Jeremiah 38:7-13--Jeremiah Rescued from the Cistern

Jeremiah 38:7-13
English Standard Version

Jeremiah Rescued from the Cistern
7 When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate— 8 Ebed-melech went from the king's house and said to the king, 9 “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 hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.” 10 Then the king commanded 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 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 by ropes. 12 Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.” Jeremiah did so. 13 Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

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There is at least one man in the king's court who seems to fear the LORD and wish to do justly by Jeremiah, the LORD's prophet.  Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch serving in the king's court approached the king to to tell him of all the evil that the other officials had done to Jeremiah.  Ebed-melech is concerned that Jeremiah will die of hunger, because there is no bread left in the city.

The king seems to agree with Ebed-melech that the goal was to punish, but not kill Jeremiah.  So, the king ordered 30 of his strongest men to accompany Ebed-melech to lift Jeremiah out of the cistern.  They used old, worn-out clothes to go between Jeremiah's armpits and the rope that was tied around him.  Jeremiah was so weak that he could not help get himself out, and they didn't want him to get any rope-burns.

Once Jeremiah was lifted out of the cistern, they did not set him free, but he instead remained a prisoner in the court of the guard just as he had been before.  His situation didn't change much in that there was still no bread in the city to feed him with, but at least the conditions of his imprisonment improved.  The king and the guards and officials think they have Jeremiah held captive, but really they are now a captive audience to hear the LORD's message day after day (much like Paul being held captive in Rome and the gospel being shared with all in Caesar's household and the entire Pretorian guard).