Yirmiya Perek 38

Note: Sefer Yirmiya was not written in chronological order.

A group of officials heard Yirmiya’s message that it would be better to surrender to Bavel than to be killed fighting against them.

The officials told King Tzidkiyah that Yirmiya was lowering the morale of their soldiers and should therefore be put to death.

Tzidkiyah permitted the officials to carry out their plan.

Yirmiya was lowered by a rope into a muddy pit with no water or food. Yirmiya had begun to sink into the mud.

A man named Eved-melech (Rashi, Radak: this was Baruch ben Neriah) requested in a stringent manner permission from Tzidkiya to save Yirmiya’s life. Permission was granted.

Eved-melech gathered 30 men to hoist Yirmiya out of the pit by rope. Eved- melech also provided fresh clothing to Yirmiya.

The Navi turns its attention to a conversation Tzidkiyah had with Yirmiya.

Tzidkiyah wanted a truthful prophecy from Yirmiya. Yirmiya made Tzidkiya swear in Hashem’s name that he would not harm Yirmiya for the unpopular message, and Tzidkiya promised.

Yirmiya related that it would be better to surrender to Bavel than to die fighting them.

Tzidkiya told Yirmiya to keep their conversation secret.

When the officials interrogated Yirmiya about his conversation, Yirmiya told them that he had begged Tzidkiyah to not throw him back into the pit of death, and he did not reveal the secret.

Yirmiya was then moved to a lower level jail. He remained there until Yerushalayim was destroyed.