INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 38 This chapter is taken up in giving an account of Jeremiah's being cast into a dungeon; his deliverance from it; and private conversation with King Zedekiah. The occasion of the prophet's being cast into a dungeon was his discourse to the people, which four of the princes... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHEPHATIAH THE SON OF MATTAN, AND GEDALIAH THE SON OF PASHUR,.... Of these two persons we nowhere else read. Some think that Pashur, whose son Gedaliah was, is the same as is mentioned Jeremiah 20:1; which is not likely, since he was a priest, and this son a prince: AND JUCAL THE SON OF SHELE... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, HE THAT REMAINETH IN THIS CITY,.... Of Jerusalem; that does not go out of it, and surrender himself to the Chaldeans; but continues in it fighting against them: SHALL DIE BY THE SWORD, BY THE FAMINE, AND BY THE PESTILENCE; that is, by one or other of these: BUT HE THAT GOETH F... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, THIS CITY SHALL SURELY BE GIVEN INTO THE HAND OF THE KING OF BABYLON'S ARMY,.... When those found in it should be put to the sword, or carried captive: this the prophet declares with the greatest certainty; and what he had often affirmed for twenty years past, and now stands to... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THE PRINCES SAID UNTO THE KING,.... The four princes mentioned in Jeremiah 38:1, having heard what Jeremiah said to the people, laid the case before the king, and addressed him upon it in the following manner: WE BESEECH THEE, LET THIS MAN BE PUT TO DEATH; or, "let this man now be put to... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ZEDEKIAH THE KING SAID, BEHOLD, HE [IS] IN YOUR HAND,.... In your power, to do with him as you please. This is either a grant of the king, allowing them to do as they thought fit; or a declaration of their power, supposing them to be the princes of the sanhedrim, as Grotius thinks, to judge of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN TOOK THEY JEREMIAH,.... Having the king's leave, or at least no prohibition from him; they went with proper attendants to the court of the prison, and took the prophet from thence: AND CAST HIM INTO THE DUNGEON OF MALCHIAH THE SON OF HAMMELECH, THAT [WAS] IN THE COURT OF THE PRISON; this was a... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN EBEDMELECH THE ETHIOPIAN,.... The Targum renders it, "a servant of King Zedekiah;'' which Jarchi, and other writers, following, make Zedekiah to be the Ethiopian; so called, because as an Ethiopian differs in his skin, so Zedekiah differed in his righteousness, from the rest of his genera... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EBEDMELECH WENT FORTH OUT OF THE KING'S HOUSE,.... As soon as he heard of the prophet's distress, he immediately went out from his apartments in the king's palace, where he performed his office, and his business chiefly lay, or where he dwelt, to the gate of Benjamin, where the king was; and if... [ Continue Reading ]
MY LORD THE KING,.... He addresses him as a courtier, with great reverence and submission, and yet with great boldness: THESE MEN HAVE DONE EVIL IN ALL THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO JEREMIAH THE PROPHET; meaning the princes, who might be present, and whom he pointed at, and mentioned by name; which showed... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE KING COMMANDED EBEDMELECH THE ETHIOPIAN,.... Being affected with the case of the prophet; and repenting of the leave he had given the princes to do with him as they pleased, gave orders as follows: SAYING, TAKE FROM HENCE THIRTY MEN WITH THEE; from the place where the king was, the gate of... [ Continue Reading ]
SO EBEDMELECH TOOK THE MEN WITH HIM,.... The thirty men, as the king ordered: as soon as ever he had got the grant, he immediately set about the work, and lost no time to save the prophet's life: AND WENT UNTO THE HOUSE OF THE KING UNDER THE TREASURY; from the gate of Benjamin he went to the king's... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EBEDMELECH THE ETHIOPIAN SAID UNTO JEREMIAH,.... Being come to the dungeon, and at the mouth of it, he addressed him in a very humane and friendly manner, and directed him how to make use of the rags he let down for his ease and benefit: PUT NOW THESE OLD CAST CLOUTS AND ROTTEN RAGS UNDER THINE... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY DREW UP JEREMIAH WITH CORDS,.... The men that were with Ebedmelech, as many as were necessary; he overlooking, directing, and encouraging: AND HE TOOK HIM OUT OF THE DUNGEON; alive, according to the king's orders and design, and in spite of the prophet's enemies: the thing succeeded accordi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ZEDEKIAH THE KING SENT AND TOOK JEREMIAH THE PROPHET UNTO HIM,.... When the prophet was taken out of the dungeon, and brought to the court of the prison, of which the king had knowledge, he sent some person or persons to bring him to him, to have some private conversation with him: INTO THE TH... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JEREMIAH SAID UNTO ZEDEKIAH,.... Here follows the prophets answer, in which he tacitly desires to be excused saying any thing upon this head, since it might be attended with danger to himself, and be of no service to the king; and therefore prudently thought fit to come into some agreement with... [ Continue Reading ]
SO ZEDEKIAH THE KING SWORE SECRETLY UNTO JEREMIAH,.... The king not only gave the prophet his word, but also annexed to it his oath, that his life should be in no danger, either from him or his princes; this oath was made secretly, both for the honour of the king, he swearing to a subject, and that... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID JEREMIAH UNTO ZEDEKIAH,.... Being thus indemnified and secured by the king's word and oath, he proceeds freely to lay before the king the whole matter as from the Lord: THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE GOD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL; the prophet does not give the following advice in his own name... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THOU WILT NOT GO FORTH TO THE KING OF BABYLON'S PRINCES,.... And surrender to them: THEN SHALL THIS CITY BE GIVEN INTO THE HANDS OF THE CHALDEANS; if not willingly delivered up by the king of Judah, it shall be forcibly taken by the king of Babylon's army, through the permission of God; with... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ZEDEKIAH THE KING SAID UNTO JEREMIAH,.... In answer to this advice he gave him, persuading him to give up himself and the city into the hands of the Chaldeans: I AM AFRAID OF THE JEWS THAT ARE FALLEN TO THE CHALDEANS; who did go out of the city, and surrendered to the Chaldeans, whom Zedekiah h... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT JEREMIAH SAID, THEY SHALL NOT DELIVER [THEE],.... To take off the above excuse, or remove that objection, the prophet assures the king that the Chaldeans would never deliver him into the hands of the Jews; he might depend upon it, it would never be done: OBEY, I BESEECH THEE, THE VOICE OF THE L... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THOU REFUSE TO GO FORTH,.... Out of Jerusalem, to the Chaldean army, and submit to them: THIS [IS] THE WORD THAT THE LORD HATH SHOWED ME, or the thing which should certainly come to pass; the word of prophecy the Lord had showed to the prophet, and which he now declares to the king; who aske... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEHOLD, ALL THE WOMEN THAT ARE LEFT IN THE KING OF JUDAH'S HOUSE,.... That were left in the royal palace when Jehoiakim and Jeconiah were carried captives; or which were left of the famine and pestilence in, Zedekiah's house; or would be left there when he should flee and make his escape; meani... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY SHALL BRING OUT ALL THY WIVES AND THY CHILDREN TO THE CHALDEANS,.... Not the citizens of Jerusalem; but, as Kimchi observes, the Chaldeans that should enter the city shall bring them out to the Chaldeans without: or it may be rendered impersonally, "they shall be brought out": not only the l... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID ZEDEKIAH TO JEREMIAH,.... Not a word signifying his approbation of the counsel given him, or that he intended to take it; his silence showed the reverse: LET NO MAN KNOW OF THESE WORDS: that had passed between them; of the conference and conversation they had had together, at least not th... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THE PRINCES HEAR THAT I HAVE TALKED TO THEE,.... Which the king suspected they would; and could hardly think but somebody or other would see him and the prophet talking together; who would be officious enough to go and acquaint the princes with it, though he had endeavoured to be as private a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THOU SHALT SAY UNTO THEM,.... Here the king puts words into the prophet's mouth, what he should say to the princes, to put them off from inquiring further, and so keep the matter a secret: I PRESENTED MY SUPPLICATION BEFORE THE KING; or "caused [it] to fall" d; delivered it in an humble and su... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME ALL THE PRINCES TO JEREMIAH, AND ASKED HIM,.... After he had parted with the king, and was come back to the court of the prison; as soon as the princes had been informed of the interview between the king and the prophet, which soon came to their ears, they came in a body to him, to the cou... [ Continue Reading ]
SO JEREMIAH ABODE IN THE COURT OF THE PRISON,.... Where he was ordered to be by the king, before he was cast into the dungeon, and where he was replaced by Ebedmelech; and which was now confirmed by the king, and here he continued: UNTIL THE DAY THAT JERUSALEM WAS TAKEN; but how long it was from hi... [ Continue Reading ]