Jeremiah 38:28

So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was [there] when Jerusalem was taken.

So Jeremiah {H3414} abode {H3427} in the court {H2691} of the prison {H4307} until the day {H3117} that Jerusalem {H3389} was taken {H3920}: and he was there when Jerusalem {H3389} was taken {H3920}.

Yirmeyahu remained in the guards' quarters until the day Yerushalayim was captured; he was there when Yerushalayim was captured.

And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured.

So Jeremiah abode in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken. And it came to pass when Jerusalem was taken

Commentary

Jeremiah 38:28 (KJV): "So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was [there] when Jerusalem was taken."

Context

This verse concludes chapter 38 of Jeremiah. It describes the prophet Jeremiah's living situation during the final days of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah had been imprisoned in a much worse location, a muddy cistern or dungeon, due to his unpopular prophecies predicting the city's destruction and advising surrender. He was rescued from the pit through the intervention of Ebed-melech the Ethiopian and King Zedekiah, and subsequently placed in the "court of the prison" (the court of the guard) within the royal palace complex. This was a form of house arrest, allowing him more freedom and better conditions than the dungeon, while still being confined.

Key Themes

  • Perseverance in Confinement: Jeremiah remained faithful to God's message even while imprisoned, enduring isolation and opposition until the very end.
  • Fulfillment of Prophecy: The verse highlights that Jeremiah was present to witness the exact event he had prophesied for years โ€“ the capture of Jerusalem. His presence confirms the truth and accuracy of his divine message.
  • God's Preservation: Despite being a prisoner of the state and facing immense danger from those who hated his message, Jeremiah was kept safe in this specific location until the city fell, positioning him for the next phase of God's plan for him.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "court of the prison" (ื—ึฒืฆึทืจ ื”ึทืžึทึผื˜ึธึผืจึธื”, chatsar hammattarah) specifically means the "court of the guard." This was likely an area within the royal palace grounds designated for holding prisoners under surveillance. It implies a less severe form of imprisonment than a literal dungeon or cell, possibly allowing some movement within the courtyard and access to provisions, contrasting sharply with the life-threatening conditions of the cistern he was previously in.

Reflection and Application

Jeremiah's experience reminds us that faithfulness to God's calling may lead to difficult circumstances, including opposition, isolation, or confinement. His confinement, however, placed him exactly where God intended him to be to witness the culmination of his prophetic ministry and to be preserved through the chaos of the city's fall. This teaches us that even in restrictive or challenging situations, God can position us for His purposes. Our task is to remain faithful and persevere, trusting that God is with us and has a plan, even when we are in a form of "prison." The fact that he was "there when Jerusalem was taken" underscores the reality and inevitability of God's judgment when warnings are ignored, and also God's care for His messenger amidst that judgment.

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Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 37:21 (4 votes)

    Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

  • Jeremiah 39:14 (4 votes)

    Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.

  • Jeremiah 15:20 (3 votes)

    And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I [am] with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 15:21 (3 votes)

    And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.

  • Psalms 23:4 (3 votes)

    Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

  • Jeremiah 38:13 (3 votes)

    So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

  • 2 Timothy 4:17 (2 votes)

    Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and [that] all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.