The Political Leaders Attempt To Kill Jeremiah

God had directed Jeremiah to warn the Jews that God had placed Nebuchadnezzar in his position and that if they would yield to his authority, God would bless them even though he was a pagan.   If they did not, they would experience further punishment.  His message was much like what Pau wrote in Romans 13:1-5.  “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”

Jeremiah’s prophecy was very upsetting to the Jewish leaders, even though the signs that it came from God were very clear.  Jeremiah had already been imprisoned for the message, but was still able to get his message out.  The leaders demanded his execution, in Jeremiah 38:1-4, accusing him of treason.  “Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.  Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.  Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.”

Afraid to oppose the political leaders, Zedekiah gave them permission to do what they wanted.  Knowing the people believed Jeremiah was a prophet of God and might rebel if they killed him outright, The leaders had him cast into a dungeon where the floor was just mud but there was no drinkable water, hoping he would die there, in Jeremiah 38:5-6.  “Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.  Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.”

One of Zedekiah’s workers was an Ethiopian slave who had adopted the Jewish religion.  He warned the king that if Jeremiah were left in the dungeon he would almost certainly die, whether from disease as a result of living in the constant filth or of starvation or thirst, and his death would only create more problems.  The king gave permission to pull him out of solitary confinement in the dungeon and put him with the other prisoners in the main yard, in Jeremiah 38:7-13.  “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; Ebedmelech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying, My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.

Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.

Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.  And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.  So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.”