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Commentary on Jeremiah 38 verses 1–13
Here, 1. Jeremiah persists in his plain preaching; what he had many a time said, he still says (Jer 38:3): This city shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon; though it hold out long, it will taken at last. Nor would he have so often repeated this unwelcome message but that he could put them in a certain way, though not to save the city, yet to save themselves; so that every man might have his own life given him for a prey if he would be advised, Jer 38:2. Let him not stay in the city, in hopes to defend that, for it will be to no purpose, but let him go forth to the Chaldeans, and throw himself upon their mercy, before things come to extremity, and then he shall live; they will not put him to the sword, but give him quarter (satis est prostrasse leoni - it suffices the lion to lay his antagonist prostrate) and he shall escape the famine and pestilence, which will be the death of multitudes within the city. Note, Those do better for themselves who patiently submit to the rebukes of Providence than those who contend with them. And, if we cannot have our liberty, we must reckon it a mercy to have our lives, and not foolishly throw them away upon a point of honour; they m ay be reserved for better times. 2. The princes persist in their malice against Jeremiah. He was faithful to his country and to his trust as a prophet, though he had suffered many a time for his faithfulness; and, though at this time he ate the king's bread, yet that did not stop his mouth. But his persecutors were still bitter against him, and complained that he abused the liberty he had of walking in the court of the prison; for, though he could not go to the temple to preach, yet he vented the same things in private conversation to those that came to visit him, and therefore (Jer 38:4) they represented him to the king as a dangerous man, disaffected to his country and to the government he lived under: He seeks not the welfare of this people, but the hurt - an unjust insinuation, for no man had laid out himself more for the good of Jerusalem than he had done. They represent his preaching as having a bad tendency. The design of it was plainly to bring men to repent and turn to God, which would have been as much as any thing a strengthening to the hands both the soldiery and of the burghers, and yet they represented it as weakening their hands and discouraging them; and, if it did this, it was their own fault. Note, It is common for wicked people to look upon God's faithful ministers as their enemies, only because they show them what enemies they are to themselves while they continue impenitent. 3. Jeremiah hereupon, by the king's permission, is put into a dungeon, with a view to his destruction there. Zedekiah, though he felt a conviction that Jeremiah was a prophet, sent of God, had not courage to own it, but yielded to the violence of his persecutors (Jer 38:5): He is in your hand; and a worse sentence he could not have passed upon him. We found in Jehoiakim's reign that the princes were better affected to the prophet than the king was (Jer 36:25); but now they were more violent against him, a sign that they were ripening apace for ruin. Had it been in a cause that concerned his own honour or profit, he would have let them know that the king is he who can do what he pleases, whether they will or no; but in the cause of God and his prophet, which he was very cool in, he basely sneaks, and truckles to them: The king is not he that can do any thing against you. Note, Those will have a great deal to answer for who, though they have a secret kindness for good people, dare not own it in a time of need, nor will do what they might do to prevent mischief designed them. The princes, having this general warrant from the king, immediately put poor Jeremiah into the dungeon of Malchiah, that was in the court of the prison (Jer 38:6), a deep dungeon, for they let him down into it with cords, and a dirty one, for there was no water in it, but mire; and he sunk in the mire, up to the neck, says Josephus. Those that put him here doubtless designed that he should die here, die for hunger, die for cold, and so die miserably, die obscurely, fearing, if they should put him to death openly, the people might be affected with what he would say and be incensed against them. Many of God's faithful witnesses have thus been privately made away, and starved to death, in prisons, whose blood will be brought to account in the day of discovery. We are not here told what Jeremiah did in this distress, but he tells us himself (Lam 3:55, Lam 3:57), I called upon thy name, O Lord! out of the low dungeon, and thou drewest near, saying, Fear not. 4. Application is made to the king by an honest courtier, Ebed-melech, one of the gentlemen of the bed-chamber, in behalf of the poor sufferer. Though the princes carried on the matter as privately as they could, yet it came to the ear of this good man, who probably sought opportunities to do good. It may be he came to the knowledge of it by hearing Jeremiah's moans out of the dungeon, for it was in the king's house, Jer 38:7. Ebed-melech was an Ethiopian, a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, and yet had in him more humanity, and more divinity too, than native Israelites had. Christ found more faith among Gentiles than among Jews. Ebed-melech lived in a wicked court and in a very corrupt degenerate age, and yet had a great sense both of equity and piety. God has his remnant in all places, among all sorts. There were saints even in Caesar's household. The king was now sitting in the gate of Benjamin, to try causes and receive appeals and petitions, or perhaps holding a council of war there. Thither Ebed-melech went immediately to him, for the case would not admit delay; the prophet might have perished if he had trifled or put it off till he had an opportunity of speaking to the king in private. Not time must be lost when life is in danger, especially so valuable a life. He boldly asserts the Jeremiah had a great deal of wrong done him, and is not afraid to tell the king so, though they were princes that did it, though they were now present in court, and though they had the king's warrant for what they did. Whither should oppressed innocency flee for protection but to the throne, especially when great men are its oppressors? Ebed-melech appears truly brave in this matter. He does not mince the matter; though he had a place at court, which he would be in danger of losing for his plain dealing, yet he tells the king faithfully, let him take it as he will, These men have done ill in all that they have done to Jeremiah. They had dealt unjustly with him, for he had not deserved any punishment at all; and they had dealt barbarously with him, so as they used not to deal with the vilest malefactors. And they needed not to have put him to this miserable death; for, if they had let him alone where he was, he was likely to die for hunger in the place where he was, in the court of the prison to which he was confined, for there was not more bread in the city: the stores out of which he was to have his allowance (Jer 37:21) were in a manner spent. See how God can raise up friends for his people in distress where they little thought of them, and animate men for his service even beyond expectation. 5. Orders are immediately given for his release, and Ebed-melech takes care to see them executed. The king, who but now durst do nothing against the princes, had his heart wonderfully changed on a sudden, and will now have Jeremiah released in defiance of the princes, for therefore he orders no less than thirty men, and those of the lifeguard, to be employed in fetching him out of the dungeon, lest the princes should raise a party to oppose it, Jer 38:10. Let this encourage us to appear boldly for God - we may succeed better that we could have thought, for the hearts of kings are in the hand of God. Ebed-melech gained his point, and soon brought Jeremiah the good news; and it is observable how particularly the manner of his drawing him out of the dungeon is related (for God is not unrighteous to forget any work or labour of love which is shown to his people or ministers, no, nor any circumstance of it, Heb 6:10); special notice is taken of his great tenderness in providing old soft rags for Jeremiah to put under his arm-holes, to keep the cords wherewith he was to be drawn up from hurting him, his arm-holes being probably galled by the cords wherewith he was let down. Nor did he throw the rags down to him, lest they should be lost in the mire, but carefully let them down, Jer 38:11, Jer 38:12. Note, Those that are in distress should not only be relieved, but relieved with compassion and marks of respect, all which shall be placed to account and abound to a good account in the day of recompence. See what a good use even old rotten rags may be put to, which therefore should not be made waste of, any more than broken meat: even in the king's house, and under the treasury too, these were carefully preserved for the use of the poor or sick. Jeremiah is brought up out of the dungeon, and is now where he was, in the court of the prison, Jer 38:13. Perhaps Ebed-melech could have made interest with the king to get him his discharge thence also, now that he had the king's ear; but he though him safer and better provided for there than he would be any where else. God can, when he pleases, make a prison to become a refuge and hiding-place to his people in distress and danger.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 38:4 vividly portrays the intense clash between Judah's political elite and God's prophetic messenger during Jerusalem's final siege. The princes, deeply invested in a nationalistic resistance, accuse Jeremiah of treason, demanding his execution. They assert that his divinely mandated prophecies of impending defeat and calls for surrender are demoralizing the remaining soldiers and the populace, thereby undermining the city's defense and actively seeking the people's "hurt" rather than their "welfare." This pivotal verse underscores the perilous cost of delivering an unpopular but truthful divine message in a time of national crisis, revealing the profound spiritual blindness of those who prioritized human strategy over God's sovereign will.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 38:4 employs several potent literary devices that enhance its dramatic impact and thematic depth. The phrase "weakeneth the hands" is a powerful idiom, a common Hebrew expression (merappeh et yedei) that vividly conveys the psychological impact of Jeremiah's words – not a physical weakening, but a profound demoralization and loss of resolve among the soldiers and citizens. This metaphorical language underscores the princes' perception of Jeremiah's message as a direct assault on the city's morale and its capacity for resistance. The verse also utilizes stark juxtaposition by contrasting "welfare" (shalom) with "hurt" (ra'), highlighting the perceived opposing forces at play: Jeremiah's supposed malevolence versus the people's well-being. This sharp antithesis emphasizes the princes' skewed perspective and their inability to discern God's ultimate good in the midst of judgment. Furthermore, the princes' accusation functions as a profound example of dramatic irony, as their attempt to silence Jeremiah and save the city from "hurt" by resisting God's word ultimately leads to the very destruction and suffering they claim to oppose, thereby fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecies.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 38:4 profoundly illustrates the tension between human wisdom and divine revelation, particularly when God's truth challenges deeply ingrained nationalistic pride or perceived self-interest. The princes, in their zeal to preserve the nation and secure its immediate welfare, failed to recognize that Jeremiah's message, though painful and counter-intuitive, was God's pathway to true "welfare" through repentance and submission. Their accusation that Jeremiah sought the people's "hurt" was a tragic misdiagnosis of God's disciplinary love, which, like a surgeon's scalpel, inflicts temporary pain for ultimate healing. This passage reminds us that God's ways are often counter-intuitive to human reasoning, and His peace (shalom) may require passing through periods of distress and surrender to His sovereign will, trusting that His ultimate intentions are always for His people's good.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 38:4 stands as a timeless challenge to our comfort and preconceived notions of what constitutes "good" or "welfare." It forces us to confront whether our allegiance is truly to God's revealed will, even when it demands uncomfortable truths, or to popular opinion, nationalistic fervor, or immediate gratification. In a world that often prioritizes personal comfort, perceived strength, and human solutions, Jeremiah's experience reminds us that true spiritual strength often lies in humility, repentance, and submission to God's difficult, yet ultimately good, purposes. For believers, this means cultivating discernment to recognize God's voice, even when it is unpopular or goes against the grain of societal norms. It also calls for courage to speak and live out biblical truth, even when it is costly or misunderstood, trusting that God's ultimate plan for His people is always for their true and lasting shalom, even if the path to it involves temporary "hurt" or discipline.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was Jeremiah truly seeking the "hurt" of his people, as the princes claimed?
Answer: No, Jeremiah was emphatically not seeking the "hurt" of his people. His mission, directly from God, was to call Judah to repentance and submission to God's sovereign will, even if that meant temporary subjugation to Babylon. While his message of impending judgment and the necessity of surrender was deeply disheartening and perceived as "hurtful" by the princes, it was, in fact, the only path to eventual preservation and true shalom (welfare) for the remnant of Israel. Jeremiah's heart was deeply grieved by the suffering of his people, as evidenced by his laments in passages like Jeremiah 9:1, but he faithfully delivered God's unpalatable truth, which was ultimately for their good, albeit through a painful process of divine discipline.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 38:4, with its depiction of a prophet rejected and accused of seeking "hurt" while faithfully delivering God's truth, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate prophet, Jesus Christ. Just as Jeremiah was accused of weakening the people and undermining the nation's resolve, Jesus was rejected by the religious and political leaders of His day, accused of blasphemy and sedition (e.g., Matthew 26:65-66). His message of the Kingdom of God, repentance, and the necessity of His suffering and death was deeply offensive to those who sought an earthly king and nationalistic glory. The Jewish leaders, much like the princes of Judah, believed they were acting for the "welfare" of the nation by eliminating Jesus, fearing that His influence would provoke Roman wrath and destroy their "place and nation" (John 11:48). Yet, Jesus, the true Lamb of God, willingly embraced the path of "hurt"—the cross—not to bring harm, but to secure the ultimate shalom (peace and reconciliation) for humanity (Colossians 1:20). His suffering was the means by which God's true welfare and salvation were extended to all who believe, demonstrating that God's most profound acts of love often involve a path of perceived weakness and sacrifice, leading to ultimate victory and eternal life (Philippians 2:8-9).