^38:10Then the king gave Ebed Melech the Ethiopian the following order: “Take thirty²³ men with you from here and go pull the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies.”

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Footnotes

23 Some modern English versions (e.g., , , ) and commentaries read “three” on the basis that thirty men would not be necessary for the task (cf. J. Bright, Jeremiah [], 231). Though the difference in “three” and “thirty” involves minimal emendation (שְׁלֹשָׁה [shélosha] for שְׁלֹשִׁים [shéloshim]) there is no textual or versional evidence for it except for one Hebrew . Perhaps the number was large to prevent the officials from hindering Ebed Melech from accomplishing the task.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, “Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

So the king commanded Ebed-melech, the Cushite, “Take from here thirty men under your authority and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the cistern before he dies.”

NLTNew Living Translation

So the king told Ebed-melech, “Take thirty of my men with you, and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, saying, “Take with you these thirty men and pull Jeremiah the prophet up from the pit before he dies.”

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

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