New King James Version
Jeremiah 38:6
6So 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.
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 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
4Therefore the princes said to the king, “Please, let this man be put to death, for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm.” 5Then Zedekiah the king said, “Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you.” 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. 7Now Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon. When the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin, 8Ebed-Melech went out of the king’s house and spoke to the king, saying:
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 37:21Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah to the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread from the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
- Psalms 109:5Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love.
- Luke 3:19But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
- Jeremiah 37:16When Jeremiah entered the dungeon and the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days,
- Lamentations 3:55I called on Your name, O Lord, From the lowest pit.
- Acts 16:24Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
- 2 Corinthians 4:8We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
- Hebrews 10:36For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
- Jeremiah 36:26And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.
- Jeremiah 38:11So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there old clothes and old rags, and let them down by ropes into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
- Jeremiah 38:26then you shall say to them, ‘I presented my request before the king, that he would not make me return to Jonathan’s house to die there.’ ”
- Jeremiah 37:20Therefore please hear now, O my lord the king. Please, let my petition be accepted before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.”
- Jeremiah 38:22‘Now behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be surrendered to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say: “Your close friends have set upon you And prevailed against you; Your feet have sunk in the mire, And they have turned away again.”
- Genesis 37:24Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.
- Psalms 40:2He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.
- Psalms 69:2I sink in deep mire, Where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, Where the floods overflow 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries