English Standard Version
Jeremiah 38:6
6So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
Jeremiah 38:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.
- New International Version (NIV)So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So the officials took Jeremiah from his cell and lowered him by ropes into an empty cistern in the prison yard. It belonged to Malkijah, a member of the royal family. There was no water in the cistern, but there was a thick layer of mud at the bottom, and Jeremiah sank down into it.
Context of Jeremiah 38:6
4Then the officials said to the king, "Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm." 5King Zedekiah said, "Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you." So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud. 7When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate— 8Ebed-melech went from the king's house and said to the king,
Read all of Jeremiah 38Jeremiah 38:6 word by word
וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֨כוּ אֹת֜וֹ אֶל־הַבּ֣וֹר׀ מַלְכִּיָּ֣הוּ בֶן־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּחֲצַ֣ר הַמַּטָּרָ֔ה וַיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּחֲבָלִ֑ים וּבַבּ֤וֹר אֵֽין־מַ֙יִם֙ כִּ֣י אִם־טִ֔יט וַיִּטְבַּ֥ע יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּטִּֽיט׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- they Jeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הוּyirmeyâh yirmeyâhû · JeremiahH3414
- and castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
- him into the dungeonבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
- of Malchiahמַלְכִּיָּהוּmalkîyâh malkiyâhû · MalchiahH4441
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Hammelechהַמֶּלֶךְmelek · `the king`H4428
- in the courtחָצֵרchâtsêr · courtH2691
- of the prisonמַטָּרָהmaţţârâ' maţţârâh · guardhouseH4307
- and they let downשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- with cordsחֶ֫בֶלchebel chêbel · cordH2256
- no waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- but mireטִיטţîyţ · mudH2916
- sunkטָבַעţâba‛ · to sinkH2883
Cross-references for Jeremiah 38:6
- Jeremiah 37:21So King Zedekiah gave orders, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guard. And a loaf of bread was given him daily from the bakers' street, until all the bread of the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
- Psalms 109:5So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
- Luke 3:19But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done,
- Jeremiah 37:16When Jeremiah had come to the dungeon cells and remained there many days,
- Lamentations 3:55"I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit;
- Acts 16:24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
- 2 Corinthians 4:8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
- Hebrews 10:36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
- Jeremiah 36:26And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son and Seraiah the son of Azriel and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the secretary and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.
- Jeremiah 38:11So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes.
- Jeremiah 38:26then you shall say to them, 'I made a humble plea to the king that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"
- Jeremiah 37:20Now hear, please, O my lord the king: let my humble plea come before you and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, lest I die there."
- Jeremiah 38:22Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and were saying, "'Your trusted friends have deceived you and prevailed against you; now that your feet are sunk in the mud, they turn away from you.'
- Genesis 37:24And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
- Psalms 40:2He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
- Psalms 69:2I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 38:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6So Jeremiah sunk in the mire - Their obvious design was, that he might be stifled in that place.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6The dungeon - The cistern. Every house in Jerusalem was supplied with a subterranean cistern, so well constructed that the city never suffered in a siege from want of water. So large were they that when dry they seem to have been used for prisons Zechariah 9:11. Hammelech - See Jeremiah 36:26 note. The prison - The guard. They threw Jeremiah into the nearest cistern, intending that he should die of starvation. Some have thought that Psalm 69 was composed…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6In front of everyone in the palace courtyard, they threw Jeremiah into an empty cistern. A thick layer of mud at the bottom slowly covered his body.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. dungeon--literally, the "cistern." It was not a subterranean prison as that in Jonathan's house (Jr 37:15), but a pit or cistern, which had been full of water, but was emptied of it during the siege, so that only "mire" remained. Such empty cisterns were often used as prisons (Zec 9:11); the depth forbade hope of escape. Hammelech--(Jr 36:26). His son followed in the father's steps, a ready tool for evil. sunk in the mire--Jeremiah herein was a type of…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 38:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 38
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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