14-28 Jeremiah was not forward to repeat the warnings, which seemed only to endanger his own life, and to add to the king's guilt, but asked whether he feared to do the will of God. The less men fear God, the more they fear men; often they dare not act according to their own judgments and consciences. read more
Jeremiah's Advice to the King v. 14. Then Zedekiah, the king, sent and took Jeremiah, the prophet, unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the Lord, very likely the vaulted north gate of the Temple court, which faced the palace; and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me. The very attitude of the prophet, together with the definiteness of his message, filled the king with apprehension and a foreboding of evil for himself. v. 15. Then... read more
2. Jeremiah in the Pit (third stage of his imprisonment), his Conference with the King and Confinement in the court of the guard (fourth stage of prisonment)Chap. 381Then 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 2:0 had spoken unto all the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord [Jehovah]: He that remaineth in this city1 shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but... read more
Under these circumstances he continued to foretell the victory of the Chaldeans, with the result that the anger of the princes was stirred up against him, and he was cast into a most loathsome dungeon. From that dungeon he was released through the intercession of Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch, who evidently was in favor with Zedekiah. Again the king sought an interview with him, charging him to hide nothing from him as to the future. Jeremiah advised him earnestly to submit to Babylon,... read more
The Disobedience Of Judah And Its King Is Highlighted By Their Treatment Of The Prophet Of YHWH (Jeremiah 37:1 to Jeremiah 38:28 ). These events once again took place during the reign of Zedekiah, the final king of Judah before the exile. Along with Jeremiah 34:1-7 this passage forms an inclusio for this subsection on disobedience, paralleling the similar inclusio in chapters 21-24, which brings out that the final intention of the prophecy at this stage is to concentrate on the destruction... read more
Zedekiah Once Again Consults Jeremiah And Keeps Him Safely In The Court Of The Guard Until Jerusalem Is Taken (Jeremiah 38:14-28 ). This was to be Zedekiah’s last consultation with Jeremiah. During it he was offered a lifeline if he was willing to obey YHWH and surrender to the Babylonians. But there were huge pressures on him not to do so from his band of ‘princes’ who were firmly against such a surrender. We must presume that they still hoped that Egypt would come to their aid. And the... read more
Jeremiah 38:14-Hosea : . Zedekiah asks Jeremiah about the future, swearing immunity to him, whatever his answer ( Jeremiah 38:16). Jeremiah urges him to save himself and the city by surrender to Nebuchadrezzar’ s princes (Nebuchadrezzar being absent, Jeremiah 39:3; Jeremiah 39:5); promises that the Jews who have already deserted shall not illtreat him; declares a Divine vision of the end, contingent on the king’ s refusal to surrender. Jeremiah has seen the women of the harem being brought... read more
Zedekiah saith nothing to the latter part of Jeremiah’s speech, promising nothing as to his hearing and obeying his counsel: as to the former, he gives him the security of his oath, that he would neither himself slay him, by giving any immediate command from himself, nor surrender him up into the hands of those malicious princes who he perceived sought his life. The form of his oath is what was usual, As the Lord liveth, with an addition, the Lord that gave me my life: If I put thee to death,... read more
CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES.—Chronological Notes as on preceding chapter.Personal Allusions. Jeremiah 38:1. “Shephatiah,” never elsewhere mentioned. “Gedaliah,” possibly son of “Pashur” the violent (chap. Jeremiah 20:1-3). “Jucal,” called Jehucal (Jeremiah 37:3). “Pashur,” son of Malchiah, same as mentioned Jeremiah 21:1.Jeremiah 38:6. “Malchiah son of Hammelech” (see on Jeremiah 36:26).Jeremiah 38:7. “Ebed-melech the Ethiopian.” Mutilation to a Hebrew was forbidden by the Mosaic law... read more
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Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Jeremiah 38:14-26
This must have been a very interesting interview between the king and the Prophet; and it is impossible but to take concern in it, and to wish that Zedekiah had listened to the Prophet's advice. And as it seems nothing could have been more improbable than that success should have followed the measure, had the king adopted it. But the thing was of the Lord. Reader! do not fail to remark from it, how truly awful it must be, to be given up to a deluded mind. read more