Lectionary Calendar
Monday, August 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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New Living Translation

Jeremiah 38:10

So the king told Ebed-melech, "Take thirty of my men with you, and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Criminals;   Ebed-Melech;   Ethiopia;   Eunuch;   Intercession;   Jeremiah;   Minister, Christian;   Prisoners;   Zedekiah;  

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;   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 ;   Ethiopians ;   Eunuch;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Ebed-melech;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ethiopia;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ethio'pian,;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ebed-Melech;   Pashhur;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ebed-Melech;   Pashur;   Well;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So the king commanded Ebed-melech, the Cushite, “Take from here thirty men under your authority and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the cistern before he dies.”
Hebrew Names Version
Then the king commanded `Eved-Melekh the Kushite, saying, Take from hence thirty men with you, and take up Yirmeyahu the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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."
New American Standard Bible
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, "Take thirty men from here under your authority and bring Jeremiah the prophet up from the cistern before he dies."
New Century Version
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."
Amplified Bible
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, "Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."
World English Bible
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with you, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the King commaunded Ebed-melech the blacke More, saying, Take from hence thirtie men with thee, and take Ieremiah the Prophet out of the dungeon before he dye.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, "Take in your hand thirty men from here and bring up Jeremiah the prophet from the cistern before he dies."
Berean Standard Bible
So the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, "Take thirty men from here with you and pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."
Contemporary English Version
Zedekiah answered, "Take thirty of my soldiers and pull Jeremiah out before he dies."
Complete Jewish Bible
Then the king ordered ‘Eved-Melekh the Ethiopian, "Take thirty men with you from here, and bring Yirmeyahu the prophet up out of the cistern before he dies."
Darby Translation
And the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then King Zedekiah gave a command to Ebed Melech, the Ethiopian. This was the command: "Ebed Melech, take three men from the palace with you, and go get Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies."
George Lamsa Translation
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from here thirty men with you, and go and draw up Jeremiah out of the well before he dies.
Good News Translation
Then the king ordered Ebedmelech to take with him three men and to pull me out of the well before I died.
Lexham English Bible
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, saying, "Take with you these thirty men and pull Jeremiah the prophet up from the pit before he dies."
Literal Translation
And the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take in your hand thirty men from here and bring up Jeremiah the prophet out of the pit before he dies.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The the kynge commauded Abdemelech the Morian, and sayde: Take from hece xxx. men whom thou wilt, & drawe vp Ieremy the prophet out of the dongeon, before he dye.
American Standard Version
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
Bible in Basic English
Then the king gave orders to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take with you three men from here and get Jeremiah out of the water-hole before death overtakes him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying: 'Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the pit, before he die.'
King James Version (1611)
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirtie men with thee, and take vp Ieremiah the Prophet out of the dungeon before he die.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then the kyng commaunded Abedmelech the Morian, and sayde, Take from hence thirtie men whom thou wylt, and drawe vp Ieremie the prophete out of the dungeon before he dye.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Hear the words of the Lord, ye nations, and proclaim them to the islands afar off; say, He that scattered Israel will also gather him, and keep him as one that feeds his flock.
English Revised Version
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the kyng comaundide to Abdemelech Ethiopien, and seide, Take with thee thretti men fro hennus, and reise thou Jeremye, the profete, fro the lake, bifor that he die.
Update Bible Version
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from here thirty men with you, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dieth.
New English Translation
Then the king gave Ebed Melech the Ethiopian the following order: "Take thirty men with you from here and go pull the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies."
New King James Version
Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, "Take from here thirty men with you, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he dies."
New Life Bible
Then the king told Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, "I am giving you the power to take thirty men with you, and bring Jeremiah the man of God up from the well before he dies."
New Revised Standard
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, "Take three men with you from here, and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the cistern before he dies."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian saying, - Take with thee from hence thirty men, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he die.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the king commanded Abdemelech the Ethiopian, saying: Take from hence thirty men with thee, and draw up Jeremias the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
Revised Standard Version
Then the king commanded E'bed-mel'ech, the Ethiopian, "Take three men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."
Young's Literal Translation
And the king commandeth Ebed-Melech the Cushite, saying, `Take with thee from this thirty men, and thou hast brought up Jeremiah the prophet from the pit, before he dieth.'
THE MESSAGE
So the king ordered Ebed-melek the Ethiopian, "Get three men and pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, "Take thirty men from here under your authority and bring up Jeremiah the prophet from the cistern before he dies."

Contextual Overview

1 Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah had been telling the people. He had been saying, 2 "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 will live. Their reward will be life. They will live!' 3 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.'" 4 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!" 5 King Zedekiah agreed. "All right," he said. "Do as you like. I can't stop you." 6 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. 7 But Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, an important court official, heard that Jeremiah was in the cistern. At that time the king was holding court at the Benjamin Gate, 8 so Ebed-melech rushed from the palace to speak with him. 9 "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." 10 So the king told Ebed-melech, "Take thirty of my men with you, and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the king: Esther 5:2, Esther 8:7, Psalms 75:10, Proverbs 21:1

with thee: Heb. in thine hand

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 37:13 - Hananiah Jeremiah 37:16 - into the dungeon

Cross-References

Genesis 46:12
The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (though Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
Numbers 11:1
Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord 's anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp.
Numbers 22:34
Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord , "I have sinned. I didn't realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going."
Numbers 26:19
Judah had two sons, Er and Onan, who had died in the land of Canaan.
2 Samuel 11:27
When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.
1 Chronicles 21:7
God was very displeased with the census, and he punished Israel for it.
Proverbs 14:32
The wicked are crushed by disaster, but the godly have a refuge when they die.
Proverbs 24:18
For the Lord will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them.
Jeremiah 44:4
"Again and again I sent my servants, the prophets, to plead with them, ‘Don't do these horrible things that I hate so much.'
Haggai 1:13
Then Haggai, the Lord 's messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord : "I am with you, says the Lord !"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian,.... Being affected with the case of the prophet; and repenting of the leave he had given the princes to do with him as they pleased, gave orders as follows:

saying, take from hence thirty men with thee; from the place where the king was, the gate of Benjamin; where very probably at this time was a garrison of soldiers, thirty of which were ordered to be taken; or these were to be taken out of the king's bodyguard, he had here with him. Josephus w calls them thirty of the king's servants, such as were about the king's person, or belonged to his household; and so the Syriac version of Jeremiah 38:11 says that Ebedmelech took with him men of the king's household; but why thirty of them, when three or four might be thought sufficient to take up a single man out of a dungeon? Abarbinel thinks the dungeon was very deep, and Jeremiah, ah old man, could not be got out but with great labour and difficulty. Jarchi and Kimchi say, the men were so weakened with the famine, that so many were necessary to draw out one man; but the true reason seems rather to be, that should the princes, whom the king might suspect, or any other, attempt to hinder this order being put in execution, there might be a sufficient force to assist in it, and repel those that might oppose it:

and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he die; the king speaks honourably of Jeremiah, giving him his title as a prophet, and expresses great concern for him; and orders them to hasten the taking him up, lest he should die before, which he suggests would give him great concern.

w Antiqu. l. 10. c. 7. sect. 5.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thirty men - So large a number suggests that Zedekiah expected some resistance. (Some read “three” men.)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 38:10. Take from hence thirty men — The king was determined that he should be rescued by force, if the princes opposed.


 
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