Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 38:4

4 Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee let this man be put to death: for thus he weakneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt .

The Prophet now seemeth under sad circumstances, the Princes seek his life, though for delivering no other doctrine then he had been preaching for 20 years, their pretence was; 1. His discouraging and weakening the military part of the City, letting them know that they laboured in vain, for the City was not defensible. This they interpret a seeking not the welfare of the people, but their hurt, though indeed their welfare was that alone which he sought, knowing that there was no other way for any of them to save their lives, but by submitting to the Chaldeans, though the great men (being persons God had determined to ruine) would not believe it, and will have the welfare and hurt of the place determined by their opinions

Marginal references: Heb. Peace.