Jeremias 38
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Jeremias 38
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS The Anchor Bible Commentary by John Bright says that Jer. 37:11-21 is the first recorded interview of Jeremiah face to face with Zedekiah and Jer. 38:1-28 is a second account. R. K. Harrison, in the Tyndale OT Series lists the similarities of Jer. 37:11-21 and Jer. 38:1-28. Jeremiah charged with treason Jeremiah imprisoned Jeremiah has a secret meeting with Zedekiah However, there are also differences which leave open the possibility of separate events (p. 154).
Jeremias 38:1-13
38:1 "Shephatiah the son of Mattan" He was a member of the royal servants/counselors of Zedekiah during the invasion of Judah by Neo-Babylon. He was an enemy of Jeremiah and thought he was a traitor deserving death. ▣ "Gdealiah the son of Pashhur" He was of the same group and held the same opinion of Jeremiah as did Shephatiah. ▣ "Jucal the son of Shelemiah" This man also goes by the name "Jehucal" in Jer. 37:3, where he is a royal messenger sent to Jeremiah and asking him, on the king's behalf, to pray for the crisis situation. 𘅋 "Pashhur the son of Malchijah" This royal servant is also mentioned in Jer. 21:1, as well as here. He is not the same person as Pashhur the priest, mentioned in Jer. 20:1-6. 38:2 "die" This chapter uses this VERB "die" (BDB 559, KB 562) often. those who stay in Jerusalem will die, Jer. 38:2 those who desire to kill Jeremiah, Jer. 38:4 Jeremiah's death as a result of being put into the empty cistern, Jer. 38:9,26 desire to save Jeremiah, Jer. 38:10 Jeremiah's message to Zedekiah, Jer. 38:15 Zedekiah's response to Jeremiah, Jer. 38:16 Zedekiah's threat to Jeremiah, Jer. 38:24 the official's threat to Jeremiah, Jer. 38:25 ▣ "the sword and by famine and by pestilence" These are the three killers of the siege experience. See full note at Jer. 14:12. ▣ "live" As "die" is used often in this chapter, so too, "live" (BDB 310, KB 309). In Jer. 38:2 "will live" ‒ The Kethiv (written in the MT) has it as a Qal IMPERFECT but the Qere (suggested in the margin by MT formatters) has a Qal PERFECT, which matches the next two VERBS. The second use of "will live" is a Qal IMPERFECT. in Jer. 38:17 (twice) are Jeremiah's words to Zedekiah. in Jer. 38:20 are Jeremiah's words to Zedekiah. Obedience to YHWH's message through Jeremiah brings life, but disobedience brings death. In a sense it reflects the "two ways" of Deut. 30:15-20 (cf. Jer. 21:8). Life is a gift of which we are stewards. There are consequences, both temporal and eternal, connected to human choices and actions (i.e. Psalm 1)! 38:3 "This city will certainly be given" The prophecy by Jeremiah of the complete destruction of Jerusalem by Neo-Babylon has not changed (cf. Jer. 21:20; 32:28; 34:2; 37:8; 38:3)! The VERB (BDB 678, KB 733, Niphal IMPERFECT) is matched by the INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE of the same root which denotes certainty! There was no hope for Jerusalem and the temple to be spared. 38:4 "the men of war who are left" Apparently there had been casualties and desertions. The other option is that Judah had no regular military except volunteers who went by the name, "men of war." ▣ "this man is not seeking the well-being of this people" These court officials still totally misunderstood Jeremiah and his message. They purposefully ignored the promise of "life" in Jer. 38:2. 38:5 This verse shows the weakness of Zedekiah (so too, Saul, cf. 1 Sam. 15:24 and even of David, cf. 2 Sam. 3:39). Notice the play on "hand." "discouraging" of Jer. 38:4 is literally "weakening the hands" "all the people" of Jer. 38:4 is literally "the hands of all" "he is in your hands" of Jer. 38:5 is an idiom of power over someone SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND 38:6 "the king's son" This was an official title, not necessarily a blood relationship, but probably someone of the royal family (cf. Jer. 36:26). ▣ "Jeremiah sank into the mud" Josephus adds the tradition that it was up to his neck (Antiq. 10.7.5). He was meant to die there (cf. Jer. 38:4). The "mud" would have been the sediment which had collected in the bottom of a cistern. Cisterns caught and stored the runoff of rain water. 38:7 "Ebed-melech" This term (BDB 715) is literally "servant of the king." It is not a name but a title also found in other Semitic cultures. This man helps Jeremiah and is rewarded with his life (cf. Jer. 39:16-18). ▣ "Ethiopian" This (BDB 469 I) is often translated "Cushite" (cf. Jer. 13:23), which denotes a person from the nation just south of Egypt. This was a foreign servant/official in the Judean palace. ▣ "a eunuch" This term can be translated "official" (BDB 710). Physical castration was often involved (cf. Isa. 56:3-5), but not always (i.e. Potiphar in Gen. 39:1ff). ▣ "the king was sitting in the Gate of Benjamin" The gate was the place of social and legal activities. Apparently Zedekiah, the King, was holding public court. 38:8 "spoke to the king" Either he was a trusted official who had the ear of the king or he took advantage of public court to speak. 38:9 The reason for Jeremiah's feared death is stated as famine. Conditions are much worse now than in Jer. 37:21. 38:10 "thirty men" One Hebrew MS and the LXX have "three" (cf. NRSV, TEV, NEB, NIV). The UBS Text Project, p. 278, gives "thirty" an A rating (very high probability; MT and Peshitta). 38:11 "beneath the storeroom" NKJV, Peshitta "under the treasury" "to a wardrobe of the storehouse" "the palace storeroom" "the treasury wardrobe" "a place below the treasury" "the underground chamber" JPSOA footnote "the wardrobe of the treasury" The exact site is uncertain. It refers to a cistern somewhere in the palace. The MT has "under the treasury," to which the UBS Text Project, p. 278, gives a "C" rating (considerable doubt). underneath the treasury ‒ אל - תחת האוצר towards the wardrobe of the treasury ‒ אל - מלתחת האוצר 38:12 "put these worn-out clothes and rags under your armpits" Apparently a room close by had some worn out clothes that could be used to cushion Jeremiah as he was pulled from the cistern. This shows the man's concern for Jeremiah. This is an eyewitness detail! 38:13 He was rescued from the cistern but would stay in custody!
Jeremias 38:14-16
38:14 "the third entrance" Zedekiah was a conflicted, weak ruler! 38:15 Zedekiah still holds Jeremiah in a sacred position (i.e. Herod and John the Baptist). meets with him secretly (cf. Jer. 38:16,24-27) but will not act on his words He wants to know the word of YHWH (cf. Jer. 38:14) but he will not do it (James 1:22). He apparently feared the Neo-Babylonian army and a faction within Judah (cf. v. 16). 38:16 The king promises not to kill Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 38:15-16) not to turn him over to his officials who want to kill him (cf. Jer. 38:4) Zedekiah swore by the covenant Deity's name ("As the Lord lives") and His creative action ("who gave us life/breath"). Zedekiah was a religious man but a weak, indecisive one! ▣ "this life" See SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH
Jeremias 38:17-23
38:17 Notice the three titles of the One in whose name (cf. Jer. 35:17) Jeremiah speaks. YHWH (Lord); see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. God of hosts; see SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS God of Israel; see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C. The VERB "go out to" means "surrender" (BDB 422, KB 425, QalM IMPERFECT) in this context. It is intensified by the presence of the INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE of the same root! Notice, if the king will respond appropriately, even at this late date, to YHWH's words, there is hope for the city/temple! But if not—Jer. 38:18! 38:18 "the Chaldeans" See SPECIAL TOPIC: CHALDEANS 38:19 As Zedekiah was afraid of the officials in Jer. 38:4-5, now he is afraid of the Judean deserters! He should have been afraid of YHWH! If only he would have trusted in YHWH's promise (cf. Jer. 38:20). Divine promises are linked to human choices! 38:20 This reaffirmation of YHWH's promise has a command to obedience ‒ BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE (see SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP) two conditional JUSSIVES it may go well with you ‒ BDB 405, KB 408, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense you may live ‒ BDB 310, KB 309, Qal JUSSIVE (cf. Jer. 38:2) 38:21-23 YHWH's promises, ignored or refused, result in consequences. women of the palace will be given over to the officials of the Neo-Babylonian army they will accuse the king of vacillation and weakness to his counselors ("your feet were sunk in the mire" is an idiom of indecision) Zedekiah's wives and children will be exiled. The VERB may imply sexual abuse humiliation exile Zedekiah will be tortured as he feared the city and temple will be destroyed Verse 22 includes a poem at the end which is purported to be from the palace women given over to the Neo-Babylonian officers. It addresses a group of people called "your close friends." royal counselors who favored an alliance with Egypt royal counselors who wanted Jeremiah killed for treason false prophets who gave a supposed divine message absolutely opposite of Jeremiah's message of defeat and exile
Jeremias 38:24-28
38:26 "you are to say to them" Jeremiah agrees to the cover story. He did ask the king this very question in Jer. 37:20. The "cover story" involved the location of Jeremiah's confinement (cf. v. 28).