Jeremiah Chapter 38 – Commentary and Deep Dive (With All the Raw Human Thoughts)
Photo by Ishan @seefromthesky on Unsplash
Let’s dive deep. Like, deep into the mud pit Jeremiah was thrown in. Literally.
The Setup – When Truth Becomes a Threat (Verses 1–6)
Okay so. Right off the bat, we got some names. Shephatiah, Gedaliah, Jucal, and Pashhur. These are not the friendly neighborhood dudes—these are powerful officials in the court of King Zedekiah. And they hate what Jeremiah’s been saying.
Now, what exactly was Jeremiah saying? He’s telling people that Jerusalem’s gonna fall, the Babylonians (Chaldeans) are gonna win, and if you wanna save your life, best to surrender. Now imagine someone saying that during wartime in your country. You’d be called unpatriotic, maybe even a traitor. That’s how they’re seeing Jeremiah.
But here’s the wild part: Jeremiah wasn’t lying. He was actually speaking God’s truth. But truth, in times of war and fear, can sound a lot like betrayal to people who don’t wanna hear it.
These officials go to the king, Zedekiah, and they’re like: “This guy Jeremiah? He’s weakening morale. He’s gonna get our soldiers and people all messed up in the head with his doomsday talk. Let’s kill him.”
Zedekiah’s response? A total wimp-out. He says, “He’s in your hands. The king can’t do anything to oppose you.” Um, excuse me? You’re the king! But Zedekiah’s lack of backbone is a recurring theme in this book. He’s a ruler who's scared of both people and prophecy. Not a great combo.
So the officials take Jeremiah and throw him into a cistern—basically a dried-up well. No water, just mud. Deep, sticky mud. And there he sinks. Not metaphorically, but physically. They just leave him there to die slowly.
Enter Ebed-Melech – The Unexpected Hero (Verses 7–13)
Now if this story ended here, it’d be one of the most depressing in the whole Bible. But thankfully, it doesn’t. Enter a man named Ebed-Melech. He’s not one of the powerful elites. He’s not an Israelite. He’s a foreigner—an Ethiopian servant of the king. Basically, he’s someone who shouldn’t have had a voice, but chooses to speak anyway.
Ebed-Melech hears what happened to Jeremiah and he’s not okay with it. He goes straight to the king while Zedekiah is sitting at the Benjamin Gate and calls him out.
“Hey, what those officials did to Jeremiah? That was evil. The man’s gonna starve to death in that cistern!”
Surprisingly, Zedekiah listens this time. He tells Ebed-Melech to take 30 men and go rescue Jeremiah. (Not sure why he needed 30 people... maybe there was fear of resistance or the mud situation was that intense?)
Anyway, this part’s kinda beautiful. Ebed-Melech doesn’t just throw down a rope and yank the prophet up like a sack of potatoes. He goes and gets rags and old clothes to pad under Jeremiah’s armpits so the ropes don’t hurt him while pulling him out. Like… this level of compassion? So human. So tender. In a chapter that’s full of political fear, cruelty, and indifference, this one act of kindness glows like a candle in the dark.
The Secret Meeting – Zedekiah’s Fear and Jeremiah’s Boldness (Verses 14–23)
Okay, so after Jeremiah gets rescued, you’d think he might want to keep a low profile. I mean, the guy was just nearly killed by the government. But nope, not our prophet. Zedekiah secretly sends for him and says, “I got a question... Don’t lie to me this time.”
Jeremiah’s response is like: “If I tell you the truth, you’re gonna kill me. And even if you don’t, you’re not gonna listen anyway.” Which, honestly? Savage and fair. Jeremiah knows who he’s dealing with.
Zedekiah swears—behind closed doors—that he won’t kill Jeremiah or hand him over. So finally, Jeremiah gives him God’s message straight:
“If you surrender to the officials of Babylon, your life will be spared. The city won’t be burned. You and your family will live.”
BUT…
“If you don’t, the city will be handed over, you won’t escape, and your family’s gonna suffer.”
It’s clear. It’s direct. There’s a way out. There’s mercy. But it involves doing the hard thing—surrendering.
And here’s the kicker. Zedekiah admits he’s afraid. Not of Babylon. But of the Jews who already defected to the Babylonians. He thinks they’ll mock or mistreat him.
Jeremiah reassures him. “They won’t. But if you don’t listen, then this whole thing’s gonna go down bad.” He even gives a pretty vivid prophecy of what will happen—Jerusalem burning, women in the palace crying out that Zedekiah was deceived by his supposed allies. It’s heavy.
More Lies, More Fear, More Hiding (Verses 24–28)
The conversation ends and Zedekiah pulls Jeremiah aside and says, “Look, don’t tell anyone about this convo. If the officials ask, just say you were begging me not to go back to the dungeon.”
And Jeremiah listens. He tells the officials exactly that when they confront him later. Because honestly? Sometimes wisdom means knowing when to be quiet. Jeremiah wasn’t being deceptive—he was surviving.
So Jeremiah stays in the courtyard of the guard until Jerusalem finally falls.
So What’s the Big Deal? Why Does This Chapter Matter?
Honestly, this chapter feels like a microcosm of all of Jeremiah’s life and struggle. Let’s unpack what we get from it, not just historically but spiritually and emotionally.
1. Truth Ain’t Always Welcome.
Jeremiah wasn’t hated because he lied. He was hated because he told the truth when no one wanted to hear it. He was thrown into a pit not for betraying his country, but for calling his country to face reality.
There’s a price to be paid for being honest in a world that’s allergic to uncomfortable truths.
2. Cowardice in Leadership is Dangerous.
Zedekiah might be one of the saddest kings in Scripture. He wasn’t cruel, just weak. And weak leadership can be just as dangerous as evil leadership. He knew Jeremiah was telling the truth. Deep down, he knew it. But he feared people more than he feared God.
Let’s be real: How many of us make choices based on keeping people happy rather than doing what’s right?
3. God Uses Unexpected People.
Ebed-Melech is such a gem in this story. A foreigner. A servant. Not in power, not influential. But he saw injustice and did something. And God will remember that. (Spoiler alert: In the next chapter, God actually blesses Ebed-Melech personally for his faith and courage.)
Sometimes the real heroes aren’t in charge. They’re the ones working in the background, choosing kindness when nobody’s looking.
4. Even Prophets Need Help.
It’s so easy to think of prophets like Jeremiah as spiritual superheroes. But this chapter reminds us—he was a human being. Vulnerable. He felt pain, despair, fear. He literally sank into mud, helpless, until someone rescued him.
Even the strong need saving sometimes.
Personal Reflection: I Feel Like Jeremiah Sometimes… Do You?
I’ll be honest. There are times I feel like Jeremiah. Saying things people don’t want to hear. Standing for something that’s not “popular” or “cool.” Feeling like my voice just echoes in a cistern of mud. Maybe you’ve been there too.
Maybe you’ve had moments where doing the right thing meant losing favor. Or telling the truth meant losing friends. Or staying faithful meant sinking in mud while others just walked by.
But the beauty is… God sees. Even when others abandon. Even when leaders don’t stand up. Even when it feels like no one’s listening. God knows. And God can send an Ebed-Melech into your life to lift you up at just the right time.
Final Thoughts – Choose Courage, Not Comfort
Jeremiah Chapter 38 isn’t just a story from the past. It’s a mirror. A warning. A call.
We’re faced with choices every day—do we speak the truth, or do we stay silent to keep the peace? Do we lead with integrity, or just do what’s easy? Do we reach out when someone’s hurting, or turn away because it’s inconvenient?
Zedekiah chose fear. Ebed-Melech chose courage.
So what about us?
Will we risk something to do what’s right?
Will we speak up even if it’s unpopular?
Will we, like Jeremiah, keep holding on to the truth even when it gets us thrown into the mud?
I hope we will.
Jeremiah 38—messy, muddy, raw, and real. And it might just be one of the most relatable chapters in the whole book.
Till next time, keep reading, keep wrestling, and don’t be afraid to speak the truth. Even if it gets a little dirty.
✍️
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