Jeremiah Is Thrown Into the Cistern
Study note
Jeremiah continued to tell the people that those who stayed in Jerusalem would die, but those who surrendered to the Babylonians would live. The officials saw this as dangerous talk that weakened the army's will to fight. They demanded King Zedekiah let them kill Jeremiah. The weak king gave in, saying he could not stop them. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into a cistern -- a large pit used to store water -- that had only mud at the bottom. Jeremiah sank into the mud and was left to die.
1 Four men heard what Jeremiah was telling the people. They were Shephatiah son of Mattan and Gedaliah son of Pashhur. Also Jehucal son of Shelemiah and Pashhur son of Malkijah. Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,
2 He was saying, "The Lord says: Anyone who stays in this city will die from war, famine, or disease. But anyone who surrenders to the Babylonians will survive — they will at least escape with their lives." Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.
3 "The Lord also says: This city will definitely be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon. He will capture it." Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.
4 The officials said to the king, "This man must be put to death! By talking like this, he is weakening the soldiers still in the city and demoralizing all the people. He is not trying to help these people — he is trying to hurt them." Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.
5 King Zedekiah replied, "All right, he's in your hands. The king can't stop you." Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.
6 So they took Jeremiah and lowered him with ropes into the cistern of Malkijah the king's son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. There was no water in the cistern — only thick mud — and Jeremiah sank down into the mud. 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.
Ebed-Melech Rescues Jeremiah
Study note
Ebed-Melech was an Ethiopian (Cushite) official who served in the king's palace. When he learned what had happened to Jeremiah, he boldly went to the king and told him that the officials had done an evil thing. The king authorized Ebed-Melech to take thirty men and rescue Jeremiah. Ebed-Melech showed great care by getting old rags and worn-out clothes from the palace storeroom and lowering them to Jeremiah to pad the ropes under his arms so they would not cut into his skin. They then pulled Jeremiah up from the cistern.
7 But Ebed-Melek, an Ethiopian official who served in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Benjamin Gate, Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;
8 Ebed-Melek left the palace and said to the king, Ebed-melech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying,
9 "My lord the king, these men have done a terrible thing to the prophet Jeremiah. They have thrown him into a cistern where he will starve to death, since there is no more bread in the city." My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.
10 The king told Ebed-Melek the Ethiopian, "Take thirty men with you. Pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the well before he dies." Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
11 So Ebed-Melek took the men with him and went to a room under the palace storeroom. He got some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and lowered them by ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
12 Ebed-Melek called down to Jeremiah, "Put these old rags and clothes under your arms to pad the ropes." Jeremiah did so, And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.
13 and they pulled him up out of the cistern with the ropes. After that, Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
Zedekiah's Final Secret Meeting with Jeremiah
Study note
King Zedekiah brought Jeremiah to a private entrance at the temple for one last secret conversation. After promising not to kill Jeremiah or hand him over to the officials, Zedekiah asked for advice. Jeremiah delivered God's message: if the king surrendered to the Babylonians, he and his family would live and the city would be spared. If he refused, the city would be burned and he would not escape. Zedekiah admitted he was afraid -- not of the Babylonians but of the Jews who had already deserted to them, fearing they would abuse him.
14 King Zedekiah then sent for Jeremiah the prophet and had him brought to the third entrance of the Lord's Temple. The king said, "I want to ask you something. Don't hide anything from me." Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.
15 Jeremiah replied, "If I tell you the truth, you'll have me killed. And if I give you advice, you won't listen anyway." Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?
16 King Zedekiah made a secret promise to Jeremiah. He said, "As surely as the Lord lives, the one who gave us the breath of life, I will not kill you. I will not hand you over to those men who want you dead." So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.
17 Then Jeremiah told Zedekiah this. "The Lord God of Armies, Israel's God, says: Give yourself up to Babylon's officers. Then you will live. This city will not burn. You and your family will survive." Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:
18 "But if you refuse to surrender, this city will be handed over to the Babylonians. They will burn it to the ground, and you will not escape." But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.
19 King Zedekiah told Jeremiah this. "I am scared of the Jews who went over to Babylon. If they hand me to the Babylonians, they might hurt me badly." And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.
20 Jeremiah replied, "They won't hand you over. Please obey the Lord by doing what I'm telling you. Things will go well for you, and your life will be spared." But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.
21 "But if you refuse to surrender, here is what the Lord has shown me:" But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:
22 "All the women left in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out and given to the officers of the king of Babylon. Those women will mock you, saying, 'Your trusted friends misled you and overpowered you. Now that your feet are stuck in the mud, your friends have abandoned you.'" And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.
23 "All your wives and children will be brought out and given to the Babylonians. You yourself will not escape. You will be captured by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down." So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.
The Secret Is Kept
Study note
Zedekiah told Jeremiah to keep their conversation secret. If the officials asked what they had discussed, Jeremiah was to say he had asked the king not to send him back to Jonathan's prison. When the officials did come asking questions, Jeremiah told them exactly that, and they left him alone. Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem fell. The king was too afraid of the officials to act on God's advice, and his cowardice would cost him everything.
24 Zedekiah warned Jeremiah. "Do not let anyone know what we talked about. If they find out, you will die." Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.
25 "If the officials find out that I talked with you, they may come and ask you, 'Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you. Do not hide anything or we will kill you.'" But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee:
26 "tell them, 'I was begging the king not to send me back to Jonathan's prison, because I would die there.'" Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.
27 All the officials did come to Jeremiah and asked him questions. He told them exactly what the king had told him to say. They left him alone because nobody had heard the real talk between them. Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.
28 Jeremiah stayed in the guard's yard. He stayed there until the day Jerusalem fell. So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.