Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 38

Introduction

Overview

Jeremiah 38:1, Jeremiah, by a false suggestion, is put into the dungeon of Malchiah; Jeremiah 38:7, Edeb-melech, by suit, gets him some enlargement; Jeremiah 38:14, Upon secret conference, he counsels the king by yielding to save his life; Jeremiah 38:24, By the king’s instructions he conceals the conference from the princes.

Verse 1

Shephatiah: Ezra 2:3, Nehemiah 7:9

Jucal: Jeremiah 37:4, Jehucal

Pashur: Jeremiah 21:1-10, Melchiah, 1 Chronicles 9:12, Malchijah, Nehemiah 11:12

heard: Acts 4:1, Acts 4:2, Acts 4:6-10, Acts 5:28

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 6:40 - Baaseiah Jeremiah 11:21 - thou Jeremiah 25:2 - General Jeremiah 36:16 - We Jeremiah 37:13 - Hananiah Jeremiah 38:9 - these Jeremiah 38:16 - of these Jeremiah 39:17 - of whom

Verse 2

He: Jeremiah 38:17-23, Jeremiah 21:8, Jeremiah 21:9, Jeremiah 24:8, Jeremiah 27:13, Jeremiah 29:18, Jeremiah 34:17, Jeremiah 42:17, Jeremiah 42:22, Jeremiah 44:13, Ezekiel 5:12-17, Ezekiel 6:11, Ezekiel 7:15, Ezekiel 14:21, Matthew 24:7, Matthew 24:8, Revelation 6:4-8

shall have: Jeremiah 21:9, Jeremiah 39:18, Jeremiah 45:5

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 25:3 - there was no Isaiah 22:2 - thy slain Jeremiah 1:18 - against Jeremiah 21:4 - Behold Jeremiah 25:2 - General Jeremiah 27:11 - those Jeremiah 29:16 - General Ezekiel 5:2 - shalt burn Acts 17:6 - These

Verse 3

Jeremiah 21:10, Jeremiah 32:3-5

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 21:4 - Behold Jeremiah 29:16 - General Jeremiah 38:18 - then

Verse 4

the princes: Jeremiah 26:11, Jeremiah 26:21-23, Jeremiah 36:12-16, 2 Chronicles 24:21, Ezekiel 22:27, Micah 3:1-3, Zephaniah 3:1-3

thus: Exodus 5:4, 1 Kings 18:17, 1 Kings 18:18, 1 Kings 21:20, Ezra 4:12, Nehemiah 6:9, Amos 7:10, Luke 23:2, John 11:46-50, Acts 16:20, Acts 17:6, Acts 24:5, Acts 28:22

welfare: Heb. peace, Jeremiah 29:7

Reciprocal: Numbers 16:41 - Ye have 1 Kings 13:4 - Lay hold 1 Kings 22:8 - good 2 Kings 6:31 - if the head 2 Chronicles 18:7 - good 2 Chronicles 36:14 - all the chief Ezra 4:4 - weakened Job 31:34 - Did I Isaiah 30:10 - say Jeremiah 12:5 - canst Jeremiah 26:10 - the princes Jeremiah 32:3 - Wherefore Jeremiah 34:10 - when Jeremiah 37:13 - Thou Jeremiah 38:22 - Thy friends Jeremiah 38:25 - General Jeremiah 43:3 - to deliver Jeremiah 44:16 - we Lamentations 3:52 - chased Ezekiel 22:9 - men that carry tales Habakkuk 1:4 - for Mark 12:3 - they Luke 20:10 - beat John 11:53 - put Acts 4:17 - let Acts 5:28 - intend Acts 25:3 - desired Revelation 11:10 - these

Verse 5

for: 1 Samuel 15:24, 1 Samuel 29:9, 2 Samuel 3:39, 2 Samuel 19:22, Proverbs 29:25, John 19:12-16

Reciprocal: Genesis 16:6 - in Exodus 23:2 - to decline Joshua 9:25 - we are Job 1:12 - power Job 31:34 - Did I Jeremiah 26:14 - As for Jeremiah 37:17 - asked Jeremiah 38:19 - I Daniel 6:16 - the king

Verse 6

took: Jeremiah 37:21, Psalms 109:5, Luke 3:19, Luke 3:20

into: Jeremiah 37:16, Lamentations 3:55, Acts 16:24, 2 Corinthians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 4:9, Hebrews 10:36

Hammelech: or, the king, Jeremiah 36:26

and they: Jeremiah 38:11, Jeremiah 38:12

And in: This dungeon, which seems to have belonged to one of Zedekiah's sons, appears to have been a most dreadful place; the horrors of which were probably augmented by the cruelty of the jailor. "The eastern people," observes Sir J. Chardin, "have not different prisons for the different classes of criminals; the judges do not trouble themselves about where the prisoners are confined, or how they are treated, considering it merely as a place of safety; and all that they require of the jailor is, that the prisoner be forthcoming when called for. As to the rest, he is master to do as he pleases; to treat him well or ill; to put him in irons or not; to shut him up close, or hold him in easier restraint; to admit people to him, or to suffer nobody to see him. If the jailor and his servants have large fees, let the person be the greatest rascal in the world, he shall be lodged in the jailor's own apartment, and the best part of it; and on the contrary, if those that have imprisoned a man give the jailor greater presents, or that he has a greater regard for them, he will treat the prisoner with the greatest inhumanity." This adds a double energy to those passages which speak of "the sighing of the prisoner," and to Jeremiah's supplicating that he might not be remanded to the dungeon of Jonathan - Jeremiah 38:26, Jeremiah 37:20. Jeremiah 38:22, Genesis 37:24, Psalms 40:2, Psalms 69:2, Psalms 69:14, Psalms 69:15, Lamentations 3:52-55, Zechariah 9:11

Reciprocal: Exodus 12:29 - dungeon Exodus 23:2 - to decline 1 Kings 22:27 - Put this fellow 2 Chronicles 18:25 - and carry him back 2 Chronicles 36:16 - misused Job 30:19 - cast me Isaiah 24:22 - shall they Isaiah 51:14 - die Jeremiah 1:19 - And they Jeremiah 20:2 - smote Jeremiah 29:26 - that thou Jeremiah 32:2 - Jeremiah Jeremiah 36:5 - General Jeremiah 37:15 - in the Jeremiah 38:13 - So Lamentations 3:1 - the man Lamentations 3:7 - hedged Lamentations 3:53 - cut Daniel 3:23 - fell Luke 4:28 - were 2 Corinthians 6:5 - imprisonments Hebrews 11:36 - bonds

Verse 7

Ebedmelech: Jeremiah 39:16-18

Ethiopian: Jeremiah 13:23, Psalms 68:31, Matthew 8:11, Matthew 8:12, Matthew 20:16, Luke 10:30-36, Luke 13:29, Luke 13:30, Acts 8:27-39

eunuchs: Jeremiah 29:2, Jeremiah 34:19, 2 Kings 24:15, *marg.

the king: Jeremiah 37:13, Deuteronomy 21:19, Job 29:7-17, Amos 5:10

Reciprocal: Joshua 20:4 - at the entering 2 Kings 5:13 - his servants 2 Chronicles 18:25 - and carry him back Proverbs 31:8 - Open Isaiah 56:3 - neither Jeremiah 20:2 - in the high Jeremiah 26:16 - General Zechariah 14:10 - from Benjamin's Luke 10:33 - Samaritan Hebrews 13:3 - them that

Verse 8

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 32:3 - Behold Micah 7:18 - that

Verse 9

these: Jeremiah 38:1-6, Esther 7:4-6, Job 31:34, Proverbs 24:11, Proverbs 24:12, Proverbs 31:8, Proverbs 31:9

is like to die: Heb. will die

for there: Jeremiah 37:21, Jeremiah 52:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:18 - General Exodus 23:2 - to decline Isaiah 3:1 - the stay Jeremiah 39:17 - of whom Lamentations 1:11 - seek Lamentations 3:53 - cut 2 Corinthians 11:27 - in hunger

Verse 10

the king: Esther 5:2, Esther 8:7, Psalms 75:10, Proverbs 21:1

with thee: Heb. in thine hand

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 37:13 - Hananiah Jeremiah 37:16 - into the dungeon

Verse 11

let them: Jeremiah 38:6

Reciprocal: Joshua 6:19 - the treasury

Verse 12

Put: Romans 12:10, Romans 12:15, Ephesians 4:32

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 38:6 - and they

Verse 13

So: Jeremiah 38:6

Jeremiah: Jeremiah 38:28, Jeremiah 37:21, Jeremiah 39:14-18, 1 Kings 22:27, Acts 23:35, Acts 24:23-26, Acts 28:16, Acts 28:30

Reciprocal: Exodus 12:29 - dungeon

Verse 14

sent: Jeremiah 21:1, Jeremiah 21:2, Jeremiah 37:17

third: or, principal, 1 Kings 10:5, 2 Kings 16:18

I will: Jeremiah 42:2-5, Jeremiah 42:20, 1 Samuel 3:17, 1 Samuel 3:18, 1 Kings 22:16, 2 Chronicles 18:15

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 14:18 - Hide not 2 Chronicles 18:5 - Shall we go 2 Chronicles 36:12 - before Jeremiah Ezekiel 7:26 - then Ezekiel 14:7 - and cometh Acts 24:25 - Go

Verse 15

Luke 22:67, Luke 22:68

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 1:12 - let me Proverbs 12:15 - but John 11:53 - put Hebrews 1:8 - a sceptre

Verse 16

sware: Jeremiah 37:17, John 3:2

that made: Numbers 16:22, Numbers 27:16, Ecclesiastes 12:7, Isaiah 57:16, Zechariah 12:1, Hebrews 12:9

of these: Jeremiah 38:1-6, Jeremiah 34:20

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 20:3 - as thy soul Job 31:34 - Did I Jeremiah 22:25 - I

Verse 17

the God of hosts: Psalms 80:7, Psalms 80:14, Amos 5:27

the God of Israel: 1 Chronicles 17:24, Ezra 9:4

If thou: Jeremiah 38:2, Jeremiah 7:6, Jeremiah 7:7, Jeremiah 21:8-10, Jeremiah 27:12, Jeremiah 27:17, Jeremiah 39:3, Job 23:13

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 24:12 - Jehoiachin 2 Kings 24:20 - Zedekiah Jeremiah 21:4 - Behold Jeremiah 21:9 - that abideth Jeremiah 27:8 - that nation Jeremiah 29:16 - General Jeremiah 37:13 - Thou Jeremiah 40:9 - Fear Ezekiel 17:14 - but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand Zephaniah 3:7 - so

Verse 18

if thou: 2 Kings 24:12, 2 Kings 25:27-30

then: Jeremiah 38:3, Jeremiah 38:23, Jeremiah 24:8-10, Jeremiah 32:3-5, Jeremiah 34:2, Jeremiah 34:3, Jeremiah 34:19-22, Jeremiah 39:3, Jeremiah 39:5-7, Jeremiah 52:7-11, 2 Kings 25:4-10, Ezekiel 12:13, Ezekiel 17:20, Ezekiel 17:21, Ezekiel 21:25-27

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 12:26 - Now shall Jeremiah 1:18 - against Jeremiah 21:4 - Behold Jeremiah 21:10 - it shall Jeremiah 25:35 - the shepherds Jeremiah 32:4 - General Jeremiah 39:4 - when Jeremiah 39:8 - burned Ezekiel 12:10 - prince Ezekiel 17:15 - shall he escape Ezekiel 24:11 - set it

Verse 19

I: Jeremiah 38:5, 1 Samuel 15:24, Job 31:34, Proverbs 29:25, Isaiah 51:12, Isaiah 51:13, Isaiah 57:11, John 12:42, John 19:12, John 19:13

mock: Jeremiah 38:22, Judges 9:54, Judges 16:25, 1 Samuel 31:4, Isaiah 45:9, Isaiah 45:10

Reciprocal: Ezekiel 11:8 - General

Verse 20

Obey: Jeremiah 26:13, 2 Chronicles 20:20, Daniel 4:27, Acts 26:29, 2 Corinthians 5:11, 2 Corinthians 5:20, 2 Corinthians 6:1, Philemon 1:8-10, James 1:22

and thy: Isaiah 55:3

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 15:19 - let them Jeremiah 27:13 - Why Ephesians 4:1 - beseech

Verse 21

if thou: Jeremiah 5:3, Exodus 10:3, Exodus 10:4, Exodus 16:28, Job 34:33, Proverbs 1:24-31, Isaiah 1:19, Isaiah 1:20, Hebrews 12:25

this is: Jeremiah 15:19-21, Jeremiah 26:15, Numbers 23:19, Numbers 23:20, Numbers 24:13, Job 23:13, Ezekiel 2:4, Ezekiel 2:5, Ezekiel 2:7, Ezekiel 3:17-19, Acts 18:6, Acts 20:26, Acts 20:27

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 8:10 - the Lord Jeremiah 17:27 - then Jeremiah 21:7 - I will Jeremiah 42:19 - know

Verse 22

all: Jeremiah 41:10, Jeremiah 43:6, Lamentations 5:11

and those: Mr. Harmer would render, "and here (hennah or reading hinneh behold), the women (wont to sing on public occasions) shall say," etc.; observing "that these bitter speeches much better suit the lips of women belonging to the conquering nation, singing before a captive prince, than of his own wives and concubines." This he illustrates by the following extract from Della Valle: When he was at Lar, in Persia, the king of Ormuz was brought thither in triumph; and "this poor unfortunate king entered Lar, with his people, in the morning, music playing, and girls and women singing and dancing before him, according to the custom of Persia, and the people flocking together with a prodigious concourse, and conducting him in a pompous and magnificent manner, particularly with colours displayed, like what the Messenians formerly did to Philopoemen, the general of the Athenians, their prisoner of war, according to the report of Justin."

Thy friends: Heb. The men of thy peace, Jeremiah 38:4-6, Jeremiah 20:10, Psalms 41:9,*marg.

have set: Jeremiah 38:19, Lamentations 1:2, Micah 7:5

thy feet: Jeremiah 38:6, Psalms 69:2, Psalms 69:14

they are: Jeremiah 46:5, Jeremiah 46:21, Isaiah 42:17, Lamentations 1:13

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 30:14 - lovers Obadiah 1:7 - men that were at peace with thee

Verse 23

they shall: Jeremiah 38:18, Jeremiah 39:6, Jeremiah 41:10, Jeremiah 52:8-13, 2 Kings 25:7, 2 Chronicles 36:20, 2 Chronicles 36:21

shalt cause: etc. Heb. shalt burn, etc. Jeremiah 27:12, Jeremiah 27:13, Ezekiel 14:9, Ezekiel 43:3

Reciprocal: Numbers 4:18 - General Numbers 32:15 - ye shall 2 Kings 25:6 - they took Jeremiah 21:10 - it shall Jeremiah 25:35 - the shepherds Jeremiah 27:17 - wherefore Jeremiah 32:4 - General Jeremiah 34:2 - Behold Jeremiah 34:22 - shall fight Jeremiah 37:8 - General Jeremiah 39:5 - Chaldeans' Jeremiah 52:13 - the king's Ezekiel 17:15 - shall he escape Ezekiel 19:14 - fire

Verse 24

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 37:17 - asked

Verse 25

Jeremiah 38:4-6, Jeremiah 38:27

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 14:18 - Hide not

Verse 26

Jeremiah 37:15, Jeremiah 37:20, Jeremiah 42:2, Esther 4:8

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 16:2 - I am come Esther 7:3 - let my life Jeremiah 38:6 - And in Jeremiah 40:8 - Jonathan Acts 16:24 - the inner

Verse 27

and he told: 1 Samuel 10:15, 1 Samuel 10:16, 1 Samuel 16:2-5, 2 Kings 6:19, Acts 23:6

left off speaking with him: Heb. were silent from him

Reciprocal: Proverbs 11:13 - he Jeremiah 38:25 - General

Verse 28

Jeremiah 38:13, Jeremiah 15:20, Jeremiah 15:21, Jeremiah 37:21, Jeremiah 39:14, Psalms 23:4, 2 Timothy 3:11, 2 Timothy 4:17, 2 Timothy 4:18

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 24:19 - And he did Jeremiah 29:26 - that thou Jeremiah 33:1 - he Jeremiah 36:5 - General Lamentations 3:59 - thou hast Hebrews 11:36 - bonds