Jeremiah 38:11 kjv
So Ebedmelech 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.
Jeremiah 38:11 nkjv
So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there old clothes and old rags, and let them down by ropes into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 38:11 niv
So Ebed-Melek took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.
Jeremiah 38:11 esv
So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes.
Jeremiah 38:11 nlt
So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to a room in the palace beneath the treasury, where he found some old rags and discarded clothing. He carried these to the cistern and lowered them to Jeremiah on a rope.
Jeremiah 38 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 38:13 | So the soldiers pulled Jeremiah up from the cistern with ropes. | Rescue, Hope |
| Acts 7:60 | "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." | Forgiveness, Martyrdom |
| John 10:10 | "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." | Salvation, Abundant Life |
| Psalm 40:1 | I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. | Patience, Answered Prayer |
| Psalm 130:1 | Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. | Cry for Help, Deliverance |
| Psalm 119:75 | I know, O Lord, that your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. | Faithfulness in Affliction |
| Lam 3:27 | It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. | Endurance, Suffering |
| Heb 12:7 | Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. | Discipline, Fatherly Love |
| Rom 8:18 | For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us. | Future Glory, Present Suffering |
| Phil 3:10 | that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings. | Knowing Christ, Participation |
| 2 Cor 4:8-9 | We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. | Perseverance, Divine Support |
| 2 Tim 3:11 | persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured. | Enduring Persecution |
| John 16:33 | I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. | Peace in Trouble, Overcoming |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. | Divine Sovereignty, Mystery |
| Jer 29:11 | "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” | God's Plans, Hope |
| Mark 4:38 | But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him: "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" | Faith in Storms, Christ's Care |
| Luke 1:74 | to grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear. | Deliverance for Service |
| Eph 6:12 | For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. | Spiritual Warfare |
| Acts 16:25 | About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. | Prayer in Prison, Praise |
| Psa 18:16 | He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. | Divine Rescue, Strength |
Jeremiah 38 verses
Jeremiah 38 11 Meaning
This verse describes the immediate, decisive action taken by Jeremiah to secure his safety, removing himself from a precarious situation. He was placed in a cistern, a potentially life-threatening environment, but a compassionate individual intervened, taking him out to a more habitable place. The emphasis is on the transfer from a place of danger and potential death to a place of relative safety, albeit still within the confines of a dungeon or guard-house.
Jeremiah 38 11 Context
Jeremiah 38 places the prophet in a dire predicament. Accused of demoralizing the army and the people during the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, Jeremiah is condemned to death by the princes of Judah. He is cast into a muddy cistern or well within the court of the guard, a place likely meant for punishment or confinement with no means of escape and a high chance of perishing from exposure or drowning in the accumulated water and mud. This verse describes the intervention of Ebed-Melech, an Ethiopian eunuch in the king's service, who, acting on the king's permission, secures Jeremiah's release from this life-threatening situation. The immediate aftermath involves moving Jeremiah from the bottom of the cistern to a safer location within the compound.
Jeremiah 38 11 Word Analysis
- ephē: (Hebrew: וּפֵה, 'and they did'). This signifies the action of bringing Jeremiah up. It's a verb denoting movement from a lower to a higher position.
- Ebed-Melech: (Hebrew: עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ, 'Servant of the King'). The name itself highlights his position and loyalty within the king's administration. This Gentile official shows more compassion than some of Jeremiah's own countrymen.
- ha-Kushi: (Hebrew: הַכּוּשִׁי, 'the Cushite' or 'Ethiopian'). Identifies Ebed-Melech by his ethnicity, emphasizing that a non-Israelite demonstrates significant humanitarian concern for God's prophet.
- ha-saric: (Hebrew: הַסָּרִיס, 'the eunuch'). Refers to Ebed-Melech's status in the court. Eunuchs often held positions of trust and authority in ancient Near Eastern courts.
- ephan: (Hebrew: הַחַרּוּעַ, 'the cistern' or 'muddy place'). Specifically, a pit or cistern, often a reservoir for water, but in this context, it was a place of severe hardship, potentially filled with mire and deep mud.
- ephan: (Hebrew: מִן־הַחַרְצָנָה, 'from the cistern'). This prepositional phrase indicates the origin of Jeremiah's removal.
- ephan: (Hebrew: מִן־מִקְנֵה הַבַּיִת, 'from the chamber of the house'). While "house" here refers to the royal palace or compound, the specific meaning could be a storehouse, a cistern within the prison area, or a particular room within the palace complex. It suggests the location within the court of the guard from which he was drawn.
- malbish: (Hebrew: מַלְבּוּשֵׁי, 'garments'). This word implies that soft cloths or pieces of clothing were used to help lift Jeremiah. This practical act shows the effort and care taken.
- lemashchot: (Hebrew: לְמַשְׁכּוֹת, 'to draw' or 'to lift'). The phrase "wrought from under the robes" describes the method used for his retrieval from the cistern's depths.
Word-Group Analysis
- "from the cistern from the chamber of the house": This phrase describes the two key locations. First, the immediate, perilous location: the cistern. Second, the general area within the king's custody or guard house.
- "rags and old rags": The mention of "rags" (Hebrew: מַטְאֲטֵאוֹת, 'matateot') or "worn cloths" implies using readily available materials within the king's premises to create a sling or rope-like system for hauling Jeremiah up. This indicates a practical, if unrefined, method of rescue.
- "and Ebed-Melech the Cushite, the eunuch, said to Jeremiah, 'Please put these rags and cloths under your armpits, between your legs, and pull.'": This is a direct instruction given by Ebed-Melech. The specific instruction to place the materials "under your armpits, between your legs" suggests the need for a supportive sling or harness to distribute the weight and prevent him from slipping or being injured during the arduous ascent from the muddy pit.
Jeremiah 38 11 Bonus Section
Ebed-Melech’s act of compassion for Jeremiah is significant not only in saving the prophet’s life but also in fulfilling a prophecy concerning him. Later in Jeremiah chapter 39, when Jerusalem falls, Ebed-Melech is saved from death due to his previous kindness to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 39:15-18). This illustrates the principle found throughout Scripture: "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38). Ebed-Melech's courage serves as a powerful example of stepping out in faith and obedience, demonstrating God's faithfulness in protecting those who stand with His servants, even when they are persecuted.
Jeremiah 38 11 Commentary
Ebed-Melech's decisive action in Jeremiah 38:11 is a testament to compassion and courage in a time of oppressive spiritual and political climate. The prophet Jeremiah was thrown into a life-threatening cistern by his own people for speaking God's truth. Ebed-Melech, an outsider, intervened, acting under divine impulse and King Zedekiah's hesitant authority. The use of worn rags and cloths highlights the resourceful humanity in this act. It’s not a miraculous intervention from the sky, but a grounded, human one demonstrating that God works through individuals. This rescue anticipates a larger theme of God delivering His people from depths of despair and peril, and it points to Christ, who Himself descended into the "depths" of human sin and death and brought us out. Ebed-Melech's act underscores the importance of kindness and justice, even when unpopular or dangerous. His faith, evidenced by his actions, was active and selfless, setting a pattern for believers.