Jeremiah 38 · Verse 11

Jeremiah 38:11

So Ebed–melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 38:11, King James Version

Jeremiah 38:11 in other translations

BSB	Then Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.
WEB	So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
ASV	So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
YLT	And Ebed-Melech taketh the men with him, and entereth the house of the king, unto the place of the treasury, and taketh thence worn-out clouts, and worn-out rags, and sendeth them unto Jeremiah unto the pit by cords.
DARBY	And Ebed-melech took the men under his order, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old shreds and worn-out clothes, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
BBE	So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went into the house of the king, to the place where the clothing was kept, and got from there old clothing and bits of old cloth, and let them down by cords into the water-hole where Jeremiah was.
Webster	So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old decayed rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

What does Jeremiah 38:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. cast clouts--"torn clothes" [Henderson]. rotten rags--"worn-out garments." God can make the meanest things His instruments of goodness to His people (1Co 1:27-29). under ... armholes--"under the joints of thine hands," that is, where the fingers join the hand, the clothes being in order that the hands should not be cut by the cords [Maurer].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 Went into the house of the king - and took thence - The eastern kings had their wardrobes always well furnished; as garments were a usual present to ambassadors, etc. I cannot think that, in the proper acceptation of the words, these were in any part of the king's house. Old cast clouts, and old rotten rags - The fact seems to be this: there were several garments that had been used, and would not be used again; and there were others which, through continuing long there, had by insects, etc., been rendered useless. These he took, tied to the cord, let down to the prophet, that he might roll them round the ropes, and place them under his arm-pits, so that in being hauled up he might not suffer injury from the ropes, which in this case must sustain the whole weight of his body.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 38:1-13

Jeremiah is cast into a dungeon, from whence he is delivered by an Ethiopian. (Jr 38:1-13) He advises the king to surrender to the Chaldeans. (Jr 38:14-28) Verses 1-13 Jeremiah went on in his plain preaching. The princes went on in their malice. It is common for wicked people to look upon God's faithful ministers as enemies, because they show what enemies the wicked are to themselves while impenitent. Jeremiah was…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 38:1-13 →

Jeremiah 38:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקַּ֣ח\׀vai.yi.Kachand he tookH3947

עֶֽבֶד\־'e.ved-EbedH5663

מֶ֨לֶךְMe.lekhMelechH5663

אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853

הָאֲנָשִׁ֜יםha.'a.na.Shimthe menH582

בְּיָד֗וֹbe.ya.Doin hand hisH3027

וַיָּבֹ֤אvai.ya.Vo'and he wentH935

בֵית\־veit-[the] house ofH1004

הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428

אֶל\־'el-toH413

תַּ֣חַתTa.chatunderH8478

הָאוֹצָ֔רha.'o.Tzarthe storehouseH214

וַיִּקַּ֤חvai.yi.Kachand he tookH3947

מִשָּׁם֙mi.Shamfrom thereH8033

בְּלוֹיֵ֣be.lo.Yeworn out things ofH1094

סְחָב֔וֹתse.cha.VotclothesH5499

וּבְלוֹיֵ֖u.ve.lo.Yeand worn out things ofH1094

מְלָחִ֑יםme.la.ChimragsH4418

וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֧םvay.sha.le.Chemand he let down themH7971

אֶֽל\־'el-toH413

יִרְמְיָ֛הוּyir.me.Ya.huJeremiahH3414

אֶל\־'el-intoH413

הַבּ֖וֹרha.Borthe cisternH953

בַּחֲבָלִֽים\׃ba.cha.va.Limwith ropesH2256

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

let them.
6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Jeremiah 38:10
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.
Jeremiah 38:11
So Ebed–melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 38:12
And Ebed–melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.

Read all of Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah 38:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y tomó Ebed-melec en su poder hombres, y entró á la casa del rey al lugar debajo de la tesorería, y tomó de allí trapos viejos, traídos, viejos, y andrajosos, y echólos á Jeremías con sogas en la mazmorra.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et Ébed-Mélec prit les hommes sous ses ordres, et alla dans la maison du roi, au-dessous du trésor. Et il prit de là de vieux lambeaux d’étoffes et de vieux haillons, et les descendit avec des cordes à Jérémie dans la fosse;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und Ebedmelech nahm die Männer unter seine Hand und ging in das Haus des Königs, unter die Schatzkammer, und er nahm von dort zerrissene Lappen und abgetragene Lumpen, und er ließ sie an Stricken zu Jeremia in die Grube hinab.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Assumptis ergo Abdemelech secum viris, ingressus est domum regis, quæ erat sub cellario, et tulit inde veteres pannos, et antiqua quæ computruerant, et submisit ea ad Jeremiam in lacum per funiculos.