Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 38

Haydock's Catholic Bible CommentaryHaydock's Catholic Commentary

Verse 1

And Phassur, the violent priest, chap. xx. 1. --- People, who might come to the entry of the prison.

Verse 2

Safe. Hebrew, "a booty," chap. xxi. 9. --- Septuagint, "like a thing found." (Calmet) --- The Hebrew idiom implies that he shall most surely live. Voluntary offerings prevent eternal misery. (Worthington)

Verse 5

Lawful. This is a compliment, or Sedecias complains indirectly that they had only left him the name of king. He grieved at the treatment of the prophet. (Calmet)

Verse 6

Mire, up to the neck; so that he would soon have been smothered. (Josephus, Antiquities x. 10.)

Verse 7

Eunuch. Officer over 30, ver. 10. (Haydock) --- He was afterwards rewarded, chap. xxxix. 15. (Calmet) --- God moves some to pity the distressed, till he recompense their patience. (Worthington)

Verse 9

City. It was useless, therefore, to add the torment of the dungeon, since he must soon have perished. (Calmet)

Verse 12

Arms. He was probably naked. (Sanctius)

Verse 14

Third, or officers of the guard’s gate, leading from the palace to the temple, 4 Kings xi. 19. (Calmet) --- Hebrew hashelishi; (Haydock) the third denotes also an officer of the army.

Verse 17

King. He was at Reblatha. Though an usurper, he had claims upon Sedecias, whom he had appointed ruler, on his swearing to be faithful and to pay tribute. The prophet’s advice was just. (Calmet) --- Even conditional prophecies are certain, and the king would have been treated differently if he had complied. But on his refusal, great misery ensued. (Worthington)

Verse 19

Jews. Traitors, whom Sedecias had perhaps treated ill. (Calmet)

Verse 20

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Verse 22

Say. At parting, bewailing thy blindness, which has entailed misery upon all. (Haydock) --- Of peace. That is, thy false friends, promising thee peace and happiness, and by their evil counsels involving thee in misery. (Challoner) --- Mire. He alludes to his own treatment, (Calmet) which he had received from these false counsellors or princes, ver. 4. (Haydock)

Verse 26

There. This he had actually done, chap. xxxvii. 19. He perhaps renewed the petition, at this interview, to satisfy the king. (Haydock) --- We may conceal the truth, but must never speak what is false. (Calmet) --- "In a matter, says Puffendorf, which I am not obliged to declare to another, if I cannot with safety conceal the whole, I may fairly discover no more than a part." Who can require a privy counsellor to reveal the king’s secret? Yet Paine accuses the prophet of duplicity! (Watson)

Bibliographical Information
Haydock, George Leo. "Commentary on Jeremiah 38". "Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary". https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/hcc/jeremiah-38.html. 1859.