Jeremiah 38
PATgiving any assistance to Zedekiah. (See 2 Kings xxiv. 7. Ezek. xvii. 17.) Upon the princes’ informing the king against Jeremiah, he is again thrown into the dungeon: but afterward released, • upon Ebed-melech’s supplication to the king, whom he advises to submit to the Chaldeans.
Jeremiah 38:1
JjJCAL the son of Shelemiah, andPashur the son ofMelkiah, &c. Some of those who were sent by Zedekiah to Jeremiah, to inquire of the Lord concerning the event of the siege. (See xxxvii. 3. xxi. 1. 9.) The answer which Jeremiah returned by them to the king, he afterward published to all the people, which was the occasion of the new troubles he fell into, recorded in this chapter.
Jeremiah 38:4
Therefore the princes said unto the king. See xxxvi. 12. 21. For thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war.] By making them despair of success.
Jeremiah 38:5
Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you. The king speaks as one who in such difficult times durst not contradict the great men about him: or else his answer implies, that it was properly the business of the Sanhedrin to take cognizance of the prophets. (See Luke xiii. 33. and Selden, dc Synedriis, lib. iii. cap. 9. n. 1.)
Jeremiah 38:6
Then they took Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Melchiah, that was in the court of the prison. Near the place where he was before, under a more gentle restraint. (See xxxii. 2. xxxvii. 21.) So Jeremiah sunk in the mire.] Some think that when he was in this dismal place, he made those mournful meditations which are set down in the third chapter of the Lamentations. (See the fifty-third and fifty-fifth verses of that chapter.)
Jeremiah 38:7
Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian. Huetius, in his treatise De Navigatione Solomonis, cap. 7. n. 7. observes out of Josephus, that Solomon, in his voyage to Tarshish, mentioned 1 Kings x. 22. amongst other merchandise, brought slaves from Ethiopia; which was likewise the practice of the Greeks and Romans in aftertimes, as he there proves by several testimonies: such a slave he supposes this Ebed-melech to have been, called here an eunuch, or officer of the king’s house. (Compare xxix. 2. xxxiv. 19.) In the Hebrew he is called the Chusite, which may likewise signify the Arabian. (See the note on xiii. 23.) Tlie king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin.] Princes and magistrates usually heard causes in the gates of the city. (See Deut. xxi. 19. xxii. 15. Ruth iv. 1. 11. Psal. Ixix. 12! Amos v. 10. 12. 15.) Concerning the gate of Benjamin, see xxxvii. 13.
Jeremiah 38:8
And the Chaldeans shall come again. See xxxiv. 22.
Jeremiah 38:9
My lord the king, these men have done evil, &c. This person, though only a proselyte, had a greater regard for God’s word, and the messenger that published it, than any of the great men of his own nation. (See xxxix. 18.) (Whom they have cast into the dungeon, and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is.] They needed not to have put him into the dungeon, he would have died of hunger, without adding the cruelty of that punishment.] * For there is no more bread in the city.] See xxxvii. 21. lii. 6.
Jeremiah 38:10
For though he had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans, &c. God himself will fight against you, so that there will be no need of any opposition from your enemies. (Compare xxi. 4, 5.) Where are now your prophets, &c] i. e. Your false prophets. (Compare xxvi. 7. xxix. 1.) The event hath now convinced you how much they have deceived you: for you see the siege renewed, and the city in imminent danger of being taken.
Jeremiah 38:12
Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem into the land of Benjamin. To Anathoth. (See i. 1.) To separate himself thence in the midst of his people.] Or rather, from the midst of his people, or, from among his people: for the preposition min is to be taken as belonging in common to the latter part of the sentence. And so the French translation, published for the use of the reformed churches, understands it to this sense, that Jeremiah purposed to leave the city, and retire into his own country.
Jeremiah 38:13
And when he was in the gate of Benjamin. The gate that leads towards the country of Benjamin. Irijah — the son of Hananiah.] Probably of that Hananiah whose death Jeremiah foretold, xxvii. 17. So this nephew of his thought to revenge his grandfather’s quarrel. Thoufallest away to the Chaldeans.] Compare xxxviii. 4. The ground of this accusation was, because the prophet had foretold that they should take the city, and had exhorted the Jews to submit to them. (See ver. 10. of this chapter, xxvii. G, &c. xxviii. 14. xxxiv. 2, 3.)
Jeremiah 38:14
Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. His foretelling the calamity that should come upon the nation, by the means of the Chaldeans, did not prove him to take their part, because at the same time he* gave advice both to king and people, how they, in some measure, might escape the judgments he had denounced against them: (xxii. 2, 3.-xxxviiF. 17. xviii. 11. xxxvi. 3. and the aote upon i v. 28.). • So Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.] To the chief officers of state. (See xxxvi. 12.). Ver. 1G. Wlxen Jeremiah tvas entered into the dungeon.] See xxxviii. G. And Jeremiah had remained there many days.] Till the Chaldean army had renewed the siege. (See ver. 19.) Then Zedekiah—sent,and took Jeremiah unto him into the third entry, that is in [or by] the house of the s Lord.] Dr. Lightfoot explains this of the third passage or gate which lay between the king’s palace, where the prison 4P
Jeremiah 38:21
Then Zedekiah commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison. A more favourable restraint. (See xxxii. 2.) Till all the bread of the city was spent.] Till the famine forced the city to surrender. (See lii. 6.) This was the king’s first order, but afterward it was reversed, by the importunity of the princes and great men, (xxxviii. G.) when Jeremiah was again thrown into the dungeon: though after that he was released from that place, and returned to his former confinement, (ibid. ver. 28.)