Jeremiah Rescued from the Cistern

When (A)Ebed-melech (B)the Ethiopian, (C)a eunuch who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—the king was sitting (D)in the Benjamin Gate— (E)Ebed-melech went from the king's house and said to the king, “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of (F)hunger, (G)for there is no bread left in the city.” 10 Then the king commanded (H)Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, “Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.” 11 So (I)Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern (J)by ropes. 12 Then (K)Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and (L)the ropes.” Jeremiah did so. 13 Then they drew Jeremiah up with (M)ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the (N)court of the guard.

Read full chapter

But Ebed-Melek,(A) a Cushite,[a] an official[b](B) in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate,(C) Ebed-Melek went out of the palace and said to him, “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern,(D) where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread(E) in the city.”

10 Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

11 So Ebed-Melek took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down with ropes(F) to Jeremiah in the cistern. 12 Ebed-Melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah, “Put these old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so, 13 and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.(G)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 38:7 Probably from the upper Nile region
  2. Jeremiah 38:7 Or a eunuch