Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 39:18
A prey unto thee - An unexpected and unlooked-for gain. He had given proof of faith in courageously delivering God’s prophet. read more
A prey unto thee - An unexpected and unlooked-for gain. He had given proof of faith in courageously delivering God’s prophet. read more
Jeremiah 39:15-18 . The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah when he was in the court of the prison These words give us to understand that this and the next three verses respect a matter which took place before the things related in the preceding part of this chapter, namely, the kindness which Ebed-melech showed to Jeremiah in his distress. Here God commissions his prophet to promise him a recompense for that kindness. He had relieved a prophet in the name of a prophet, and he is here... read more
The fall of Jerusalem (39:1-18)After eighteen months of siege, the Babylonian armies finally broke through the walls of Jerusalem (39:1-2). Zedekiah tried to escape by night, but was quickly captured and brought face to face with the king of Babylon, as Jeremiah foretold. Although he was not executed, Zedekiah suffered cruel treatment before being taken captive to Babylon (3-7; cf. 34:2-3). The Babylonians then burnt Jerusalem, destroyed the city walls and took the citizens into captivity. They... read more
life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 . a prey: i.e. he should save it. Compare Jeremiah 21:9 . put thy trust = confided. Hebrew. batah. App-69 . read more
18. life . . . for a prey—(See on Jeremiah 39:2; Jeremiah 39:2- :; Jeremiah 39:4). put . . . trust in me— (Jeremiah 38:7-9). Trust in God was the root of his fearlessness of the wrath of men, in his humanity to the prophet (1 Chronicles 5:20; Psalms 37:40). The "life" he thus risked was to be his reward, being spared beyond all hope, when the lives of his enemies should be forfeited ("for a prey"). read more
The Lord’s blessing of Ebed-melech 39:15-18The preceding pericope recorded how the Lord preserved his prophet, and this one shows how He preserved the prophet’s rescuer. read more
The Capture of Jerusalem (11th year of Zedekiah)The narrative in this c., with some varieties in detail, coincides with that of Jeremiah 52 and with 2 Kings 25.1-7. The city taken. Zedekiah’s fate.3. From the Eng. it would appear that there are six persons named. But Rab-saris (chief of the eunuchs) and Rab-mag (chief of the sorcerers) are only the titles of those whose names they follow. 4. The way of the plain] so as to escape to the eastern bank of Jordan. 5. Riblah] on the high road between... read more
CHAPTER XIIIGEDALIAHJeremiah 39:1-18; Jeremiah 40:1-16; Jeremiah 41:1-18; Jeremiah 52:1-34"Then arose Ishmael ben Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote with the sword and slewGedaliah ben Ahikam ben Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon had made king over the land." Jeremiah 41:2WE now pass to the concluding period of Jeremiah’s ministry. His last interview with Zedekiah was speedily followed by the capture of Jerusalem. With that catastrophe the curtain falls upon another act in... read more
CHAPTER XIIJEREMIAH’S IMPRISONMENTJeremiah 37:11-21, Jeremiah 38:1-28, Jeremiah 39:15-18"Jeremiah abode in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken."- Jeremiah 38:28"WHEN the Chaldean army was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army, Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin "to transact certain family business at Anathoth. {Cf. Jeremiah 32:6-8}He had announced that all who remained in the city should perish, and that only those who... read more
The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 39:18
For a prey unto thee. The same remarkable phrase in Jeremiah 21:9 , Jeremiah 38:2 . read more