Jeremiah Chapter 38 — The Rescue from the Dungeon
Jeremiah is cast into a muddy cistern for prophesying Jerusalem's fall but is saved by an Ethiopian official. He then meets privately with King Zedekiah to offer a final chance for the city’s safety through surrender.
1Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard the words that Jeremiah spoke to all the people, saying,
2“The LORD says, ‘He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live. He will escape with his life and he will live.’
3The LORD says, ‘This city will surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will take it.’ ”
4Then the princes said to the king, “Please let this man be put to death, because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them; for this man doesn’t seek the welfare of this people, but harm.”
5Zedekiah the king said, “Behold, he is in your hand; for the king can’t do anything to oppose you.”
6Then they took Jeremiah and threw him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king’s son, that was in the court of the guard. They let down Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.
7Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king was then sitting in Benjamin’s gate),
8Ebedmelech went out of the king’s house, and spoke to the king, saying,
9“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. He is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.”
10Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.”
11So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
12Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these rags and worn-out garments under your armpits under the cords.”
13So they lifted Jeremiah up with the cords, and took him up out of the dungeon; and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
14Then Zedekiah the king sent and took Jeremiah the prophet to himself into the third entry that is in the LORD’s house. Then the king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me.”
15Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? If I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”
16So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “As the LORD lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”
17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “The LORD, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you will go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul will live, and this city will not be burned with fire. You will live, along with your house.
18But if you will not go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire, and you won’t escape out of their hand.’ ”
19Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.”
20But Jeremiah said, “They won’t deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the LORD’s voice, in that which I speak to you; so it will be well with you, and your soul will live.
21But if you refuse to go out, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:
22‘Behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah’s house will be brought out to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women will say,
23They will bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans. You won’t escape out of their hand, but will be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon. You will cause this city to be burned with fire.’ ”
24Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no man know of these words, and you won’t die.
25But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, ‘Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don’t hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also tell us what the king said to you;’
26then you shall tell them, ‘I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.’ ”
27Then all the princes came to Jeremiah, and asked him; and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they stopped speaking with him, for the matter was not perceived.
28So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Jeremiah 38:6
“Then they took Jeremiah and threw him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king’s son, that was in the court of the guard. They let down Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.”
This verse depicts the extreme physical suffering Jeremiah endured for his commitment to delivering God's message.
Jeremiah 38:20
“But Jeremiah said, “They won’t deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the LORD’s voice, in that which I speak to you; so it will be well with you, and your soul will live.”
This is Jeremiah's final appeal to King Zedekiah, emphasizing that life and safety are found only through obedience to God's word.
Chapter Summary
In Jeremiah 38, the prophet faces intense opposition from the princes of Judah, who accuse him of treason for advising the people to surrender to the Babylonians. With King Zedekiah’s passive consent, the princes lower Jeremiah into a muddy dungeon where he sinks into the mire. Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch in the king's palace, hears of this and intercedes with the king, warning that Jeremiah will die of hunger. The king allows Ebed-melech to lead a rescue party, and Jeremiah is pulled out using rags and cords. Following his rescue, Jeremiah is summoned for a secret meeting with King Zedekiah. Jeremiah warns the king that surrendering to the King of Babylon is the only way to save his life, his family, and the city from fire. Zedekiah expresses fear of being mocked by defectors and asks Jeremiah to keep their conversation a secret from the princes. Jeremiah remains under guard in the court of the guard until the eventual fall of Jerusalem.
Frequently Asked Questions
The princes of Judah accused Jeremiah of weakening the morale of the soldiers and the people. Because he prophesied that those who stayed in the city would die while those who surrendered would live, the princes viewed him as a threat to the city's defense and sought his death.
Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch in the king's house, rescued Jeremiah. He petitioned King Zedekiah for mercy and used a team of thirty men and old rags to carefully pull the prophet out of the mud.
The king wanted to know if there was a word from the Lord regarding the siege. Jeremiah told him that surrendering to the Babylonians would save his life and the city, but Zedekiah was hesitant because he feared being mocked by Judeans who had already defected.
Study Note
The inclusion of Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian official, highlights the presence and righteous actions of non-Israelites within the royal court during the final days of the Kingdom of Judah.
Related Chapters
Jeremiah 37
This chapter provides the context for Jeremiah's initial arrest and his earlier interactions with King Zedekiah.
Jeremiah 39
The next chapter records the fall of Jerusalem, fulfilling the warnings Jeremiah gave in chapter 38.
Psalm 40
This Psalm describes being pulled from a miry pit, reflecting the physical experience of Jeremiah in this chapter.
Continue in the App
Get the full experience — immersive audio, instant explanations, highlights, notes, and reading plans.