Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city.” New Living Translation “My lord the king,” he said, “these men have done a very evil thing in putting Jeremiah the prophet into the cistern. He will soon die of hunger, for almost all the bread in the city is gone.” English Standard Version “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.” Berean Standard Bible “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.” Berean Literal Bible “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the cistern; and he is likely to die from hunger in his place, for there is no more bread in the city. King James Bible My 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 in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city. New King James Version “My 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 likely to die from hunger in the place where he is. For there is no more bread in the city.” New American Standard Bible “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have thrown into the cistern; and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.” NASB 1995 “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern; and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.” NASB 1977 “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern; and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.” Legacy Standard Bible “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern; and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.” Amplified Bible “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have thrown into the cistern; and he will die [of hunger] where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.” Berean Annotated Bible “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.” Christian Standard Bible “My lord the king, these men have been evil in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah. They have dropped him into the cistern where he will die from hunger, because there is no more bread in the city.” Holman Christian Standard Bible “My lord the king, these men have been evil in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern where he will die from hunger, because there is no more bread in the city.” American Standard Version My 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 in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city. Contemporary English Version Ebedmelech said, "Your Majesty, Jeremiah is a prophet, and those men were wrong to throw him into a well. And when Jerusalem runs out of food, Jeremiah will starve to death down there." English Revised Version My 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 in the place where he is because of the famine: for there is no more bread in the city. GOD'S WORD® Translation "Your Majesty, everything that these men have done to the prophet Jeremiah is wrong. They have thrown him into the cistern, where he'll starve to death, because there's no more bread in the city." Good News Translation "Your Majesty, what these men have done is wrong. They have put Jeremiah in the well, where he is sure to die of starvation, since there is no more food in the city." International Standard Version "Your majesty, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah by throwing him into the cistern. He will die where he is because of the famine since there is no more bread in the city." NET Bible "Your royal Majesty, those men have been very wicked in all that they have done to the prophet Jeremiah. They have thrown him into a cistern and he is sure to die of starvation there because there is no food left in the city. New Heart English Bible "My 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 likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city." Webster's Bible Translation My 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 by hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bible“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.” World English Bible “My 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. He is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.” Literal Translations Literal Standard Version“My lord, O king, these men have done evil [in] all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the pit, and he dies in his place because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.” Berean Literal Bible “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the cistern; and he is likely to die from hunger in his place, for there is no more bread in the city. Young's Literal Translation My lord, O king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the pit, and he dieth in his place because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.' Smith's Literal Translation My lord the king, these men did evil all which they did to Jeremiah the prophet whom they cast into the pit; and he will die in his low place from the face of hunger, for no more bread in the city. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleMy lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done against Jeremias the prophet, casting him into the dungeon to die there with hunger, for there is no more bread in the city. Catholic Public Domain Version “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have perpetrated against Jeremiah the prophet, casting him into the pit so that he would die there from famine. For there is no more bread in the city.” New American Bible “My lord king, these men have done wrong in all their treatment of Jeremiah the prophet, throwing him into the cistern. He will starve to death on the spot, for there is no more bread in the city.” New Revised Standard Version “My lord king, these men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah by throwing him into the cistern to die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleMy Lord, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, for they have cast him into the well; and, behold, he will die of hunger, for there is no more bread in the city. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated “My Lord, what these men have done to Jeremiah the Prophet whom they have cast into a well is evil, and behold, he is dying of starvation, because there is no bread in the city!” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the pit; and he is like to die in the place where he is because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.' Brenton Septuagint Translation Thou hast done evil in what thou hast done to slay this man with hunger: for there is no more bread in the city. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jeremiah Rescued…8Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and said to the king, 9“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.” 10So the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”… Cross References My lord the king, 1 Samuel 24:8 After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence 2 Samuel 24:21 “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” Araunah said. “To buy your threshing floor,” David replied, “that I may build an altar to the LORD, so that the plague upon the people may be halted.” 1 Kings 1:31 Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!” these men have acted wickedly 2 Chronicles 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy. Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers— in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. Jeremiah 37:15 The officials were angry with Jeremiah, and they beat him and placed him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe, for it had been made into a prison. Jeremiah 20:2 he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD. Jeremiah 26:11 Then the priests and prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man is worthy of death, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears!” They have dropped him into the cistern, Genesis 37:24 and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it. Lamentations 3:53 They dropped me alive into a pit and cast stones upon me. Jeremiah 18:20 Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them. where he will starve to death, Lamentations 4:9 Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. Jeremiah 14:18 If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’” 2 Kings 6:25 So there was a great famine in Samaria. Indeed, they besieged the city so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter cab of dove’s dung sold for five shekels of silver. for there is no more bread in the city. 2 Kings 25:3 By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. Treasury of Scripture My 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 in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city. these. Jeremiah 38:1-6 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying, … Esther 7:4-6 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage… Job 31:34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door? is like to die. Jeremiah 37:21 Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison. Jeremiah 52:6 And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. Jump to Previous Acted Bread Cast Casting Cistern City Death Die Dungeon Evil Famine Hunger Jeremiah Likely Pit Prophet Right Starve Thrown WickedlyJump to Next Acted Bread Cast Casting Cistern City Death Die Dungeon Evil Famine Hunger Jeremiah Likely Pit Prophet Right Starve Thrown WickedlyJeremiah 38 1. Jeremiah, by a false suggestion, is put into the dungeon of Malchiah.7. Ebed-Melech, by suit, gets him some enlargement. 14. Upon secret conference, he counsels the king by yielding to save his life. 24. By the king's instructions he conceals the conference from the princes. My lord the king, This phrase indicates a respectful address to King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. It reflects the hierarchical structure of ancient Near Eastern societies, where kings held absolute authority. The use of "my lord" signifies submission and respect, which was crucial in a court setting. these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his prophecies of judgment and hope. In this context, he is imprisoned in a cistern. 2. Ebed-Melech An Ethiopian eunuch serving in the king's palace, who advocates for Jeremiah's release, demonstrating courage and righteousness. 3. King Zedekiah The last king of Judah, who is indecisive and weak in his leadership, allowing Jeremiah to be mistreated. 4. The Cistern A pit or well used for storing water, which in this case becomes a place of imprisonment for Jeremiah. 5. The City of Jerusalem Under siege by the Babylonians, leading to a severe famine and desperation among its inhabitants. Teaching Points Courage in AdvocacyEbed-Melech's actions remind us of the importance of standing up for righteousness, even when it is unpopular or risky. God's Faithfulness Despite dire circumstances, God remains faithful to His servants, as seen in Jeremiah's eventual rescue. The Cost of Disobedience King Zedekiah's failure to heed God's word through Jeremiah leads to personal and national disaster. The Power of Intercession Ebed-Melech's plea to the king demonstrates the impact one person can have when they intercede on behalf of others. Trust in God's Plan Jeremiah's life exemplifies trusting God's plan, even when it leads through suffering and uncertainty. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 38:9?2. How does Jeremiah 38:9 demonstrate God's protection through unexpected allies? 3. What can we learn about courage from Ebed-melech's actions in Jeremiah 38:9? 4. How does Jeremiah 38:9 connect to God's justice in Psalm 82:3-4? 5. In what ways can we advocate for the oppressed like Ebed-melech did? 6. How does Jeremiah 38:9 inspire us to trust God's provision in adversity? 7. Why did Ebed-melech intervene to save Jeremiah in Jeremiah 38:9? 8. What does Jeremiah 38:9 reveal about God's protection of His prophets? 9. How does Jeremiah 38:9 illustrate the theme of justice in the Bible? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 38? 11. In Jeremiah 38:15-16, how reliable is the account of a secret meeting between Jeremiah and King Zedekiah when both sides had clear motives to document or distort events? 12. Can the pit allegedly attributed to King Asa (Jeremiah 41:9) be historically verified, or does this contradict known archaeological data? 13. How does Jeremiah 30:9's prophecy of King David's restoration align with the fact that David was long dead and no successor reclaimed the throne? 14. In Jeremiah 38:17-23, why does the prophecy of doom seem to contradict other biblical passages where repentance and prayer avert catastrophe? What Does Jeremiah 38:9 Mean My lord the king• Ebed-Melech begins with respectful address, honoring the authority God placed over Judah (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:17). • Courteous speech opens the door for truth, as seen when Paul respectfully addresses Festus in Acts 26:25. • Proverbs 16:14 reminds, “A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it”. these men have acted wickedly • Sin must be named, regardless of position (2 Samuel 12:7; Isaiah 5:20). • “Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD” (Proverbs 17:15). • Like John the Baptist rebuking Herod (Mark 6:18), Ebed-Melech confronts unrighteous officials. in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet • The officials have a record of abuse: beating, imprisonment, and threats (Jeremiah 20:2; 37:15). • Jesus later laments, “O Jerusalem… you who kill the prophets” (Matthew 23:37; cf. Acts 7:52). • Hebrews 11:36-38 places Jeremiah among those “of whom the world was not worthy”. They have dropped him into the cistern • Cisterns were muddy pits used for water storage (Genesis 37:24). • David prayed, “Rescue me from the mire… deliver me from my foes” (Psalm 69:14-15), echoing Jeremiah’s plight. • God promises liberation from such pits: “I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit” (Zechariah 9:11). where he will starve to death • The plan is slow execution; famine already grips Jerusalem (Jeremiah 32:24). • “Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger” (Lamentations 4:9). • The cruelty mirrors covenant warnings (Deuteronomy 28:53). for there is no more bread in the city • Earlier, Jeremiah survived on “a loaf of bread” (Jeremiah 37:21); now supplies are gone. • “On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food” (Jeremiah 52:6; cf. 2 Kings 25:3). • Leaving Jeremiah to die would add innocent blood to Judah’s guilt (Jeremiah 26:15). summary Jeremiah 38:9 paints a vivid scene of righteous intercession. Ebed-Melech honors the king while boldly exposing the officials’ sin, recounting Jeremiah’s mistreatment, highlighting the lethal cistern, and underscoring the city-wide famine that guarantees the prophet’s death. The verse showcases courage tempered by respect, affirms God’s care for His faithful messenger, and calls believers to defend truth and justice even when authority has gone astray. (9) These men have done evil. . . .--It is noticeable that some MSS. of the LXX., following apparently a different text, represent the Eunuch as assuming that the king himself had given the order, "Thou hast done evil in all that thou hast done."He is like to die for hunger.--Literally, and he dies . . . painting vividly what would be the certain issue if no help were sent. It lies in the nature of the case that those who had thrown the prophet into the pit were not likely to continue the supply of his daily rations (Jeremiah 37:21), and the scarcity that prevailed in the besieged city made it all but impossible that his friends, even if they could gain access to him, should help him out of their own resources. Ebed-melech had obviously no power to help him without the king's sanction. Verse 9. - For there is no more bread in the city. It would almost seem as if the little remaining bread had been brought together by command of the magistrates, and that it was given out in rations by them (comp. Jeremiah 37:21).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew “My lordאֲדֹנִ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller the king, הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king these הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ (hā·’êl·leh) Article | Pronoun - common plural Strong's 428: These, those men הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים (hā·’ă·nā·šîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person have acted wickedly הֵרֵ֜עוּ (hê·rê·‘ū) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 7489: To spoil, to make, good for, nothing, bad in all that כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every they have done עָשׂוּ֙ (‘ā·śū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6213: To do, make to Jeremiah לְיִרְמְיָ֣הוּ (lə·yir·mə·yā·hū) Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3414: Jeremiah -- 'Yah loosens', the name of a number of Israelites the prophet. הַנָּבִ֔יא (han·nā·ḇî) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet They have dropped הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ (hiš·lî·ḵū) Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 7993: To throw out, down, away him אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that into אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to the cistern, הַבּ֑וֹר (hab·bō·wr) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 953: A pit, cistern, well where תַּחְתָּיו֙ (taḥ·tāw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of he will starve to death, וַיָּ֤מָת (way·yā·māṯ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 4191: To die, to kill for כִּ֣י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction there is no אֵ֥ין (’ên) Adverb Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle more ע֖וֹד (‘ō·wḏ) Adverb Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more bread הַלֶּ֛חֶם (hal·le·ḥem) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain in the city.” בָּעִֽיר׃ (bā·‘îr) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5892: Excitement Links Jeremiah 38:9 NIVJeremiah 38:9 NLT Jeremiah 38:9 ESV Jeremiah 38:9 NASB Jeremiah 38:9 KJV Jeremiah 38:9 BibleApps.com Jeremiah 38:9 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 38:9 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 38:9 French Bible Jeremiah 38:9 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jeremiah 38:9 My lord the king these men have (Jer.) |
    |