Add parallel Print Page Options

“My lord the king,” he said, “these men have done a very evil thing in putting Jeremiah the prophet into the cistern. He will soon die of hunger, for almost all the bread in the city is gone.”

Read full chapter

By July 18 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign,[a] the famine in the city had become very severe, and the last of the food was entirely gone.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 52:6 Hebrew By the ninth day of the fourth month [in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign]. This day was July 18, 586 B.c.; also see note on 52:4a.

21 So King Zedekiah commanded that Jeremiah not be returned to the dungeon. Instead, he was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace. The king also commanded that Jeremiah be given a loaf of fresh bread every day as long as there was any left in the city. So Jeremiah was put in the palace prison.

Jeremiah in a Cistern

38 Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal[a] son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah had been telling the people. He had been saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who surrender to the Babylonians[b] will live. Their reward will be life. They will live!’ The Lord also says: ‘The city of Jerusalem will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.’”

So these officials went to the king and said, “Sir, this man must die! That kind of talk will undermine the morale of the few fighting men we have left, as well as that of all the people. This man is a traitor!”

King Zedekiah agreed. “All right,” he said. “Do as you like. I can’t stop you.”

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.

Footnotes

  1. 38:1 Hebrew Jucal, a variant spelling of Jehucal; see 37:3.
  2. 38:2 Or Chaldeans; also in 38:18, 19, 23.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
    ensure justice for those being crushed.
Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
    and see that they get justice.

Read full chapter

11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
    save them as they stagger to their death.
12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
    For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
    He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

Read full chapter

34 Have I feared the crowd
    or the contempt of the masses,
    so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?

Read full chapter

For my people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us. If we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet, for that would be too trivial a matter to warrant disturbing the king.”

“Who would do such a thing?” King Xerxes demanded. “Who would be so presumptuous as to touch you?”

Esther replied, “This wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy.” Haman grew pale with fright before the king and queen.

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends

NLT Children's Outreach Bible, Softcover
NLT Children's Outreach Bible, Softcover
Retail: $5.49
Our Price: $3.99
Save: $1.50 (27%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
NLT Filament Bible, Blue Clothbound Hardcover
NLT Filament Bible, Blue Clothbound Hardcover
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $17.99
Save: $42.00 (70%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
NLT Teen Life Application Study Bible, Softcover
NLT Teen Life Application Study Bible, Softcover
Retail: $22.99
Our Price: $18.99
Save: $4.00 (17%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars