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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 38:14-28

In the foregoing chapter we had the king in close conference with Jeremiah, and here again, though (Jer. 38:5) he had given him up into the hands of his enemies; such a struggle there was in the breast of this unhappy prince between his convictions and his corruptions. Observe, I. The honour that Zedekiah did to the prophet. When he was newly fetched out of the dungeon he sent for him to advise with him privately. He met him in the third entry, or (as the margin reads it) the principal entry,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:17

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah ,.... Being thus indemnified and secured by the king's word and oath, he proceeds freely to lay before the king the whole matter as from the Lord: thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel ; the prophet does not give the following advice in his own name, but in the name of the eternal Jehovah, the Lord of armies above and below, and who had a special regard to the people of Israel, and their welfare; and therefore it became the king to show... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 38:17

Wilt assuredly go - On the king's obedience to the advice of the prophet the safety of the city depended. Unto the king of Babylon's princes - The generals of the army then returning to the siege from the defeat of the Egyptians; for Nebuchadnezzar himself was then at Riblah, in Syria, Jeremiah 39:5 , Jeremiah 39:6 . read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 38:17

Verse 17 A question may be raised here, Whether God had again bidden his Prophet to repeat what he had so often spoken in vain? To this we cannot say anything certain, except that the probability is, that the Prophet did not open his mouth without being guided by the Holy Spirit. For though he had not received any new command, yet the Spirit of God influenced him, and ruled his tongue as well as his heart. We shall indeed presently find, that what was nigh at hand had been revealed to him; not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 38:17

The king of Babylon's princes. Nebuchadnezzar himself was in Riblah ( Jeremiah 39:5 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 38:17-18

The path of obedience the path of safety. The circumstances here recorded show that— I. IT MAY BE MUCH ELSE . It may be II. BUT IT WELL BE SAFE . 1 . It would have been so in this case. For the king, his misery, exile, and degradation would have been escaped. The city of Jerusalem would not have been destroyed; nor the temple. All that would have been needful was submission to the rule of Babylon, which would have been neither intolerably harsh nor of long... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 38:17-23

God's terms of salvation hard. I. IN WHAT THEY ARE HARD . 1 . They attack our pride. Zedekiah was afraid of the mockery of "the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans." He did not like to acknowledge himself in error. There was no glory in surrender. Pride is one of the first hindrances to salvation. We want to be our own saviours. 2 . They crush self-will. "Not as I will, but as thou wilt"—the first and last prayer of the true child of God. It was not Zedekiah's... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Jeremiah 38:17-18

Jeremiah 38:17-18. Then said Jeremiah, Thus saith the Lord Here we have the good advice which Jeremiah gave him, with the reasons why the king ought to take it; reasons drawn, not from any prudence or politics of his own, but in the name of the Lord, the God of hosts, and God of Israel. If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes Those mentioned Jeremiah 39:3, and submit thyself to them; then thy soul shall live That is, thou shalt live; and this city shall not... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:1-28

Jeremiah’s escape from death (38:1-28)The chief officials in Jerusalem were a powerful group. They hated Jeremiah for his unchanging message of ‘submit to Babylon or perish’, and they managed to force the king to hand over Jeremiah to them for execution (38:1-5). They dropped him into a filthy disused well and left him there to die (6).There was, however, in Zedekiah’s court an African who had risen to a position of responsibility and who was favourable to Jeremiah. In an action that showed... read more

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