While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate, Ebed-Melek went out of the palace and said to him, "My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet." (Jeremiah 38:7-9, NIV) |
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Jeremiah The Prophet was thrown into a muddy cistern to die—abandoned and silenced by leaders who didn't want to hear God's truth. But one man stepped in: Ebed-Melek, an Ethiopian court official in King Zedekiah's palace. He saw what was happening, risked his position, and asked the king to rescue Jeremiah. And it worked. His story only takes a few verses to tell—but with Bible Gateway Plus, you can go deeper into what this act meant, what it cost, and how God responded. The New International Encyclopedia of Bible Characters clarifies that Ebed-Melek spoke up on Jeremiah's behalf. And emphasizes that, "in supporting Jeremiah, Ebed-Melech was furthering the Lord's cause." |
Reading further, with the abridged Expositor's Bible Commentary, also available with Bible Gateway Plus, we learn how "only a foreigner cared enough about Jeremiah to rescue him. Evidently Zedekiah did not know how his officials had used his capitulation to them, and he was too cowardly to ask them about it. But one official, Ebed-Melech, took pity on Jeremiah and told the king of his plight. It took courage for him to oppose the prophet's enemies. Ebed-Melech did not mince matters in speaking to Zedekiah but told him that Jeremiah was in deadly peril. He boldly accused the officials and pled with the king for the prophet's life. Under the famine condition of the siege, it was unlikely that Jeremiah would get food." |
At a time when the powerful stayed quiet, Ebed-Melek stepped forward. He didn't know what would happen. But he chose to act—because it was right. |
With Bible Gateway Plus, you can find stories like this, and more so that you can go deeper and learn about God's plans. |
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Would you do the same as Ebed-Melek? Consider these questions: - Have I ever stayed silent when I knew I should speak?
- Am I willing to risk comfort to live with conviction?
- Do I trust that God sees and rewards even the quietest faithfulness?
With Bible Gateway Plus, you'll discover more moments like this—quiet but courageous people tucked into the pages of Scripture.
And you'll gain clarity on what those moments mean through trusted resources like:
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✓ 13+ Commentaries (valued over $2,050)
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That's over $3,100 in resources—for as low as $4.17/month. |
Read Scripture. Ask questions. Let moments like this click—bringing clarity, connection, and a deeper love for God's Word. |
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