Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 38:1-13
Here, 1. Jeremiah persists in his plain preaching; what he had many a time said, he still says (Jer 38:3): This city shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon; though it hold out long, it will taken at last. Nor would he have so often repeated this unwelcome message but that he could put them in a certain way, though not to save the city, yet to save themselves; so that every man might have his own life given him for a prey if he would be advised, Jer 38:2. Let him not stay in the city, in hopes to defend that, for it will be to no purpose, but let him go forth to the Chaldeans, and throw himself upon their mercy, before things come to extremity, and then he shall live; they will n…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 38:8
went forth . . . and spake--not privately, but in public; a proof of fearless magnanimity.
John Gill on Jeremiah 38:8
And Ebedmelech went forth out of the king's house,.... As soon as he heard of the prophet's distress, he immediately went out from his apartments in the king's palace, where he performed his office, and his business chiefly lay, or where he dwelt, to the gate of Benjamin, where the king was; and if he was here for the administration of justice, it was a proper time and place for Ebedmelech to lay the case of Jeremiah before him:
and spake to the king; freely, boldly, and intrepidly, in the presence of his nobles:
saying; as follows:
John Calvin on Jeremiah 38:7-9
Jeremiah 38:7-9
7. Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;
7. Audivit autem Ebedmelech Aethiops vir eunuchus (vel, unus ex numero procerum, mysrs enim ut alibi dictum fuit, non tanturn eunuchos vocant, sed etiam proceres et consiliarios regis) ipsc autem erat in domo regis (per parenthesin hoc legendum est, audivit ergo) quod posuissent Jeremiam in lacum; rex autera sedebat in porta Benjamin:
8. Ebedmelech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying,
8. Et egressus est Ebedmelech e domo (vel, palatio) regis, et loquutus est ad…
