Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 38:10

10 Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he die .

There are several guesses why the King commandeth Ebedmelech to take thirty men for the doing of that for which three or four were sufficient. I think they judge best, who think it was to guard him against any opposition. Things were now in a great disorder, the City being upon the matter taken, and the King himself was much in the Government of his Princes, and as may easily be judged by what went before, and what we shall hereafter meet with, could not rule them, but was in some fear of them, and he did not know but some of the most boisterous of them, might oppose the execution of this command of his. This King in his whole story seemeth to have been of a much better humour then his predecessors, and to have had a kindness for the Prophet, though he suffered himself to be miserably over-ruled by his Courtiers, who were of a much fiercer temper, and worse affected to the Prophet.

Marginal references: Heb. in thi[illegible: 1 letter]e▪ hand.