecation. Through the long bitter years of his ministry Jeremiah had learned the way of patient endurance. He had learned to cast himself upon the Lord and trust Him for deliverance.
Jeremiah 38:7-13
D. Rescued by Ebed-melech Jeremiah 38:7-13
TRANSLATION
(7) And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian. one of the eunuchs attached to the household if the king, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon. Now the king was sitting in the Benjamin gate; (8) and Ebed-melech went out from the house of the king and spoke unto the king, saying, (9) O my lord the king, these men have done evil in regard to all which they have done to Jeremiah the prophet in that they have cast him into the dungeon. He is as good as dead because there is no more bread any longer in the city. (10) And the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take with you from here thirty men and bring up Jeremiah from the dungeon before he dies. (11) And Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, the part under the storeroom, and took from there some worn-out and tattered garments and let them down to Jeremiah in the dungeon by ropes. (12) And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put please these worn-out and tattered garments under your armpits beneath the ropes. And Jeremiah did so. (13) Then they pulled Jeremiah up by the ropes and got him out of the dungeon. Thereafter Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
COMMENTS
God had not forgotten His faithful prophet. He still had a service to render to his King. That dungeon would not become a death chamber for Jeremiah. God stirred up the heart of a negro eunuch who was attached to the court of Zedekiah to take pity upon the prophet and to intercede on his behalf. When Ebed-melech heard of the imprisonment of Jeremiah he was filled with righteous indignation against the princes and courageous compassion with regard to the prophet. Ebed-melechwhose name means servant of the kingmust have been a friend and follower of Jeremiah. He was an Ethiopian eunuch doubtlessly in charge of Zedekiah’s harem. Ebed-melech was putting his position if not his life on the line when he rushed to the gate of Benjamin to plead for the life of Jeremiah. What amazing courage this humble man was able to muster in the face of a gross injustice to a friend.
As he stands before the judgment seat of the king the Ethiopian slave humbly (My lord, the king) and yet forcefully made his case. He accused the princes of absolute wickedness in their plot against the man of God. He pleaded that he might be permitted to rescue Jeremiah before he died of hunger and exposure (Jeremiah 38:9). Knowing the age and infirmity of the prophet Ebed-melech is confident that Jeremiah is already at death’s door in that dismal dungeon. There must have been a note of urgency in the appeal of this noble servant as he pleaded for the life of his friend. Ebed-melech has been charged with exaggeration when he said there is no more bread in the city. He probably meant no more than that the public stores of grain were exhausted. As a royal servant he probably would have some knowledge of this. His point is that Jeremiah should be released since there would be small chance that any of the scanty provisions left in the city would reach Jeremiah in the place where he was confined.
Zedekiah may have been shocked to learn what the ruthless princes had done with Jeremiah, While he had relinquished all authority in the case and had turned the man of God over to his adversaries the king had probably assumed that the princes would at least be humane in their treatment of Jeremiah. His own guilty conscience no doubt had been bothering him ever since he had told those princes Behold he is in your hand. Now he attempts to right the wrong which he had committed. He pants permission for Ebed-melech to rescue Jeremiah from his place of imprisonment. Lest the princes try to forcibly prevent the rescue operation, Ebedmelech is instructed to take thirty men to assist him. Zedekiah knew enough of his princes to realize that a show of force would be necessary under the circumstances.
Armed with royal permission to rescue the prophet, Ebed-melech hastened to the task. On his way to the court of the guard he stopped at the royal house (not necessarily the king’s residence) which was under the national treasure house. There he gathered some old rags and then hastened on to the cistern where Jeremiah was confined. At the mouth of the cistern he let these rags down to Jeremiah by ropes telling the prophet to pad his armpits with them before securing the ropes around his chest. How thoughtful and gentle this deliverer! The suction of the mud and the weight of Jeremiah’s body would serve to put tremendous strain under the arms. The rough ropes would have cut deeply into the flesh of the old man. But Ebed-melech had taken all this into consideration and now instructs the prophet to protect himself against it. Slowly, ever so gently, Ebed-melech and his men hoisted the helpless prophet to light, fresh air, solid earth and a measure of freedom (Jeremiah 38:13). Jeremiah remained a prisoner in the court of the guard until Jerusalem fell to the Chaldeans (Jeremiah 38:28).
Jeremiah 38:14-26
E. Interviewed by the King Jeremiah 38:14-26
TRANSLATION
(14) Zedekiah the king sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought unto him at the third entrance of the house of the LORD. And the king said unto Jeremiah, I am about to inquire about a matter; do not hide anything from me. (15) And Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen unto me! (16) And king Zedekiah swore unto Jeremiah in secret, saying, As the LORD lives who has made for us this soul, I will not put you to death or give you into the hands of the men who are seeking your life. (17) And Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, Thus says the LORD the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will only go forth unto the princes of the king of Babylon, then you shall live, and this city shall not be burned and you and your house shall live. (18) But if you do not go out unto the princes of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hands of the Chaldeans; and they shall burn it and you shall not be able to escape out of their hand. (19) And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted unto the Chaldeans, lest they give me into their hand and they abuse me. (20) Jeremiah replied, They will not give you into their hand. Obey, I beg you, the voice of the LORD in what I am speaking unto you, that it may be well with you and you may live. (21) But if you refuse to go out this is the word which the LORD has shown me: (22) Then behold, all the women who remain in the house of the king of Judah shall be led forth unto the princes of the king of Babylon; and they shall say, Your good friends have deceived you and prevailed over you; while your feet have sunk into the mud, they have turned back from you. (23) And all of your wives and your children they shall lead out unto the Chaldeans, and you yourself will not escape from their hand, but by the hand of the king of Babylon You shall be seized, and this city you shall burn. (24) And Zedekiah said unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of this conversation in order that you may not die. (25) And if the princes hear that I have spoken with you and they come unto you and say, Declare now to us what you spoke unto the king and the king spoke to you; do not hide anything from US, and we will not put you to death; (26) then say unto them: I presented my petition before the king that he not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan to die there.
COMMENTS
Shortly after Jeremiah’s rescue from the cistern King Zedekiah summoned him for another interview. The situation in Jerusalem had further deteriorated since the two men had faced each other before. Provisions in the city were exhausted. Chaldean battering rams continued to relentlessly pound the walls of Jerusalem in spite of all the defenders did to drive them off. It would only be a matter of weeks and a breach would be made in the walls and the enemy would come pouring through to completely overwhelm the faint and sickly inhabitants. Surely now in this desperation there would be hope from the Lord. Surely now that Zedekiah has permitted Jeremiah to be rescued from sure death the prophet would have some kind word. How completely the king misunderstands this messenger from God. Those who unflinchingly preach the word of God will always be a source of perplexity and bafflement to those who live by the rule of compromise and accommodation.
The prophet was taken to the third entrance of the Temple. Streane suggests that this was a chamber connected with a passage leading from the palace to the Tempie. It may be identical with that which is elsewhere called the king’s entry (2 Kings 16:18). It must have been a somewhat secluded spot. There, probably in the darkness of night, Zedekiah urged Jeremiah to honestly answer his petitionnot to withhold anything (Jeremiah 38:14). The king was frantic; desperation was in his voice. He wanted to know the final issue of the siege.
Jeremiah knew the king really did not want to hear what he had to say. Somewhat sarcastically he said, If I tell you will you not put me to death? and if I give you counsel you will not hear me[330] (Jeremiah 38:15), The desperate king then swore that he would not harm Jeremiah nor permit the princes to do so (Jeremiah 38:16). The form of the oath is somewhat unique. As the Lord lives who made this soul. The Hebrew word nephesh here as usual in the Old Testament means life. Since God was the creator of life it was within His power to take it away, if the speaker should prove untrue to his word. Convinced that Zedekiah was sincere in his oath, Jeremiah delivered the word of the Lord to him. It is the same message which Jeremiah had presented to king and people on numerous occasions: liberty and life are yours if you surrender to the Chaldeans; defeat and death lay ahead if you continue to resist (Jeremiah 38:17-18).
[330] The last clause of Jer 38:15 is not a question in the Hebrew but a simple declarative sentence. Jeremiah knew from his five past interviews with the king that his message would not be accepted.
Zedekiah had certainly pondered the alternative of surrender. This tortured little weakling now confided in Jeremiah the reason why he had elected to hold out in Jerusalem until the bitter end. I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand and they mock me (Jeremiah 38:19). Zedekiah feared that those Jews who earlier had deserted to the enemy would be especially severe with him because he had caused the city to endure the miseries of a siege. How contemptible! A man who feared the Jews in the camp of the enemy more than the God who time and again had demanded his allegiance. A man who put personal welfare about the welfare of his people.
Jeremiah immediately assured the king that his fears regarding the Jews on the outside would not be realized if he would but surrender. I beseech you, says the prophet, obey the voice of the Lord. If you will only surrender all will be well with you! (Jeremiah 38:20). On the other hand Jeremiah warned Zedekiah that if he resisted the Chaldeans to the bitter and inevitable end the very members of his own household would turn upon him in unsympathetic mockery. Jeremiah pictures the women of the haremthe wives and concubines and their attendantsmarching out of the city as captives of the Chaldeans chanting a proverbial taunt-song[331] aimed at Zedekiah.
[331] Essentially the same proverb appears in Obadiah 1:7.
Thy friends have set thee on
and have prevailed against thee; thy
feet are sunk in the mire
and they are turned away back (KJV)
This taunt-song pictures one naively being led by those he trusted out into a swampy bog, and when he has become mired in the muck they have gone back instead of helping him. The friends are of course Zedekiah’s princes and counselors who had urged him on in the hopeless struggle and then are unable to suggest any course of action which would extricate the king from his difficulties. The phrase set thee on (KJV) perhaps is better rendered deceived as in the Revised Standard Version.
The fifth and final conference between Zedekiah and Jeremiah ends with a strong emotional appeal to the king. The prophet makes three final points. If Zedekiah continued to resist the Chaldeans (1) he would shortly see those he held most dearhis wives and childrenbeing led out as spoils of war to the enemy soldiers; (2) he himself would not escape from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar; and (3) the king through his obstinacy would have to bear the ultimate responsibility for the destruction of Jerusalem as though he himself had set the torch to the beloved city (Jeremiah 38:23). These are strong and daring words which Jeremiah spoke. He knew it was his last chance. Perhaps for the sake of his wives and children, for the sake of his own life, for the sake of the holy city and its thousands of inhabitants Zedekiah would heed at last the word of the Lord.
Jeremiah 38:27-28
F. Questioned by the Princes Jeremiah 38:27-28
TRANSLATION
(27) And all the princes came unto Jeremiah and questioned him; and he told them according to all the words which the king commanded. Then they dropped the matter, for the conversation had not been overheard. (28) And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured; and he was there when Jerusalem was captured.
COMMENTS
The interview with Jeremiah closed, not with the king accepting and acting upon the word of the prophet, but with a request that the princes not be told of the conversation. Let no man know of these words and you shall not die (Jeremiah 38:24). The king carefully instructed Jeremiah as to what he should say if the princes interrogate him. Jeremiah should tell them that he had petitioned the king not to cause him to return to the dungeon in the house of Jonathan to die there (Jeremiah 38:25-26). The precautions of the king were well taken for shortly the princes pounced upon Jeremiah, probing him with questions about the interview with the king. Jeremiah calmly answered them as he had promised the king. It was the truth as far as it went. Jeremiah did not tell the inquisitive princes the whole truth nor was he obligated to do so. Those princes did not have a right to know the full contents of the privileged conversation between the king and his spiritual counselor. To withhold information from those not entitled to it cannot by any stretch of the imagination be construed as falsehood. By speaking this half-truth Jeremiah protected not only himself but the monarch as well. Jeremiah’s answer seemed to satisfy the princes and they did not broach the subject to him any more for the conversation had not been overheard (Jeremiah 38:27). Without further harassment Jeremiah was permitted to remain in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was captured by the Chaldeans (Jeremiah 38:28).[332] The last clause of Jer 38:28 as it is rendered in the King James Version is an impossible translation of the Hebrew. Actually this clause should be the introductory clause of chapter 39. At several places in the English versions bad chapter divisions have been made. The student should remember that the Scriptures were not originally written in Chapter s and verses.
[332] The intention of this verse is merely to account for the whereabouts of Jeremiah up to the date of the capture of the city without making any assertion beyond that date. Actually it was some four weeks after the fall of the lower city of Jerusalem before Nebuzaradan arrived with instructions to free Jeremiah. Perhaps Nebuzaradan was present to direct the final assault on the upper city. This cannot be ascertained for certain.