The Ethiopian Eunuch Ebed-melech rescues Jeremiah--Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah 38 relates two events in the life of Jeremiah during the time he was imprisoned during the year and half when the Babylonians were besieging the city of Jerusalem (589-587 BCE)[see further Jeremiah 34; 37; 39; 2 Kings 25:1-21].

I. Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch, rescues Jeremiah from the cistern of Malchiah. Jeremiah 38:1-13.
a. Four Judean officials [Shephatiah, Gedaliah, Jucal, and Pashhur] hear an oracle of Jeremiah in which he declares that the Babylonians will overthrow Yahweh's people in Jerusalem and carry them into exile. Those who stay in the city of Jerusalem will die, while those who surrender to the Babylonians will live. Here Jeremiah clearly alludes to the picture of the way of life and the way of death in Jeremiah 21:1-10. 38:1-3.
b. The officials go to king Zedekiah and tell him Jeremiah ought to be put to death because Jeremiah is discouraging the Judean soldiers and people. Zedekiah turns Jeremiah into the hands of the officials. The officials take Jeremiah to the court of the guard and let Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son. There Jeremiah sank in the mud. 38:4-6.
c. Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch, learns that the officials had lowered Jeremiah into the cistern, where Jeremiah had no bread. So Ebed-melech goes to king Zedekiah and tell him that these officials have done wickedly to leave Jeremiah to die of hunger. 38:7-9.
d. King Zedekiah commands Ebed-melech to take three men with him and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before Jeremiah dies. Ebed-melech and his three comrades go to the king's storehouse and get a wardrobe, take old rags and worn out clothes, and let down Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes. Ebed-melech tells Jeremiah to put the rags and clothes between his armpits and the ropes, and they draw Jeremiah up by the ropes and pull him out of the cistern. Jeremiah then remains in prison in the court of the guard. 38:10-13.

II. Zedekiah meets with Jeremiah secretly. Jeremiah 38:14-28.
a. King Zedekiah meets Jeremiah secretly "at the third entrance of the temple of the Lord." Zedekiah assures Jeremiah that Zedekiah will not kill him if Jeremiah will give Zedekiah Yahweh's message. 38:14-16.
b. Jeremiah tells Zedekiah that if the Judeans will surrender to the Babylonians, they will be kept alive, but if they fight against the Babylonians, the Babylonians will overthrow them, burn Jerusalem, and carry the people into exile. 38:17-18.
c. Zedekiah tells Jeremiah that Zedekiah is afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Babylonians, because he might be handed over to them and they will abuse him. 38:19.
d. Jeremiah assures Zedekiah that this will not happen. But if Zedekiah will not surrender to the Babylonians, Yahweh has shown Jeremiah a vision that the women remaining in the house of the king of Judah will be led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and say that their feet are stuck in the mud. All the women and children of Judah will be led out to the Babylonians and Zedekiah will not escape, and will burn the city of Jerusalem. 38:20-23.
e. Zedekiah warns Jeremiah not to tell anyone of this conversation or Jeremiah will die. Zedekiah tells Jeremiah that if the officials confront Jeremiah about this meeting, Jeremiah is to tell them that Jeremiah was presenting his plea to King Zedekiah not to send him back to the house of Jonathan to die there. The officials did confront Jeremiah, and Jeremiah told this lie contrived by Zedekiah. Thus, the officials quit questioning Jeremiah, and Jeremiah remains in the court ofthe guard until the day Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians. 38:24-28.

Jeremiah was repeatedly abused and oppressed by Judean leaders and people in Jerusalem. But Yahweh sustained him through all those terrible days of danger and warning. This should encourage all of us when church people threaten and endanger our lives and reputations. God will always sustain faithful people.

Share YOUR ideas and insights with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis