Jeremiah 38:1-13

Four of the princes (Jeremiah 37:15) hear Jeremiah (confined in the guard-court, Jeremiah 37:21) foretelling the fall of the city and advising individual surrender (cf. Jeremiah 21:9 f.). They denounce him to the king as a source of weakness to the defence, and Zedekiah gives him over to them. They lower him into the mud of a waterless cistern in the guard-court, belonging to a royal prince (Jeremiah 36:26, note). This is reported to the king by a negro eunuch called Ebed-melech (Jeremiah 39:15), who points out that he will die on the spot for want of food (he would lose the special court rations of Jeremiah 37:21). The king authorises Ebed-melech to take men (thirty should probably be three) to draw Jeremiah up; this is carefully done, torn and tattered rags (Driver) being first lowered to protect the armpits from the ropes.

Jeremiah 38:5. LXX reads for the king was not able to do anything against them.

Jeremiah 38:7. eunuch: in charge of the harem, Jeremiah 38:22.