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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 38:1-13

Here, 1. Jeremiah persists in his plain preaching; what he had many a time said, he still says (Jer. 38:3): This city shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon; though it hold out long, it will taken at last. Nor would he have so often repeated this unwelcome message but that he could put them in a certain way, though not to save the city, yet to save themselves; so that every man might have his own life given him for a prey if he would be advised, Jer. 38:2. Let him not stay in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:3

Thus saith the Lord, this city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army ,.... When those found in it should be put to the sword, or carried captive: this the prophet declares with the greatest certainty; and what he had often affirmed for twenty years past, and now stands to it, having had fresh assurances from the Lord that so it would be; and which he faithfully published; though he had received some favours from the court, had his liberty enlarged, and was now... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:4

Therefore the princes said unto the king ,.... The four princes mentioned in Jeremiah 38:1 , having heard what Jeremiah said to the people, laid the case before the king, and addressed him upon it in the following manner: we beseech thee, let this man be put to death ; or, "let this man now be put to death,' as the Targum. They speak very disrespectfully of the prophet, him "this man"; and with great authority to the and not in a submissive supplicating way, as we render it; the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:5

Then Zedekiah the king said, behold, he is in your hand ,.... In your power, to do with him as you please. This is either a grant of the king, allowing them to do as they thought fit; or a declaration of their power, supposing them to be the princes of the sanhedrim, as Grotius thinks, to judge of a false prophet, and condemn him; but that they were such does not appear; nor does their charge of the prophet, or their procedure against him, confirm it. The former sense seems best: for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:6

Then took they Jeremiah ,.... Having the king's leave, or at least no prohibition from him; they went with proper attendants to the court of the prison, and took the prophet from thence: and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison ; this was a dungeon that belonged to the prison which Malchiah had the care of, or which belonged to his house, which was contiguous to the court of the prison. The Targum renders it, Malchiah the son... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:7

Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian ,.... The Targum renders it, "a servant of King Zedekiah;' which Jarchi, and other writers, following, make Zedekiah to be the Ethiopian; so called, because as an Ethiopian differs in his skin, so Zedekiah differed in his righteousness, from the rest of his generation; and this his servant, he, with others F18 Pirke Eliezer, c. 53. Shalshelet Hakabala, fol. 13. 1. , takes to be Baruch the son of Neriah, but without any foundation; but, as Kimchi... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:8

And Ebedmelech went forth out of the king's house ,.... As soon as he heard of the prophet's distress, he immediately went out from his apartments in the king's palace, where he performed his office, and his business chiefly lay, or where he dwelt, to the gate of Benjamin, where the king was; and if he was here for the administration of justice, it was a proper time and place for Ebedmelech to lay the case of Jeremiah before him: and spake to the king ; freely, boldly, and intrepidly, in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:9

My lord the king ,.... He addresses him as a courtier, with great reverence and submission, and yet with great boldness: these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet ; meaning the princes, who might be present, and whom he pointed at, and mentioned by name; which showed great courage and faithfulness, as well as great zeal for, and attachment to, the prophet; to charge after this manner persons of such great authority so publicly, and to the king, whom the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:10

Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian ,.... Being affected with the case of the prophet; and repenting of the leave he had given the princes to do with him as they pleased, gave orders as follows: saying, take from hence thirty men with thee ; from the place where the king was, the gate of Benjamin; where very probably at this time was a garrison of soldiers, thirty of which were ordered to be taken; or these were to be taken out of the king's bodyguard, he had here with him.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:11

So Ebedmelech took the men with him ,.... The thirty men, as the king ordered: as soon as ever he had got the grant, he immediately set about the work, and lost no time to save the prophet's life: and went unto the house of the king under the treasury ; from the gate of Benjamin he went to the king's palace, and to a particular place under the treasury; by which "treasury" may be meant the treasury of garments, or the royal wardrobe, under which was a place, where clothes worn out, or... read more

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