Jeremiah Delivered

Nebuchadnezzar issues explicit instructions concerning Jeremiah, commanding that he be taken, cared for, and allowed whatever treatment he requests. Accordingly, Babylonian officers fetch Jeremiah from the court of the guard and hand him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam so that he may dwell among the people under protection rather than judgment.

N¹¹ow Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, saying, ¹²“Take him, look after him, and do not let any harm come to him; do for him whatever he says.” ¹³So Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the captains of the king of Babylon ¹⁴had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guard, and they turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So Jeremiah remained among his own people.

While Jeremiah had still been confined in the court of the guard, the word of the LORD came telling him to speak to Ebed-melech. The LORD promises that the disaster announced against the city will indeed occur, but Ebed-melech himself will be rescued and not handed over to those he fears, because he has put his trust in the LORD.

¹⁵And while Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD had come to him: ¹⁶“Go and tell Ebed-melech the Cushite that this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to fulfill My words against this city for harm and not for good, and on that day they will be fulfilled before your eyes. ¹⁷But I will deliver you on that day, declares the LORD, and you will not be delivered into the hands of the men whom you fear. ¹⁸For I will surely rescue you so that you do not fall by the sword. Because you have trusted in Me, you will escape with your life like a spoil of war, declares the LORD.’”