Yirmiyahu 38–39 | Yirmiyahu and Tzidkiyahu: The Moment of Truth

Chapter 38 opens with the officials demanding that Tzidkiyahu execute Yirmiyahu for his prophecies of Babylon’s impending victory. Tzidkiyahu’s response starkly illustrates his lack of leadership: the officials hold the real power, and his decisions are subject to their will: “King Tzidkiyahu said, ‘He is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against your will’” (38:5).

Yirmiyahu is thrown into a pit, and we encounter one of the most shocking descriptions in the book of his suffering: “There was no water in the pit, only mud. Yirmiyahu sank into the mud” (38:6). One righteous eunuch, Eved Melekh, pleads with Tzidkiyahu to allow him to rescue Yirmiyahu — and he does. Once again, Tzidkiyahu remains passive, while his servants take the initiative.

The chapter continues with a tense and secretive meeting between Yirmiyahu and Tzidkiyahu. The king asks Yirmiyahu for God’s word, but Yirmiyahu initially refuses to answer, citing two fears:
1. Yirmiyahu fears that Tzidkiyahu will have him killed for his prophecy, as nearly happened before.
2. Yirmiyahu tells Tzidkiyahu plainly: “If I advise you, you will not listen to me.”

Regarding Yirmiyahu’s first fear, Tzidkiyahu promises not to harm him. This suggests that Tzidkiyahu himself seeks God’s guidance and that it is the officials who wish to harm Yirmiyahu. The secrecy surrounding their meeting stems from Tzidkiyahu’s own fear of the officials. This is evident in Tzidkiyahu’s plea to Yirmiyahu at the end of their conversation: “Tzidkiyahu said to Yirmiyahu, ‘Let no one else know of this conversation, and you shall not die’” (38:24). The one most fearful of their meeting is not Yirmiyahu — it is Tzidkiyahu. He is so terrified of the officials that he begs Yirmiyahu to conceal the true nature of their discussion, instructing him to claim they merely spoke about Yirmiyahu’s imprisonment. Yirmiyahu follows these instructions, and soon enough, the officials arrive to interrogate him: “All the officials came to Yirmiyahu, and they interrogated him. He told them precisely everything that the king had instructed him to tell. They ceased speaking with him, for none of the conversation had been overheard” (38:27).

Yirmiyahu’s second fear — that Tzidkiyahu would refuse to listen to God’s command — proves to be justified. In their dialogue, Yirmiyahu pleads Tzidkiyahu to listen to God’s word and surrender to the king of Babylon, thereby saving himself and Jerusalem. Chapter 39 begins with a chilling transition: “It transpired when Jerusalem was captured” (38:28). The story unfolds, and we anxiously await the answer: Will Tzidkiyahu obey God’s command? Then we reach a verse already familiar from Sefer Melakhim: “When Tzidkiyahu, king of Yehuda, and all the men of war saw them, they fled. They left the city by dark of night” (39:4). But within the context of Sefer Yirmiyahu — where we know exactly what Yirmiyahu commanded Tzidkiyahu — this moment becomes even more tragic. Tzidkiyahu lacked the strength to uphold God’s command and instead yielded to the officials, who held greater sway over him.

In the account of Jerusalem’s destruction in Chapter 39, one particularly striking detail emerges: Nevukhadnetzar’s explicit orders regarding Yirmiyahu: “As for Yirmiyahu, Nevukhadretzar, king of Babylon, ordered Nevuzaradan, chief of the guard, as follows: ‘Release him and treat him with care. Do nothing harmful to him; rather, do for him whatever he asks of you’” (39:11-12). On the one hand, this highlights the painful irony: the officials of Yehuda were the ones who imprisoned the prophet of God, while the king of Babylon ensured his safety and well-being. On the other hand, the rationale is clear: Yirmiyahu had been prophesying in favor of Babylon’s success, making it unsurprising that Nevukhadnetzar sought to protect him. Perhaps, in a way, this reinforces the accusation leveled against Yirmiyahu by the people of Jerusalem — that he was a traitor, as his eventual fate in this chapter seems to confirm.

Here are a few additional points of interest in Chapter 38:
1. The parallel to Yosef: Yirmeyahu’s ordeal in the pit bears several textual and thematic similarities to the story of Yosef being cast into the pit. Compare the verses and consider: What is the significance of this parallel? Dr. Avigail Rock z”l also addresses this topic here. 
2. Tehillim 69: Reading Tehillim 69 in light of Yirmiyahu 38 is particularly thought-provoking. Pay special attention to verse 15: “Save me from drowning in the mud; let me be saved from my haters, from the water depths,” along with additional connections.
3. Historical evidence: In the City of David, an ancient seal bearing the name of Yukhal son of Shelemyahu — one of the royal officials mentioned in the chapter — was discovered. See more here.