Jeremiah38
English Standard Version
1Now the of , the of , the of , and the of the was to the ,
2 the Lord: He who in shall by the , by , and by , but he who goes to the shall . He shall have his as a , and .
3 the Lord: shall be into the of the of the of and be .
4Then the to the , this be put to , he is the of the who are in , and the of the , by to them. is the of , but their .
5 , , he is in your , the do against you.
6So they and him into the of , the , was in the of the , down by . was in the , but only , and in the .
7When the , who was in the , they had into the —the was in the —
8 the and to the ,
9My the , have done in they to the him into the , and he will , there is in the .
10Then the the , with , and the of the he .
11So the and to the of the , to a in the , and and , which he let to in the by .
12Then the to , the and your and the . .
13Then they with and him of the . And in the of the .
14 for the and him at the of the of the Lord. The to , I will you a ; me.
15 to , I you, will you put me to ? And I give you , you will to me.
16Then to , As the Lord , our , I will put you to you into the of your .
17Then to , the Lord, the of , the of : you to the of the of , then your shall be , and shall be with , and you and your shall .
18But you do to the of the of , then shall be into the of the , and they shall it with , and you shall their .
19 to , am of the who have to the , I be over and they with me.
20 , You shall be to them. the of the Lord in what I to you, and it shall be with you, and your shall be .
21But you to , is the the Lord has to me:
22 , the in the of the of were being led to the of the of and were , Your have you and against you; now that your are in the , they you.
23 your and your shall be led to the , and you yourself shall not their , shall be by the of , and shall be with .
24Then to , Let of , and you shall .
25 the I have with you and to you and to you, us you to the and the to you; us and we will put you to ,
26then you shall to them, a the that he would send me to the of to .
27Then the to and him, and he them the had him. So they with him, the had been .
28And in the of the the that was .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 38.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Jeremiah is cast into a dungeon, from whence he is delivered by an Ethiopian. (1-13). He advises the king to surrender to the Chaldeans. (14-28).
vv1-13
Jeremiah went on in his plain preaching. The princes went on in their malice. It is common for wicked people to look upon God's faithful ministers as enemies, because they show what enemies the wicked are to themselves while impenitent. Jeremiah was put into a dungeon. Many of God's faithful witnesses have been privately made away in prisons. Ebed-melech was an Ethiopian; yet he spoke to the king faithfully, These men have done ill in all they have done to Jeremiah. See how God can raise up friends for his people in distress. Orders were given for the prophet's release, and Ebed-melech saw him drawn up. Let this encourage us to appear boldly for God. Special notice is taken of his tenderness for Jeremiah. What do we behold in the different characters then, but the same we behold in the different characters now, that the Lord's children are conformed to his example, and the children of Satan to their master?
vv14-28
Jeremiah was not forward to repeat the warnings, which seemed only to endanger his own life, and to add to the king's guilt, but asked whether he feared to do the will of God. The less men fear God, the more they fear men; often they dare not act according to their own judgments and consciences.
Key Words
שְׁפַטְיָה: Shephatjah, the name of ten Israelites
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
מַתָּן: Mattan, the name of a priest of Baal, and of an Israelite
גְּדַּלְיָה: Gedaljah, the name of five Israelites
פַּשְׁחוּר: Pashchur, the name of four Israelites
יוּכַל: Jukal, an Israelite
שֶׁלֶמְיָה: Shelemjah, the name of nine Israelites
מַלְכִּיָּה: Malkijah, the name of ten Israelites
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
Cross References
Jeremiah 38Jeremiah sinking in the mire of the dungeon typifies the suffering Messiah in his deep affliction.
Supported by JFB
Identical prophetic warning that those who surrender to the Chaldeans will have their life for a prey.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Ebed-melech is promised personal deliverance from the city's fall as a reward for saving the prophet.
Supported by JFB
Parallel imagery of being brought up out of a horrible pit and the miry clay.
Supported by JFB
Contrast between the dry subterranean prison in Jonathan's house and this filthy, miry cistern.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Ebed-melech refers to the daily bread ration established for Jeremiah, which had now run out.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The princes use the exact same formula to demand Jeremiah's death for his prophecies.
Supported by JFB
Empty, waterless cisterns were commonly used as severe, escape-proof dungeons in ancient Israel.
Supported by JFB
An Ethiopian eunuch embraces God's servant, foreshadowing the inclusion and faith of the Gentiles.
Supported by JFB
The historical fulfillment of Jeremiah's warning when Zedekiah fled, was captured, and Jerusalem burned.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Zedekiah's confession of fear illustrates how the fear of man brings a dangerous snare.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jeremiah recalls being cast into the pit and having stones thrown upon him.
Supported by John Calvin
The mockers' song uses Zedekiah's own physical mire to describe his spiritual and political trap.
Supported by John Calvin
The king's anticipation of the princes' interrogation shows his utter lack of control.
Supported by John Calvin