Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryJeremiah 38

Jeremiah Put into the Dungeon; Ebed-melech's Care of JeremiahThis section describes how Jeremiah suffered for preaching God’s message, but also how God sent someone to help him. The story shows that being faithful to the Lord

v. 4: The princes were angry with Jeremiah and accused him of trying to harm the people by discouraging them. They said, “He seeks not the welfare of this people, but the hurt” . In truth, Jeremiah wanted to help them, but the princes only saw him as an enemy. This often happens when people do not want to hear God’s warnings.

v. 5–6: King Zedekiah let the princes do what they wanted. He said, “He is in your hand” (Jeremiah 38:5 ). So they put Jeremiah into a deep, muddy dungeon in the court of the prison. He sank into the mud and was left there to die. They did this secretly, hoping no one would notice. Jeremiah later wrote, “I called upon thy name, O Lord

v. 7–9: Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian servant in the king’s house, heard what happened to Jeremiah. He was not an Israelite, but he cared more than many people in Jerusalem. He quickly went to the king, who was sitting at the gate of Benjamin, and bravely spoke up. He said the princes had treated Jeremiah unfairly and that Jeremiah would die if he stayed in the dungeon, especially since there was little bread left in the city (Jeremiah 37:21 ). God often raises up friends in unexpected places to help His people.

v. 10: The king listened to Ebed-melech and commanded that Jeremiah be rescued. He sent thirty men with Ebed-melech to make sure the rescue was successful. Sometimes, God can change people’s hearts quickly, even those in power. Ebed-melech’s courage made a difference because the hearts of kings are in the hand of God (Proverbs 21:1 ).

v. 11–12: Ebed-melech acted with great care and kindness. He brought old cloths and rags for Jeremiah to put under his arms so the ropes would not hurt him as he was pulled up from the mud. He lowered the rags gently to Jeremiah. This shows that even small acts of compassion matter to God (Hebrews 6:10 ).

v. 13: They pulled Jeremiah out of the dungeon and brought him back to the court of the prison. Ebed-melech could have asked for Jeremiah’s complete freedom, but maybe he thought Jeremiah was safer in the court of the prison for now. God can make even a prison a place of safety for His people when danger is near.

Zedekiah's Conference with JeremiahThis section describes another private meeting between King Zedekiah and Jeremiah. The king is torn between what he knows is right and his fear of others. Jeremiah speaks honestly and bravely, urging the king to listen to God’s message. The story shows how important it is to obey God’s word, even when it is difficult or unpopular.v. 14: After Jeremiah was taken out of the dungeon, King Zedekiah secretly called him for advice. He met Jeremiah at a special entrance near the house of the Lord

v. 15–16: Before answering, Jeremiah asked the king to promise two things: not to kill him for his answer, and to listen to his advice. Jeremiah was not afraid to die for God, but it is wise to try to stay safe when possible. Zedekiah agreed not to harm Jeremiah or hand him over to others. He made this promise with an oath, saying, “As the Lord

v. 17–18: Jeremiah told Zedekiah what God said: if the king surrendered to the Babylonian princes, he and his family would live, and Jerusalem would not be burned (Jeremiah 38:17 ). But if he refused, the city would be destroyed by fire (Jeremiah 38:18 ). God’s advice is the same for everyone—if we submit to Him, we find mercy; if we resist, we face judgment.

v. 19: Zedekiah was afraid to surrender because he thought the Jews who had already gone over to the Babylonians would mock him or betray him. He worried about what others would say, even though Jeremiah spoke with authority from God. Sometimes, fear of embarrassment or what people think keeps us from doing what is right (Isaiah 14:10 ).

v. 20–23: Jeremiah urged the king to obey God, saying, “Obey, I beg you, the voice of the Lord

v. 24–27: Zedekiah wanted to keep this conversation secret. He told Jeremiah not to tell anyone what they discussed. If the princes questioned Jeremiah, he should say he was asking the king not to send him back to Jonathan’s house, where he might die. Jeremiah did as the king said, telling only part of the truth. It is sometimes wise to protect ourselves by not sharing everything, as long as we do not lie or do wrong (2 Corinthians 5:11 ).