Jeremiah 38 Bible Commentary

John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes

(Read all of Jeremiah 38)

Verse 5

[5] Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.

For the king — I see I am as it were no king. I can do nothing against you, you will do what you please.

Verse 10

[10] Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.

Thirty men — Probably the king commanded Ebed-melech to take thirty men to guard him against any opposition.

Verse 19

[19] And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

Lest they — Lest the Chaldeans should deliver me into the hands of those Jews which have fallen to them.

Verse 22

[22] And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.

The women — Thou that art afraid of the insultings of men, shalt fall under the insultings of the women.

Thy friends — For this thou mayest thank thy priests, and false prophets.

And they — Have forsaken thee, every one shifting for himself.