Focused Passage

Jeremiah 38:7-13

Jeremiah in the Cistern and Zedekiah’s Fearful Refusal

The chapter moves from Jeremiah's public word of life through surrender, to the officials' demand for his death, to his lowering into the cistern, to Ebed-Melek's courageous rescue, to Zedekiah's secret consultation, to Jeremiah's final warning, and finally to Jeremiah's guarded confinement until Jerusalem falls.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

7Now Ebed-melech the Cushite, a court official in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin,

8Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and said to the king,

9“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.”

10So the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

11Then Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.

12Ebed-melech the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah, “Put these worn-out rags and clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so,

13and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Cross-references

Luke 10:33Classic cross-references Acts 8:27Classic cross-references Amos 5:10Classic cross-references 2 Kings 5:13Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 21:19Classic cross-references

Original words

vvvעֶֽבֶד־H5663Now Ebed-melechמֶ֨לֶךְH5663Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Cushiteהַכּוּשִׁ֜יH3569Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular constructa court officialסָרִ֗יסH5631Noun - masculine singular. . .וְהוּא֙H1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singularin the royalהַמֶּ֔לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .כִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionpalaceבְּבֵ֣יתH1004Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructheardוַיִּשְׁמַ֡עH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthat Jeremiahיִרְמְיָ֖הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularhad been putנָתְנ֥וּH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerintoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe cisternהַבּ֑וֹרH953Article | Noun - masculine singularWhile the kingוְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְH4428Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularwas sittingיוֹשֵׁ֖בH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularat the Gateבְּשַׁ֥עַרH8179Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Benjaminבִּנְיָמִֽן׃H1144Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

Probably from the upper Nile region
Or eunuch

Verse 8

Cross-references

Micah 7:18Classic cross-references

Original words

vvvעֶֽבֶד־H5663Ebed-melechמֶ֖לֶךְH5663Noun - proper - masculine singularwent outוַיֵּצֵ֥אH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfrom the king’sהַמֶּ֑לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singularpalaceמִבֵּ֣יתH1004Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructand saidוַיְדַבֵּ֥רH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe kingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 9

Cross-references

Jeremiah 39:17Classic cross-references Jeremiah 37:21Classic cross-references Lamentations 1:11Classic cross-references Lamentations 3:53Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 11:27Classic cross-references

Original words

My lordאֲדֹנִ֣יH113Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularthe kingהַמֶּ֗לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singulartheseהָאֵ֙לֶּה֙H428Article | Pronoun - common plural-אֵ֣תH853Direct object markermenהָאֲנָשִׁ֤יםH582Article | Noun - masculine pluralhave acted wickedlyהֵרֵ֜עוּH7489Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluralin allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthatאֲשֶׁ֤רH834Pronoun - relativethey have doneעָשׂוּ֙H6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralto Jeremiahלְיִרְמְיָ֣הוּH3414Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularthe prophetהַנָּבִ֔יאH5030Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֵ֥תH853Direct object marker-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeThey have dropped himהִשְׁלִ֖יכוּH7993Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluralintoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe cisternהַבּ֑וֹרH953Article | Noun - masculine singularwhereתַּחְתָּיו֙H8478Preposition | third person masculine singularhe will starve to deathוַיָּ֤מָתH4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .מִפְּנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct. . .הָֽרָעָ֔בH7458Article | Noun - masculine singularforכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthere is noאֵ֥יןH369Adverbmoreע֖וֹדH5750Adverbbreadהַלֶּ֛חֶםH3899Article | Noun - masculine singularin the cityבָּעִֽיר׃H5892Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 10

Cross-references

Jeremiah 37:16Classic cross-references

Original words

So the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְH4428Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֵ֛תH853Direct object markercommandedוַיְצַוֶּ֣הH6680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularvvvעֶֽבֶד־H5663Ebed-melechמֶ֥לֶךְH5663Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Cushiteהַכּוּשִׁ֖יH3569Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructTakeקַ֣חH3947Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularthirtyשְׁלֹשִׁ֣יםH7970Number - common pluralmenאֲנָשִׁ֔יםH582Noun - masculine pluralfromמִן־H4480Prepositionhereמִזֶּה֙H2088Preposition-m | Pronoun - masculine singularwith youבְּיָדְךָ֤H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularand pullוְֽהַעֲלִ֜יתָH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֧הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularthe prophetהַנָּבִ֛יאH5030Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerout of the cisternהַבּ֖וֹרH953Article | Noun - masculine singularbeforeבְּטֶ֥רֶםH2962Preposition-b | Adverbhe diesיָמֽוּת׃H4191Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular

Verse 11

Original words

vvvעֶֽבֶד־H5663Then Ebed-melechמֶ֨לֶךְH5663Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markertookוַיִּקַּ֣ח׀H3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe menהָאֲנָשִׁ֜יםH582Article | Noun - masculine pluralwith himבְּיָד֗וֹH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand wentוַיָּבֹ֤אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto the king’sהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙H4428Article | Noun - masculine singularpalaceבֵית־H1004Noun - masculine singular constructtoאֶל־H413Prepositiona place belowתַּ֣חַתH8478Prepositionthe storehouseהָאוֹצָ֔רH214Article | Noun - masculine singularFrom thereמִשָּׁם֙H8033Preposition-m | Adverbhe tookוַיִּקַּ֤חH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularoldבְּלוֹיֵ֣H1094Noun - masculine plural constructragsהַסְּחָבוֹתH5499Noun - feminine pluraland worn-outוּבְלוֹיֵ֖H1094Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructclothesמְלָחִ֑יםH4418Noun - masculine pluraland lowered themוַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֧םH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralwith ropesבַּחֲבָלִֽים׃H2256Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluraltoאֶֽל־H413PrepositionJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֛הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularinאֶל־H413Prepositionthe cisternהַבּ֖וֹרH953Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 12

Cross-references

Ephesians 4:32Classic cross-references Romans 12:10Classic cross-references

Original words

vvvעֶבֶד־H5663Ebed-melechמֶ֨לֶךְH5663Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Cushiteהַכּוּשִׁ֜יH3569Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularcried outוַיֹּ֡אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶֽל־H413PrepositionJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֗הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularPutשִׂ֣יםH7760Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular. . .נָ֠אH4994Interjectionthese worn-outבְּלוֹאֵ֨יH1094Noun - masculine plural constructragsהַסְּחָב֤וֹתH5499Article | Noun - feminine pluraland clothesוְהַמְּלָחִים֙H4418Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural. . .תַּ֚חַתH8478Prepositionunder your armsאַצִּל֣וֹתH679Noun - common plural construct. . .יָדֶ֔יךָH3027Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine singular. . .מִתַּ֖חַתH8478Preposition-mto pad the ropesלַחֲבָלִ֑יםH2256Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine pluralJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֖הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singulardidוַיַּ֥עַשׂH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularsoכֵּֽן׃H3651Adverb

Verse 13

Cross-references

Jeremiah 37:21Classic cross-references Acts 23:35Classic cross-references Acts 28:16Classic cross-references Acts 28:30Classic cross-references Exodus 12:29Classic cross-references

Original words

and they pulled himיִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙H3414Noun - proper - masculine singularupוַיִּמְשְׁכ֤וּH4900Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerwith the ropesבַּֽחֲבָלִ֔יםH2256Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluraland liftedוַיַּעֲל֥וּH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralhimאֹת֖וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularout ofמִן־H4480Prepositionthe cisternהַבּ֑וֹרH953Article | Noun - masculine singularAnd Jeremiahיִרְמְיָ֔הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singularremainedוַיֵּ֣שֶׁבH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin the courtyardבַּחֲצַ֖רH2691Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructof the guardהַמַּטָּרָֽה׃סH4307Article | Noun - feminine singular

Read full chapter context All Jeremiah chapters

<- Jeremiah 37 Jeremiah 38 Jeremiah 39 ->