Ch. Jeremiah 38:1-13. Further incidents in Jeremiah’s history connected with the siege

This section may be summarized as follows.

(i) Jeremiah 38:1-6. Four of the princes, in view of Jeremiah’s declarations that those who remained in the city should perish, while those who went forth should live, demand of the king that the prophet should be put to death as discouraging the defenders and as disloyal to his nation. Zedekiah declares himself unable to resist them, and Jeremiah is consigned to a miry dungeon. (ii) Jeremiah 38:7-13. Ebed-melech points out to the king that Jeremiah is in danger of starvation owing to the scarcity of provisions. Zedekiah accordingly bids that he be drawn up from the dungeon. This is done, and he is placed again in the guard-court.

1. And Shephatiah] The removal of Jeremiah from prison to the court of the guard had facilitated the publication of his message, as we see from this v. Hence the princes take alarm and apply to the king for permission to put him to death.

Gedaliah] He was probably a son of the Pashhur who put Jeremiah in the stocks (ch. Jeremiah 20:1 f.).

Jucal] the Jehucal of ch. Jeremiah 37:3.

Pashhur the son of Malchijah] the same who is mentioned ch. Jeremiah 21:1.

2. He that abideth, etc.] The v. is substantially identical with Jeremiah 21:9, and Co. following Du. considers that it is a later insertion in this place, on the ground that while such advice under the earlier circumstances was permissible, now in the actual presence of the enemy it would have been treasonable.

4. the men of war that remain] Cp. Jeremiah 38:22. The expression may indicate that many had gone over to the Chaldaeans, a fact which is also implied in Jeremiah 38:19. Doubtless also a considerable number had gone into exile already, and to them we must add those who had fallen in the siege.

5. the king is not he, etc.] The LXX, perhaps rightly, make this clause a comment of the narrator (“For the king was not able … against them”).

6. the dungeon of Malchijah] mg. pit; a cistern for storage of water; see on Jeremiah 6:7. The depth and wretchedness of this place of confinement are shewn by the means employed to place Jeremiah in it.

the king’s son] better than mg. the son of Hammelech. See on Jeremiah 36:26.

7. Ebed-melech the Ethiopian] a eunuch, attached to the court or harem after the Eastern custom. See on Jeremiah 13:23.

the gate of Benjamin] See on ch. Jeremiah 37:13.

7–13. See introd. summary to section.

9. he is like to die (mg. Heb. he is dead) in the place where he is because of the famine] is dead of hunger on the spot. Jeremiah was at death’s door already, as suffering at once from hunger and from confinement in so dismal a dungeon. If food was almost exhausted, prisoners would naturally be the first to suffer.

for there is no more bread in the city] This again is an exaggeration shewing the eagerness of the speaker. If it had been absolutely true, there could have been no object in freeing Jeremiah. The obvious sense is that there was so scanty a supply of provision that there was little or no chance of any reaching Jeremiah in the place where he was then confined.

10. thirty men] The construction of the Heb. numeral is irregular, and we should read three, as under the circumstances a more likely number for this duty.

11. under the treasury] to a room under the treasury, a sort of lumber-room.

old cast clouts and old rotten rags] worn out pieces of torn and ragged garments, to ease the pressure of the ropes.

13. court of the guard] See on Jeremiah 32:2.

14. the third entry] not mentioned elsewhere by this name, but perhaps identical with that which in 2 Kings 16:18 is called “the king’s entry.” Gi. (followed by Du.) by a slight alteration of the MT. gets the meaning the entry of the body-guard. Cp. for the king’s action ch. Jeremiah 37:17.

14–28 a. Jeremiah once more tenders solemn advice to the king

The section may be summarized as follows.

(i) Jeremiah 38:14-18. Zedekiah again seeks counsel from the prophet, who, after demanding and receiving an assurance of immunity, declares that, if the king surrenders, his life and the city shall be spared, whereas otherwise Jerusalem shall be burned, and Zedekiah himself shall not escape. (ii) Jeremiah 38:19-28 a. The king objects that, if he follow this advice, he will meet personal injury from those Jews who are already in the enemy’s hands. The prophet reassures him on this point and renews his urgent counsel in more detail. He pictures the women of the palace, led out in mournful procession by their captors, and chanting a lamentation as they go; while he repeats that the king shall be taken and the city burnt. Zedekiah pledges Jeremiah to secrecy. Accordingly, on being questioned by the princes as to the purport of the interview, he only reports his request not to be sent back to Jonathan’s house.

15. thou wilt not hearken unto me] Cp., as illustrating Zedekiah’s weakness of character, his words in the next v. with those which he had addressed to the princes (Jeremiah 38:5).

16. that made us this soul] i.e. that gave us our life (cp. Isaiah 57:16), a form of oath suitable to the occasion when the prophet’s life was in danger.

17. go forth] surrender thyself.

the king of Babylon’s princes] an intimation that Nebuchadnezzar was not himself at this time in command of the besieging forces. See Jeremiah 39:3; Jeremiah 39:5.

19–28 a. See introd. summary to the section.

19. I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen away to the Chaldeans] See on Jeremiah 38:4. These Jews, he fears, if the Chaldaeans delivered him into their hands, would maltreat him for not doing himself as they had done at an earlier period, and so sparing the city the miseries of a siege. Cp. Jeremiah 37:13.

21. the word] viz. the picture of the women which follows. Dr. makes it to be an actual vision on the part of the prophet, and so renders “all the women … were brought forth … while they said, etc.”

22. all the women that are left] the women of the harem generally, concubines and their attendants. If Zedekiah prove obstinate, these also will join in the reproaches that shall be heaped upon him.

Thy familiar friends, etc.] lit. as mg. The men of thy peace. The women’s reproaches are in the Ḳinah measure.

have set thee on] incited, instigated thee. Cp. Obadiah 1:7.

thy feet are sunk in the mire] “The metaphor answers to the experience through which the prophet had passed.… He had been cast by his enemies into the cistern, and his feet had sunk in the mire; Zedekiah had been misled by his friends, but when his feet sank in the mire, no one drew him out.” Peake.

23. And they] Du. considers this v. an insertion, as adding nothing to what has been said already.

thou shalt cause, etc.] Heb. more forcibly, thou shalt burn, etc. This suits the parallelism better. Zedekiah through his obstinacy shall be as much the cause, as if he had set fire to Jerusalem with his own hands.

24. Let no man know] Zedekiah’s feebleness is again conspicuous in this and the two following verses. Although the saving of the prophet from conditions likely to prove fatal is not directly mentioned in the narrative as preserved to us, it is far from unlikely that it was one subject of the conversation. Thus the prophet may well have held himself justified in limiting his statement to the princes in accordance with Zedekiah’s desire, especially when we remember that moral standards at that age were not altogether identical with our own.

26. I presented my supplication] See on Jeremiah 36:7.

to Jonathan’s house] See Jeremiah 37:15.

27. perceived] mg. reported, i.e. the princes were given no further particulars as to the conversation.

28. of the guard] See on Jeremiah 32:2.