38:1 瑪坦的兒子示法提雅、巴施戶珥的兒子基大利、示利米雅的兒子猶甲、瑪基雅的兒子巴施戶珥聽見耶利米對眾人所說的話，說：
38:2 「耶和華如此說：住在這城裡的必遭刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死；但出去歸降迦勒底人的必得存活，就是以自己命為掠物的，必得存活。
38:3 耶和華如此說：這城必要交在巴比倫王軍隊的手中，他必攻取這城。」
38:4 於是首領對王說：「求你將這人治死；因他向城裡剩下的兵丁和眾民說這樣的話，使他們的手發軟。這人不是求這百姓得平安，乃是叫他們受災禍。」
38:5 西底家王說：「他在你們手中，無論何事，王也不能與你們反對。」
38:6 他們就拿住耶利米，下在哈米勒的兒子（或譯：王的兒子）瑪基雅的牢獄裡；那牢獄在護衛兵的院中。他們用繩子將耶利米繫下去。牢獄裡沒有水，只有淤泥，耶利米就陷在淤泥中。
Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of
Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah heard the words
that Jeremiah was saying to all the people, 2Thus says the Lord, Those who stay in this city shall die by the sword, by
famine, and by pestilence; but those who go out to the Chaldeans shall live;
they shall have their lives as a prize of war, and live. 3Thus says
the Lord, This city shall surely be handed over to the
army of the king of Babylon and be taken. 4Then the officials said
to the king, “This man ought to be put to death, because he is discouraging the
soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people, by speaking such words
to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their
harm.” 5King Zedekiah said, “Here he is; he is in your hands; for
the king is powerless against you.” 6So they took Jeremiah and threw
him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the
guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. Now there was no water in the cistern,
but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
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耶利米一直傳達「巴比倫要勝過猶大」的信息，讓猶大的首領們不滿，以致耶利米被惡待，正如經文所說的，「他們就拿住耶利米，下在哈米勒的兒子（或譯：王的兒子）瑪基雅的牢獄裡；那牢獄在護衛兵的院中。他們用繩子將耶利米繫下去。牢獄裡沒有水，只有淤泥，耶利米就陷在淤泥中。」
這也告訴我們，成為上帝的先知或是出口，是要忍受人的惡待。因為人常常弄不清楚傳講信息的，只是當上帝的傳聲筒，不是宣達自己的話語，是宣告上帝的話語。上帝要他怎樣說，就當怎樣說，不可以增加或是減少。也因為這樣，常常不能順應人的期待而受人厭惡與攻擊。
因此，成為上帝的出口，必須要有保羅這樣的信心：「我為這福音受苦難，甚至被捆綁，像犯人一樣。然而上帝的道卻不被捆綁。」（提摩太後書2:9）
我們要勇敢的傳講，上帝的話是永不落空的，祂的賜福必定實現的！
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