Jer 38:6 | NETfull | STEP | So the officials took Jeremiah and put him in the cistern of Malkijah, one of the royal princes, that was in the courtyard of the guardhouse. There was no water in the cistern, only mud. So when they lowered Jeremiah into the cistern with ropes he sank in the mud.

Jeremiah 38:6

6 So the officials ^{▼▼ Heb “they.”} took Jeremiah and put him in the cistern ^{▼▼ A cistern was a pear-shaped pit with a narrow opening. Cisterns were cut or dug in the limestone rock and lined with plaster to prevent seepage. They were used to collect and store rain water or water carried up from a spring.} of Malkijah, one of the royal princes, ^{▼▼ Heb “the son of the king.” See the translator’s note on Jer 36:26 for the rendering here.} that was in the courtyard of the guardhouse. There was no water in the cistern, only mud. So when they lowered Jeremiah into the cistern with ropes he sank in the mud. ^{▼▼ Heb “And they let Jeremiah down with ropes and in the cistern there was no water, only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.” The clauses have been reordered and restructured to create a more natural and smoother order in English.}