References (6)
Ebed-Melech, a Cushite [from Nubia, present-day Sudan and parts of Ethiopia], was one of the courtiers who was in the king's palace and heard that they [the other courtiers] had thrown Jeremiah into [the empty but muddy] cistern. At that time, the king [Zedekiah] was sitting in the Benjamin Gate [which served as the court of Jerusalem],
so Ebed-Melech left the royal palace to go and speak to the king, saying:
The king then gave this order to Ebed-Melech the Cushite: "Take 30 men from here and pull the prophet Jeremiah out of the well before he dies."
So Ebed-Melech took the men, but first went into the king's house to a room [storage room] under the treasury. There he took some rags and old worn-out clothes and lowered them to Jeremiah in the well with ropes.
Ebed-Melech the Cushite called to Jeremiah, "Put the rags and clothes under your armpits [as padding and protection] under the ropes!" Jeremiah did as he was told,
Go and speak to Ebed-Melech (meaning the king's servant), the Cushite, and say, "Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot), the God of Israel (Elohim): Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day.
