Rashi on TanakhJeremiah 38

and he shall have his life as prey His life shall be saved, as if had “plundered” his soul; just as a man profits from plundering booty, so this person will profit [by saving] his life.

since he weakens (a lacher in O.F.), an expression of weakness.

cannot Heb. יוּכַל, like יָכוֹל, since he is weakening the hands of, etc.

the pit of Malchiah lit. the pit Malchiah.

Ebed-melech Baruch the son of Neriah.

the Cushite Zedekiah. Just as a Cushite is different in his skin, so was Zedekiah different in his righteousness, from all his generation (Moed Katan 16b). And there is a Midrash that expounds “the Cushite,” as referring to Baruch (Sifrei ibid.).

an officer Heb. סריס, a great man.

He would have died in his place, etc. If they had left him in his place, he would have died by himself in the famine, but they have done harm to bring his death closer.

thirty men Since they were weakened by the famine, all of them were required.

worn clouts Heb. בלוי סחבות, worn out garments, that are dragged.

and the rags Heb. והמלחים, an expression of decay. Cf. “shall vanish (נמלחוּ) like smoke” (Isa. 51: 6).

under your armpits So that the ropes should not harm you.

armpits Heb. אצילות, aisseles in French.

the third entrance I do not know where it is. Perhaps it is in the Israelites’ Court. The appellation “third” is to say that the hel [the wall surrounding the Temple Court], and the Women’s Court are before it.

“I fear” Heb. דֹאֵג.

lest they deliver me [Lest] the Chaldeans [deliver me] into the hands of the Jews, saying, Your king shall be your slave since you have made peace with us first.

and mock me [i. e.,] the Jews [will mock me] (engregier in O.F.), complain.

“Your cohorts” [lit. the men of your peace,] the false prophets, who told you that you would not be caught.

into the mire Heb. בבץ, mire, an expression as in (Job 8:11): “Can the rush shoot up without mire (בצה)?”

and this city you shall burn with fire It is as though you are burning it with your hands for you are causing it.