Jeremiah in the Cistern

During the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in the sixth century BC, several officials heard Jeremiah prophesying that those who remained in the city would die by the sword, famine, and pestilence, while those who surrendered to the Chaldeans would live. These officials requested that King Zedekiah put Jeremiah to death, arguing that he weakened the hands of the soldiers and the people. The king stated that he could not do anything against them, and the men took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, which was in the court of the guard (Jeremiah 38:6). They lowered him with ropes; the text does not say how deep the cistern was, but it contained no water, only mire, and Jeremiah sank into it.

Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern. He approached Zedekiah at the Gate of Benjamin and informed the king that the men had acted wickedly, noting that Jeremiah was likely to die of hunger where he was because there was no more bread in the city (Jeremiah 38:9). The king commanded Ebed-melech to take thirty men and pull Jeremiah out before he died. Ebed-melech obtained old rags and worn-out clothes from a room under the treasury and told Jeremiah to put them between his armpits and the ropes. They pulled Jeremiah up with the ropes and took him out of the cistern (Jeremiah 38:13).

Following his rescue, Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard. King Zedekiah sent for him and met him at the third entrance of the temple of the Lord for a private inquiry. The king asked Jeremiah not to hide anything from him. Jeremiah initially questioned if the king would kill him or if the king would listen to his advice. After Zedekiah swore a secret oath that he would not kill Jeremiah or hand him over to the men seeking his life, Jeremiah repeated the divine message that surrendering to the king of Babylon's officials would save the king's life and prevent the city from being burned (Jeremiah 38:17).