Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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New Century Version

Jeremiah 38:9

"My master and king, these rulers have acted in an evil way. They have treated Jeremiah the prophet badly. They have thrown him into a well and left him there to die! When there is no more bread in the city, he will starve to death."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ebed-Melech;   Ethiopia;   Eunuch;   Intercession;   Jeremiah;   Minister, Christian;   Prisoners;   Zedekiah;   Thompson Chain Reference - Intercession;   Prayer;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ebed-Melech;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ethiopia;   Zedekiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Persecution;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ebed-Melech;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Kings, the Books of;   Pit;   Zedekiah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Black People and Biblical Perspectives;   Cushite;   Prison, Prisoners;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Pashhur;   Zedekiah,;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Dungeon;   Ebedmelech ;   Eunuch;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Ebed-melech;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ethiopia;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Zedeki'ah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ebed-Melech;   Famine;   Hunger;   Like;   Pashhur;   Zedekiah (2);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ebed-Melech;   Famine;   Pashur;   Well;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“My lord the king, these men have been evil in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah. They have dropped him into the cistern where he will die from hunger, because there is no more bread in the city.”
Hebrew Names Version
My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Yirmeyahu the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
"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."
New American Standard Bible
"My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have thrown into the cistern; and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city."
Amplified Bible
"My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have thrown into the cistern; and he will die [of hunger] where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city."
World English Bible
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 likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.
Geneva Bible (1587)
My lorde the King, these men haue done euill in all that they haue done to Ieremiah the Prophet, whom they haue cast into the dungeon, and he dyeth for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the citie.
Legacy Standard Bible
"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 cistern; and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city."
Berean Standard Bible
"My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city."
Contemporary English Version
Ebedmelech said, "Your Majesty, Jeremiah is a prophet, and those men were wrong to throw him into a well. And when Jerusalem runs out of food, Jeremiah will starve to death down there."
Complete Jewish Bible
"My lord, king! What these men have done to Yirmeyahu the prophet is evil. They have thrown him into the cistern; and he is likely to die there where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more food in the city."
Darby Translation
My lord, O king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to the prophet Jeremiah, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he will die by reason of the famine in the place where he is; for there is no more bread in the city.
George Lamsa Translation
My Lord, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, for they have cast him into the well; and, behold, he will die of hunger, for there is no more bread in the city.
Good News Translation
"Your Majesty, what these men have done is wrong. They have put Jeremiah in the well, where he is sure to die of starvation, since there is no more food in the city."
Lexham English Bible
"My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, in that they have thrown him into the pit, and he will die there because of starvation, for there is no longer any bread in the city."
Literal Translation
My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have thrown into the pit. And it will be that he has died in his place because of the famine, for there is no more food in the city.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
My lorde the kynge, where as these men medle with Ieremy the prophet, they do him wronge: Namely, in that they haue put him in preson, there to dye of honger, for there is no more bred in the cite.
American Standard Version
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 in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.
Bible in Basic English
My lord the king, these men have done evil in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have put into the water-hole; and he will come to his death in the place where he is through need of food: for there is no more bread in the town.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
'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 pit; and he is like to die in the place where he is because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.'
King James Version (1611)
My lord the king, these men haue done euill in all that they haue done to Ieremiah the Prophet, whom they haue 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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
My Lorde the kyng, where as these men meddle with Ieremie the prophete, they do hym wrong [Namely] in that they haue put hym in prison, there to dye for hunger: for there is no more bread in the citie.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
They went forth with weeping, and I will bring them back with consolation, causing them to lodge by the channels of waters in a straight way, and they shall not err in it: for I am become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.
English Revised Version
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 in the place where he is because of the famine: for there is no more bread in the city.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seide, My lord the kyng, these men diden yuele alle thingis, what euer thingis thei diden ayens Jeremye, the profete, sendynge hym in to the lake, that he die there for hungur; for whi looues ben no more in the citee.
Update Bible Version
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 likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 by hunger in the place where he is: for [there is] no more bread in the city.
New English Translation
"Your royal Majesty, those men have been very wicked in all that they have done to the prophet Jeremiah. They have thrown him into a cistern and he is sure to die of starvation there because there is no food left in the city."
New King James Version
"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 likely to die from hunger in the place where he is. For there is no more bread in the city."
New Living Translation
"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."
New Life Bible
"My lord the king, these men have been very sinful in all they have done to Jeremiah the man of God. They have put him in the well. And he will die there of hunger, for there is no more bread in the city."
New Revised Standard
"My lord king, these men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah by throwing him into the cistern to die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
My lord, O King! wickedly, have these men done all that they haw done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom indeed they have cast into the dungeon, - since he would have died where he was because of the famine, for there is no bread any longer, in the city.
Douay-Rheims Bible
My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done against Jeremias the prophet, casting him into the dungeon to die there with hunger, for there is no more bread in the city.
Revised Standard Version
"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."
Young's Literal Translation
`My lord, O king, these men have done evil [in] all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the pit, and he dieth in his place because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern; and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city."

Contextual Overview

1 Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah was telling all the people. He said: 2 "This is what the Lord says: ‘Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, or hunger, or terrible diseases. But everyone who surrenders to the Babylonian army will live; they will escape with their lives and live.' 3 And this is what the Lord says: ‘This city of Jerusalem will surely be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon. He will capture this city!'" 4 Then the officers said to the king, "Jeremiah must be put to death! He is discouraging the soldiers who are still in the city, and all the people, by what he is saying to them. He does not want good to happen to us; he wants to ruin us." 5 King Zedekiah said to them, "Jeremiah is in your control. I cannot do anything to stop you." 6 So the officers took Jeremiah and put him into the well of Malkijah, the king's son, which was in the courtyard of the guards. The officers used ropes to lower Jeremiah into the well, which did not have any water in it, only mud. And Jeremiah sank down into the mud. 7 But Ebed-Melech, a Cushite and a servant in the palace, heard that the officers had put Jeremiah into the well. As King Zedekiah was sitting at the Benjamin Gate, 8 Ebed-Melech left the palace and went to the king. Ebed-Melech said to him, 9 "My master and king, these rulers have acted in an evil way. They have treated Jeremiah the prophet badly. They have thrown him into a well and left him there to die! When there is no more bread in the city, he will starve to death." 10 Then King Zedekiah commanded Ebed-Melech the Cushite, "Take thirty men from the palace and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the well before he dies."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

these: Jeremiah 38:1-6, Esther 7:4-6, Job 31:34, Proverbs 24:11, Proverbs 24:12, Proverbs 31:8, Proverbs 31:9

is like to die: Heb. will die

for there: Jeremiah 37:21, Jeremiah 52:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:18 - General Exodus 23:2 - to decline Isaiah 3:1 - the stay Jeremiah 39:17 - of whom Lamentations 1:11 - seek Lamentations 3:53 - cut 2 Corinthians 11:27 - in hunger

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 25:6
The first son she has counts as the son of the dead brother so that his name will not be forgotten in Israel.
Ruth 1:11
But Naomi said, "My daughters, return to your own homes. Why do you want to go with me? I cannot give birth to more sons to give you new husbands;
Ruth 4:10
I am also taking Ruth, the Moabite who was the wife of Mahlon, as my wife. I am doing this so her dead husband's property will stay in his name and his name will not be separated from his family and his hometown. You are witnesses today."
Job 5:2
Anger kills the fool, and jealousy slays the stupid.
Proverbs 27:4
Anger is cruel and destroys like a flood, but no one can put up with jealousy!
Titus 3:3
In the past we also were foolish. We did not obey, we were wrong, and we were slaves to many things our bodies wanted and enjoyed. We spent our lives doing evil and being jealous. People hated us, and we hated each other.
James 3:14
But if you are selfish and have bitter jealousy in your hearts, do not brag. Your bragging is a lie that hides the truth.
James 3:16
Where jealousy and selfishness are, there will be confusion and every kind of evil.
James 4:5
Do you think the Scripture means nothing that says, "The Spirit that God made to live in us wants us for himself alone"?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

My lord the king,.... He addresses him as a courtier, with great reverence and submission, and yet with great boldness:

these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet; meaning the princes, who might be present, and whom he pointed at, and mentioned by name; which showed great courage and faithfulness, as well as great zeal for, and attachment to, the prophet; to charge after this manner persons of such great authority so publicly, and to the king, whom the king himself stood in fear of: he first brings a general charge against them, that they had done wrong in everything they had done to the prophet; in their angry words to him; in smiting him, and putting him in prison in Jonathan's house; and particularly in their last instance of ill will to him:

whom they have cast into the dungeon; he does not say where, or describe the dungeon, because well known to the king, and what a miserable place it was; and tacitly suggests the cruelty and inhumanity of the princes:

and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is, for [there is] no more bread in the city; or very little; there was none to be had but with great difficulty, as Kimchi observes; and therefore though the king had ordered a piece of bread to be given him daily, as long as there was any in the city; yet it being almost all consumed, and the prophet being out or sight, and so out of mind, and altogether disregarded, must be in perishing circumstances, and near death; and must inevitably perish, unless some immediate care be taken of him. It may be rendered, "he will die" t, c. or the sense is, bread being exceeding scarce in the city, notwithstanding the king's order, very little was given to Jeremiah, while he was in the court of the prison so that he was half starved, and was a mere skeleton then, and would have died for hunger there; wherefore it was barbarous in the princes to cast such a man into a dungeon. It may be rendered, "he would have died for hunger in the place where he was, seeing there was no more bread in the city" u; wherefore, if the princes had let him alone where he was, he would have died through famine; and therefore acted a very wicked part in hastening his death, by throwing him into a dungeon; this is Jarchi's sense, with which Abarbinel agrees.

t וימת "morietur enim", Schmidt. u "Qui moriturus fuerat in loco suo propter famem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 38:9. My lord the king, these men have done evil — He must have been much in the king's confidence, and a humane and noble spirited man, thus to have raised his voice against the powerful cabal already mentioned.

There is no more bread in the city. — They had defended it to the last extremity; and it appears that bread had been afforded to the prophet according to the king's commandment, as long as there was any remaining. See Jeremiah 37:21.


 
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