1Jeremiah, accused of disheartening the people by his prophecies, is cast into the dungeon of Malchiah; 7out of which he is taken at the earnest entreaty of Ebed-melech. 14In a secret conference he counselleth the king to save himself and the city by submitting to the Chaldeans. 24By the king's instructions he concealeth from the princes the matter of the conference.
1THEN Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, 1heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto 2all the people, saying,
1 See the continuation of these words in verse 4.
2 Those who came to him in the court of the custody and spread from there his words among all the people.
2Thus saith the LORD, Hea that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall 3live; for he shall have his 4life for a 5prey, and shall live.
a Jer. 21:9.
3 That is, remain alive; God will cause that the Chaldeans shall spare him, and grant him his life.
4 Or, his soul, that is, his life. See Gen. 19 on verse 17.
5 As Jer. 21:9.
3Thus saith the LORD, This city shall 6surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.
6 Hebr. being given be given.
4Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he 7weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the 8welfare 9of this people, but the 10hurt.
7 See 2 Sam. 4 on verse 1.
8 That is, prosperity, preservation. See Gen. 37 on verse 14.
9 Or, for this people no peace, but evil.
10 That is destruction, mishap.
5Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the 11king is not he that can do any thing against you.
11 That is, I. Other, the king is not he that can do anything against you.
6Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the 12dungeon of Malchiah the son 13of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the 14mire.
12 Seeking to put him to death secretly.
13 Or, of the king, as Jer. 36:26.
14 Compare Psalm 40:2; 69:2.
7¶Now when Ebed-melech the 15Ethiopian, one 16of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the 17gate of Benjamin;
15 Hebr. Cuschi, a stranger, but more devout than Jeremiah’s own countrymen. See Gen. 2 on verse 13; Gen. 10 on verse 6.
16 Hebr. a man a chamberlain or courtier. See Gen. 37 on verse 36.
17 Perhaps to keep court, which then was wont to be kept in the city-gates. See Gen. 22 on verse 17, and compare verse 10. Perhaps also to view something in the siege, or to give order concerning something.
8Ebed-melech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying,
9My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger 18in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.
18 Where he was. Compare 2 Sam. 2:23 with the annotation. As if he said: He was indeed as good as dead, why then should they thus cruelly take away his life?
10Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men 19with thee, and 20take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
19 Hebr. in thy hand, that is, take them with thee, under thy conduct, command, for thy service. See of this manner of speech 2 Sam. 8 on verse 10. Also in the next verse.
20 Hebr. cause him to come up, to ascend.
11So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence 21old 22cast cloutsb and old 23rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
21 Hebr. old of the torn, etc., that is, some of the oldest, etc. Compare the manner of speech with Judges 5:29; Prov. 14:1; Ezek. 28:7, etc.
22 Namely, of clothes taken off, laid down, as some conceive, since the Hebrew word comes from to trail along or to draw along, or dragged, discarded rags gathered here and there in a heap.
b rags
23 Or, rotten, soiled, perished. Compare Isa. 51:6, where a similar word is used concerning the destruction of the heavens.
12And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine 24armholes2526under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.
24 Other, elbows, as Ezek. 13:18.
25 Hebr. holes of thine hands, a part for the whole, as elsewhere.
26 This devout man did this in order that Jeremiah would not hurt himself by the cords or ropes. It is worthy our observation that the Holy Spirit is pleased to describe so circumstantially this work to the honor of Ebed-melech.
13So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the 27court of the prison.
27 In the place where he had been before. Compare verse 9.
14¶Then Zedekiah the king sent, and 28took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the 29third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee 30a thing; hide nothing from me.
28 Hebr. took unto him, as Jer. 37:17.
29 Or, most princely, most principal entry. This may be understood of the gallery through which the king went up into the house of the LORD. See 1 Kings 10:5 with the annotation.
30 Or, ask concerning the word, namely, of the LORD. See Jer. 37:17; Ezek. 3:17; 33:7.
15Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not 31surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?
31 Hebr. putting to death put to death.
16So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this 32soul,c I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy 33life.34
32 See Isa. 57:16.
c Isa. 57:16.
33 That is, seek to take away thy life. See Exod. 4 on verse 19; 2 Sam. 4 on verse 8.
34 A broken off speech, very usual in oaths. Understand herewith: God do so and so to me, etc. See Gen. 14 on verse 23.
17Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of 35hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt 36assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy 37soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine 38house:
35 See 1 Kings 18 on verse 15.
36 Hebr. going forth wilt go forth.
37 That is, thou thyself, thy person shall remain alive, for which thou shalt have cause to rejoice; also verse 20. See Gen. 12 on verse 5, and compare Gen. 19:20.
38 That is, family, wives, children, etc.
18But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.
19And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are 39fallen to the Chaldeans, lest 40they deliver me into 41their hand, and they mock me.
39 As Jer. 37:13.
40 The Chaldeans.
41 Into the hands of the revolted Jews.
20But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it 42shall be well unto thee, and thy 43soul shall live.
42 Hebr. it shall be well unto thee, or, it shall be good unto thee.
43 As verse 17.
21But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath 44shewed me:
44 That is, has revealed unto me in a prophetical vision.
22And, behold, all the women that are 45left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and 46those women shall say, Thy 47friends have 48set thee on, and have 49prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the 50mire, and they are 51turned away back.
45 And were previously not carried away with Coniah or Jehoiachin. See 2 Kings 24:14, 15.
46 Thy wives shall say unto thee in an upbraiding manner.
47 Hebr. the men of thy peace, that is, thy friends or confederates. Also Jer. 20:10.
48 To rebel. See 2 Kings 24:20; 2 Chron. 36:13; Jer. 27 on verse 3.
49 Drawing thee away by their counsel and instigation from thy duty. Compare Obadiah verse 7.
50 Thou hast brought thyself into trouble, out of which thou canst not deliver thyself. It may be that by these words reference is made to what the king had permitted to be done to Jeremiah, verse 6.
51 Thou hast revolted from the king of Babel, against thine oath, 2 Chron. 36:13. Compare this complaint against Zedekiah with Isa. 8:21. Some understand it of his associates and friends, who had forsaken him.
2352So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy 53children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt 54cause this city to be burned with fire.
52 That which was said before, is repeated again for confirmation of the matter.
53 Or, sons. Of the daughters see Jer. 41:10 with the annotation; Jer. 43:6.
54 That is, make, or be a cause thereof, that it shall be burnt. See Jer. 21:10; 32:29; 34:2, 22. Other, this city shall burn or be burnt by fire; though the Hebrew word is nowhere else found in such signification anymore.
24¶Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.
25But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee:
26Then thou shalt say unto them, I 55presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s 56house, to die there.
55 See Jer. 36 on verse 7; that is, I prayed and made humble supplication unto the king.
56 See Jer. 37:15.
27Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them 57according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they 58left off speaking with him; for the matter was not 59perceived.
57 That is, in such manner as the king had commanded him.
58 Without speaking anymore to him, or doing anything to him. Hebr. they were silent or kept themselves silent from off him. Compare 1 Kings 22 on verse 3, and further Job 13 on verse 13; Psalm 28 on verse 1.
59 That is, was made known or spread abroad; they had heard nothing of it, and consequently they had no matter of examining Jeremiah any further.
28So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he 60was there when Jerusalem was taken.
60 See Jer. 39:14.