Jeremiah — Chapter 38

📖 Jeremiah — Chapter 38 (KJV)

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Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.

Jeremiah 38:1 Then ^RShephatiah 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,

Ezra 2:3; Neh 7:9

Jeremiah 38:2 Thus saith the LORD, He 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 live; for he ^Rshall have his life for a prey, and shall live.

Jer 21:9; Jer 39:18

Jeremiah 38:3 Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.

Jeremiah 38:4 Therefore ^Rthe princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth 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 ^Twelfare of this people, but the hurt.

Jer 26:11,21-23; Jer 36:12-16

peace

Jeremiah 38:5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: ^Rfor the king is not he that can do any thing against you.

1 Sam 15:24; 1 Sam 29:9

Jeremiah 38:6 Then ^Rtook they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son ^Tof 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 mire.

Jer 37:21; Ps 109:5

of the king

Jeremiah 38:7 Now when Ebedmelech the ^REthiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;

Jer 13:23; Ps 68:31

Jeremiah 38:8 Ebedmelech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king saying,

Jeremiah 38:9 My lord the king, ^Rthese men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and ^The is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.

Jer 38:1-6; Esth 7:4-6

he will die

Jeremiah 38:10 Then ^Rthe king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men ^Twith thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.

Esth 5:2; Esth 8:7

in thine hand

Jeremiah 38:11 So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 38:12 And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, ^RPut now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.

Rom 12:10,15; Eph 4:32

Jeremiah 38:13 So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

Jeremiah 38:14 Then Zedekiah the king ^Rsent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the ^Tthird entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.

Jer 21:1-2; Jer 37:17

principal

Jeremiah 38:15 Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?

Jeremiah 38:16 So Zedekiah the king ^Rsware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

Jer 37:17; John 3:2

Jeremiah 38:17 Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, ^Rthe God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

Ps 80:7,14; Amos 5:27

Jeremiah 38:18 But ^Rif 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.

2 Kgs 24:12; 2 Kgs 25:27-30

Jeremiah 38:19 And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they ^Rmock me.

Jer 38:22; Judg 9:54

Jeremiah 38:20 But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. ^RObey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.

Jer 26:13; 2 Chr 20:20

Jeremiah 38:21 But ^Rif thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:

Jer 5:3; Exod 10:3-4

Jeremiah 38:22 And, behold, ^Rall the women that are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, ^TThy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.

Jer 41:10; Jer 43:6

Men of thy peace

Jeremiah 38:23 So ^Rthey shall bring out all thy wives and thy children 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 ^Tthou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.

Jer 38:18; Jer 39:6

thou shalt burn, etc

Jeremiah 38:24 Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.

Jeremiah 38:25 But 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:

Jeremiah 38:26 Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.

Jeremiah 38:27 Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: ^Rand he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So ^Tthey left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.

1 Sam 10:15-16; 1 Sam 16:2-5

they were silent from him

Jeremiah 38:28 So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.

📚 Study This Chapter

📖 What We’re Reading

Jeremiah 38:1–10 — Jeremiah is cast into mud; Ebedmelech intervenes

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Officials accuse Jeremiah of weakening the defenders and obtain the king’s permission to put him in a cistern. Ebedmelech speaks against the wrong and gains permission to rescue the prophet.

Key Truth: Use your voice to protect a person in danger.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

Jeremiah 38:11–19 — A careful rescue and a secret audience

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Rags cushion the ropes as Jeremiah is lifted from the mud. The king then privately seeks counsel, receives assurance that surrender preserves life, and reveals fear of mockery by defectors.

Key Truth: Join courage with practical care.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

Jeremiah 38:20–28 — Fear prevents a clear public response

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Jeremiah urges obedience and warns of the consequences of refusal. Zedekiah demands secrecy, and Jeremiah remains in the court until the city is taken.

Key Truth: Do not let fear of humiliation overrule needed obedience.

Check What You Remember

Related Scripture (KJV)

Proverbs 29:25 — Fear of people is described as a snare.

This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.

Reflect and Apply

What practical step could protect someone whom others have abandoned?

Notes

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Jeremiah — Chapter 38