Jeremiah 38:6 kjv
Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.
Jeremiah 38:6 nkjv
So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king's son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire.
Jeremiah 38:6 niv
So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king's son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.
Jeremiah 38:6 esv
So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
Jeremiah 38:6 nlt
So the officials took Jeremiah from his cell and lowered him by ropes into an empty cistern in the prison yard. It belonged to Malkijah, a member of the royal family. There was no water in the cistern, but there was a thick layer of mud at the bottom, and Jeremiah sank down into it.
Jeremiah 38 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 38:6 | "So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchijah, the king’s son,... | Jeremiah 37:1; Jeremiah 38:7-13 |
| Jer 37:15 | "...for Jeremiah had not yet been thrown into prison.) | Jeremiah 38:6 |
| Jer 38:28 | So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured. | Jeremiah 38:6-13; 2 Kings 25:4; Jeremiah 52:7 |
| Psa 88:6 | You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. | Jeremiah 38:6; Psa 88:8 |
| Psa 30:3 | O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me from among those who go down to the pit. | Psa 40:2; Psa 116:4; Jeremiah 38:6 |
| Lam 3:52 | They have hunted me like a bird, though I had done no wrong. | Lam 3:53; Jeremiah 38:6 |
| Lam 3:53 | they silenced my life in a dungeon and cast stones at me. | Lam 3:55; Jeremiah 38:6 |
| Psa 118:17 | I shall not die, but I will live, and tell of the works of the LORD. | Psa 118:18; Jeremiah 38:7-13 |
| Heb 11:37 | they were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword. | Heb 11:35-37; Jeremiah 38:1-7 |
| 2 Cor 11:23 | ...in prisons much more; in labors more abundantly, in beatings, often in death. | 2 Cor 11:24-27; Jeremiah 38:6 |
| Acts 5:40 | ...and when they had called the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. | Acts 5:17-40; Jeremiah 38:6 |
| Acts 7:59 | And as they were stoning Stephen, he cried out, “Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit!” | Acts 7:55-60; Jeremiah 38:6 |
| Phil 1:13 | so that in all the prefecture and to all the rest it came to be known that my chains for Christ are evident in Christ. | Phil 1:12-14; Jeremiah 38:6 |
| 2 Tim 3:12 | Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. | 2 Tim 3:10-17; Jeremiah 38:1-7, 28 |
| 1 Pet 4:12 | Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that is to come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. | 1 Pet 4:13-16; Jeremiah 38:1-13 |
| Jer 1:17 | "But you, gird up your loins; stand up, and tell them everything that I command you. | Jer 1:18; Jeremiah 38:6-7 |
| Jer 20:1-3 | ...Then Pashhur the priest, who was also chief officer of the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks that were at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, which belonged to the house of the LORD. | Jeremiah 20:2; Jeremiah 38:1, 6 |
| Zech 8:16 | Yet what I command you now, speak these things; let each one speak truth to his neighbor; render the true judgment in your gates: | Zech 8:16-17; Jeremiah 38:4-6 |
| Rev 21:8 | But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." | Rev 21:8; Jeremiah 38:2; Jeremiah 50:7 |
| Rom 11:22 | Look therefore at the goodness and severity of God: severity, on those who have fallen, but God’s goodness to you, provided you continue in his goodness, otherwise you too will be cut off. | Rom 11:21-23; Jeremiah 38:5 |
Jeremiah 38 verses
Jeremiah 38 6 Meaning
Jeremiah 38:6 describes the action of officials in the court of King Zedekiah, who cast the prophet Jeremiah into an empty cistern, thinking to let him die there by starving. This act was done without the king's direct involvement, showing the disdain and opposition Jeremiah faced from those in authority. The cistern had no water, indicating it was a death sentence due to lack of sustenance.
Jeremiah 38 6 Context
This verse is found within the latter part of Jeremiah's ministry, during the final siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar. Jerusalem is under intense pressure, and the leadership is divided. Jeremiah, a faithful prophet, has been consistently delivering God's message of judgment due to the nation's unfaithfulness and idolatry. He has been imprisoned multiple times due to his unpopular prophecies, which contradicted the false hopes of deliverance held by many in power and the populace. This specific instance occurs after Jeremiah had spoken of the imminent fall of the city and its complete destruction by the Chaldeans. The officials, desperate to eliminate any perceived opposition and to adhere to the perceived wishes of King Zedekiah (or their own interpretation of the king's will), seize Jeremiah and carry out this sentence.
Jeremiah 38 6 Word analysis
- So (וָ) - Connective particle, indicating the action follows from the previous discussion or decisions.
- they (הֵמָּה) - Refers to the officials previously mentioned or understood in the context (v. 4).
- took (לָקְחוּ) - Past tense verb, qatal conjugation of the root לָקַח (laqach), meaning to take, seize, or carry away. It signifies the action of physically apprehending Jeremiah.
- Jeremiah (יִרְמְיָהוּ) - The prophet's name, meaning "Yahweh exalts" or "Yahweh throws."
- and (ו) - Connective particle.
- cast (וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ) - Past tense verb, wayyiqtol conjugation of the root שָׁלַךְ (shalach), meaning to throw, cast, or cast down. This is a strong verb emphasizing the forceful and unceremonious manner of his deposition.
- him (אֹתוֹ) - Object pronoun, referring to Jeremiah.
- into (אֶל) - Preposition indicating destination or location.
- the cistern (הַבֹּור) - Masculine noun, definite article with בּוֹר (bor), meaning cistern, pit, well, or dungeon. It denotes a deep storage place, often underground.
- of Malchijah (מַלְכִּיָּהוּ) - Genitive case indicating possession or relation to Malchijah. From the root מֶלֶךְ (melekh), meaning king, and יָהּ (Yah), short for Yahweh, meaning "Yahweh is my king." This likely refers to a person of royal lineage or a high-ranking official.
- the king’s son (בֶן־מֶלֶךְ) - A designation that could indicate a literal son of Zedekiah, or more likely, a high-ranking official holding a position of considerable influence and status, possibly in a legal or judicial capacity.
words-group by words-group analysis
- "So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchijah, the king’s son": This clause highlights the summary action taken by the authorities. The conjunction "so" implies a direct consequence of the preceding pronouncements of Jeremiah, which the officials found to be "harmful" to the morale of the people and the army. The use of "cast him" (וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ) emphasizes the violent and ignominious nature of their treatment, as opposed to a gentler placement. The cistern of "Malchijah, the king’s son" identifies the specific place of imprisonment and its owner, possibly suggesting a connection to the royal family, thus placing Jeremiah in a severe, albeit unofficial, confinement. The fact it's an empty cistern underscores the intention was likely to leave him there to perish without sustenance.
Jeremiah 38 6 Bonus section
This action by the officials is reminiscent of previous instances where Jeremiah was similarly mistreated due to his prophecies. In Jeremiah 20:1-3, Pashhur, another official, had Jeremiah beaten and put in stocks for prophesying. The phrase "king's son" could imply an illegitimate or adopted son, or simply someone of high status akin to royalty. Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch in King Zedekiah's court, later intervenes to save Jeremiah from this cistern (Jeremiah 38:7-13), demonstrating that even within a corrupt system, there could be individuals with compassion and faith who acted to uphold righteousness and life, illustrating God working through unexpected means.
Jeremiah 38 6 Commentary
Jeremiah 38:6 illustrates the severe opposition and persecution faced by God's prophets, even from those in positions of authority within the community of faith. The officials, interpreting Jeremiah's prophetic warnings of judgment as undermining national security or morale, act to silence him. Their decision to cast him into a dry cistern, a place intended for storage or as a holding cell, reflects their intent to isolate and potentially cause his death through neglect. This event is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those who faithfully deliver God's unpopular messages in the face of worldly pressures and human reasoning that prioritizes temporal comfort over divine truth. Despite the harshness, God is ultimately in control and has the power to deliver his servants.