Jeremiah 38:7-13

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 38:7

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:12

And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah ,.... Being come to the dungeon, and at the mouth of it, he addressed him in a very humane and friendly manner, and directed him how to make use of the rags he let down for his ease and benefit: put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine arm holes under the cords ; the cords were first put under his arm holes to draw him up with, and then these clouts and rags were put under the cords; lest they should cut into his flesh, at... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 38:13

So they drew up Jeremiah with cords ,.... The men that were with Ebedmelech, as many as were necessary; he overlooking, directing, and encouraging: and he took him out of the dungeon ; alive, according to the king's orders and design, and in spite of the prophet's enemies: the thing succeeded according to wish; the Lord ordering and prospering every step: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison ; from whence he had been taken, and where he was replaced; Ebedmelech having no... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 38:7

Ebed-melech - The servant of the king one of the eunuchs who belonged to the palace. Perhaps it should be read, "Now, a servant of the king, a Cushite, one of the eunuchs," etc. The king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin - To give audience, and to administer justice. We have often seen that the gates of cities were the places of public judicature. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 38:9

My lord the king, these men have done evil - He must have been much in the king's confidence, and a humane and noble spirited man, thus to have raised his voice against the powerful cabal already mentioned. There is no more bread in the city - They had defended it to the last extremity; and it appears that bread had been afforded to the prophet according to the king's commandment, as long as there was any remaining. See Jeremiah 36:21 . read more

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