God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 38:6
6So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son. It was in the courtyard of the prison. They used ropes to lower Jeremiah into the cistern. There was no water in the cistern, 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Jeremiah 38:6
4Then the officials said to the king, “Have this man put to death. He discourages the soldiers who are left in this city and all the people by telling them such things. This man is not trying to help these people; he’s trying to hurt them.” 5King Zedekiah answered, “He’s in your hands. I won’t do anything to stop you.” So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son. It was in the courtyard of the prison. They used ropes to lower Jeremiah into the cistern. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud. 7But an official in the royal palace, Ebed Melech from Sudan, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern. The king happened to be sitting at Benjamin Gate. 8Ebed Melech left the royal palace and spoke to the king at Benjamin Gate.
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 37:21King Zedekiah gave the command to have Jeremiah put in the courtyard of the prison. He gave him a loaf of bread every day from the bakers’ street until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the prison.
- Psalms 109:5They reward me with evil instead of good and with hatred instead of love.
- Luke 3:19John spoke out against the ruler Herod because Herod had married his own sister-in-law, Herodias. He also spoke out against Herod for all the evil things he had done.
- Jeremiah 37:16Jeremiah went into a prison cell, and he stayed there a long time.
- Lamentations 3:55“I call your name from the deepest pit, O Lord.
- Acts 16:24So the jailer followed these orders and put Paul and Silas into solitary confinement with their feet in leg irons.
- 2 Corinthians 4:8In every way we’re troubled, but we aren’t crushed by our troubles. We’re frustrated, but we don’t give up.
- Hebrews 10:36You need endurance so that after you have done what God wants you to do, you can receive what he has promised.
- Jeremiah 36:26The king commanded Jerahmeel (the king’s son), Seraiah (son of Azriel), and Shelemiah (son of Abdeel) to arrest the scribe Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah. But the Lord had hidden Baruch and Jeremiah.
- Jeremiah 38:11So Ebed Melech took the men with him and went to the royal palace, to a room under the treasury. He took rags and torn clothes from there and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.
- Jeremiah 38:26If they come to you, say to them, ‘I asked the king not to send me back to Jonathan’s house to die there.’ ”
- Jeremiah 37:20But now, Your Majesty, please listen, and accept my plea for mercy. Don’t return me to the scribe Jonathan’s house, or I will die there.”
- Jeremiah 38:22All the women who are left in the palace of Judah’s king will be brought out to the officers of the king of Babylon. These women will say: ‘Your trusted friends have misled you and used you. Your feet are stuck in the mud, and your friends have deserted you.’
- Genesis 37:24Then they took him and put him into an empty cistern. It had no water in it.
- Psalms 40:2He pulled me out of a horrible pit, out of the mud and clay. He set my feet on a rock and made my steps secure.
- Psalms 69:2I am sinking in deep mud. There is nothing to stand on. I am in deep water. A flood is sweeping me away.
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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