Jeremiah 38:2-5

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 38:2

Thus saith the Lord, he that remaineth in this city ,.... Of Jerusalem; that does not go out of it, and surrender himself to the Chaldeans; but continues in it fighting against them: shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence ; that is, by one or other of these: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live : that goes out of the city, throws down his arms, delivers up himself to the Chaldean army, and submits to their mercy, shall have quarters given him, and... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 38:3

This city shall surely be given - This was a testimony that be constantly bore: he had the authority of God for it. He knew it was true, and he never wavered nor equivocated. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 38:4

Let this man be put to death - And they gave their reasons plain enough: but the proof was wanting. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 38:5

He is in your hand - Ye have power to do as you please; I must act by your counsel. Poor weak prince! you respect the prophet, you fear the cabal, and you sacrifice an innocent man to your own weakness and their malice! read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 38:2

Verse 2 We have seen elsewhere that the Prophet had before said the same; it was not, then, a new thing, for he had thirty years before that time dearly pronounced the same in the Temple, and it was then written as a prophecy and fixed to the doors of the Temple. It was, therefore, nothing new to hear all this from the mouth of Jeremiah. But as I have already said, the king and his couriers thought that he was so subdued by evils that he could hardly open his mouth. In short, they thought that... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 38:3

Verse 3 Then follows a confirmation, Given up shall be this city into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and they shall take it The Prophet shews the reason why he exhorted the Jews to flee, because the city would at length be taken. This is substantially what he says. read more

Group of Brands