What is the meaning of Jeremiah 38:1? Now Shephatiah son of Mattan • Shephatiah stands first in the list, signaling his prominence among the court officials who opposed Jeremiah. • His family line (“son of Mattan”) links him to the priest‐prophet conflict that has been building since Jeremiah 26:8–16, where other officials also tried to silence the prophet. • Like the princes who urged King Jehoiakim to burn Jeremiah’s scroll (Jeremiah 36:20–23), Shephatiah embodies the political power that resists God’s Word when it threatens national pride or personal security. Gedaliah son of Pashhur • This Gedaliah is not the future governor (son of Ahikam, Jeremiah 40:5); his father Pashhur was likely the temple official who beat Jeremiah and put him in stocks (Jeremiah 20:1–2). • The family name “Pashhur” already carries a history of hostility toward Jeremiah’s message. The pattern echoes Psalm 2:2: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against His Anointed.” • Gedaliah’s inclusion shows that opposition to truth can be generational—sons often embrace the resistance of their fathers. Jucal son of Shelemiah • Also called “Jehucal” (Jeremiah 37:3), he had previously been sent by King Zedekiah to ask Jeremiah to pray for the nation. • That earlier mission reveals a double‐minded leadership: when danger mounts they ask for prayer, but when the answer demands repentance they reject it (cf. James 1:8). • Jucal’s shift from seeker to persecutor highlights how quickly fear of men can override fear of God (Proverbs 29:25). and Pashhur son of Malchijah • This second Pashhur had likewise been part of Zedekiah’s delegation to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 21:1–2). He heard the same call to surrender to Babylon but refused it. • His presence confirms that mere exposure to prophetic truth does not guarantee obedience (Matthew 7:26–27). • Together, the two Pashhurs form a coalition of religious authorities determined to protect their status even at the cost of defying God’s clear warning (Jeremiah 34:19–22). heard that Jeremiah had been telling all the people • The officials are reacting to the content of Jeremiah’s preaching, summarized in the next verses: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Whoever stays in this city will die… but whoever goes out to the Chaldeans will live’” (Jeremiah 38:2; cf. 21:9). • Their anger reveals: – Truth proclaimed publicly (“all the people”) threatens those who rely on controlling the narrative (John 11:48). – God’s Word judges motives, exposing leaders who care more for national image than for covenant fidelity (Hebrews 4:12). • The verb “heard” reminds us that God allows His message to reach even hardened hearts, leaving them without excuse (Romans 1:20). summary Jeremiah 38:1 introduces four influential officials who unite against the prophet because they refuse the Lord’s call to surrender to Babylon. Each name points to a personal and family record of resisting God’s Word. Their reaction—sparked simply by “hearing” Jeremiah’s public preaching—illustrates the perennial clash between political power and prophetic truth. The verse thus sets the stage for Jeremiah’s impending persecution while affirming that God’s message will be proclaimed, heard, and opposed, yet ultimately stand (Isaiah 40:8). |
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