Jeremiah 39:18

life . . . for a prey--(See on Jer 21:9; Jer 38:2; Jer 45:5). put . . . trust in me-- (Jer 38:7-9). Trust in God was the root of his fearlessness of the wrath of men, in his humanity to the prophet (Ch1 5:20; Psa 37:40). The "life" he thus risked was to be his reward, being spared beyond all hope, when the lives of his enemies should be forfeited ("for a prey"). Next: Jeremiah Chapter 40

For I will surely deliver thee,.... Or, in "delivering will deliver thee" (p); this is a repetition and confirmation of what is promised in Jer 39:17, and more fully explains it: and thou shall not fall by the sword: by the sword of the Chaldeans, when the city should be taken, as he feared he should: but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: shall be safe; be like a prey taken out of the hand of the mighty, and be enjoyed beyond expectation, having been given up for lost; and therefore matter of the greater joy, such as is expressed at the taking of spoils: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord. The Targum is, "in my word"; what he had done in serving the prophet, and other good actions, sprung from a principle of faith and confidence in the Lord; and this the Lord had a respect unto; without which works are not right; and without which it is impossible to please God with them; and which faith may be, and be true, where fears are. (p) "eripiendo eripiam te", Schmidt; "eruendo eruam te", Pagninus, Montanus.

As the prophet Isaiah, after he had largely foretold the deliverance of Jerusalem out of the hands of the king of Assyria, gave a particular narrative of the story, that it might appear how exactly the event answered to the prediction, so the prophet Jeremiah, after he had largely foretold the delivering of Jerusalem into the hands of the king of Babylon, gives a particular account of that sad event for the same reason. That melancholy story we have in this chapter, which serves to disprove the false flattering prophets and to confirm the word of God's messengers. We are here told, I. That Jerusalem, after eighteen months' siege, was taken by the Chaldean army (Jer 39:1-3). II. That king Zedekiah, attempting to make his escape, was seized and made a miserable captive to the king of Babylon (Jer 39:4-7). III. That Jerusalem was burnt to the ground, and the people were carried captive, except the poor (Jer 39:8-10). IV. That the Chaldeans were very kind to Jeremiah, and took particular care of him (Jer 39:11-14). V. That Ebed-melech too, for his kindness, had a protection from God himself in this day of desolation (Jer 39:15-18).