Verses 14-28
Jeremiah 38:14-Hosea : . Zedekiah asks Jeremiah about the future, swearing immunity to him, whatever his answer ( Jeremiah 38:16). Jeremiah urges him to save himself and the city by surrender to Nebuchadrezzar’ s princes (Nebuchadrezzar being absent, Jeremiah 39:3; Jeremiah 39:5); promises that the Jews who have already deserted shall not illtreat him; declares a Divine vision of the end, contingent on the king’ s refusal to surrender. Jeremiah has seen the women of the harem being brought out for the Babylonian victors, and as they go he has heard them singing a dirge ( Jeremiah 38:22) for Zedekiah. The king bids him conceal the true nature of this interview from the princes, which he does; he is allowed to return to (the relatively favourable conditions of) the guard-court.
Jeremiah 38:14 . third entry: not otherwise known.
Jeremiah 38:19 . mock: i.e. work their will on.
Jeremiah 38:22 . The terms of the dirge sung by the mocking women may have been suggested by Jeremiah’ s recent experience in the cistern. With the reference to the “ friends” , cf. Obadiah 1:7, which depends on this. Read with LXX, “ they have made thy feet to sink” .
Jeremiah 38:23 . Read with VSS, “ this city shall be burned” .
Jeremiah 38:26 . Jonathan’ s house: Jeremiah 37:15.
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