Jer 38:1
38:1 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of
     Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son
     of {a} Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken
     to all the people, saying,

     (a) For Zedekiah had sent these to Jeremiah to enquire at
         the Lord for the state of the country how when
         Nebuchadnezzar came, as in Jer 21:1.

Jer 38:2
38:2 Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall
     die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but
     he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he
     shall have his life for {b} a prize, and shall live.

     (b) Read Jer 21:9,45:5.

Jer 38:4
38:4 Therefore the princes said to the king, We beseech thee,
     let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the
     hands of the men of war {c} that remain in this city, and
     the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to
     them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people,
     but the harm.

     (c) Thus we see how the wicked when they cannot abide to
         hear the truth of God's word, seek to put the ministers
         to death, as transgressors of policies.

Jer 38:5
38:5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he [is] in your hand:
     for the king [is] not [he that] can do [any] {d} thing
     against you.

     (d) In which he grievously offended in that not only would
         he not hear the truth spoken by the prophet, but also
         gave him to the lusts of the wicked to be cruelly
         treated.

Jer 38:7
38:7 Now when Ebedmelech the Cushite, one of the eunuchs who was
     in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in
     the dungeon; the king then sitting in the {e} gate of
     Benjamin;

     (e) To hear matters and give sentence.

Jer 38:9
38:9 My lord the king, {f} 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 certain to die from hunger in
     the place where he is: for [there is] no more bread in the
     city.

     (f) By this is declared that the prophet found more favour
         at this strangers hands, than he did by all them of his
         country, which was to their great condemnation.

Jer 38:13
38:13 So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him out of
      the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the {g} court of the
      prison.

      (g) Where the king had set him before to be at more
          liberty, as in Jer 37:21.

Jer 38:17
38:17 Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the
      God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go
      forth to the king of Babylon's {h} princes, then thy soul
      shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire;
      and thou shalt live, and thy house:

      (h) And yield yourself to them.

Jer 38:19
38:19 And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, I am afraid of the
      Jews that have fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver
      me into their hand, and they {i} mock me.

      (i) Which declares that he more feared the reproach of men
          than the threatenings of God.

Jer 38:22
38:22 And, behold, all the women that are {k} left in the king
      of Judah's house [shall be] brought forth to the king of
      Babylon's princes, and those [women] shall say, Thy
      friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee:
      thy feet are sunk in the mire, [and] they are turned away
      back.

      (k) When Jeconiah and his mother with others were carried
          away, these women of the king's house were left: who
          will be taken, says the prophet and tell the king of
          Babel how Zedekiah has been seduced by his familiar
          friends and false prophets who have left him in the
          mire.

Jer 38:26
38:26 Then thou shalt say to them, I {l} presented my
      supplication before the king, that he would not cause me
      to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.

      (l) In this appears the infirmity of the prophet, who
          dissembled to save his life even though it was not to
          the denial of his doctrine or to the hurt of any.