Bible Figure
Ebed-Melech
Ethiopian official at the palace of king Zedekiah of Judah
Ebed-Melech was a Cushite official in King Zedekiah's palace who courageously intervened to rescue Jeremiah from a muddy cistern.
Biography
Jeremiah 38 recounts officials lowering Jeremiah into a cistern where he sank into mud and faced death by starvation. Ebed-Melech heard what had happened, approached Zedekiah publicly, condemned the officials' action, and received authority to rescue Jeremiah. He carefully lowered old cloths and rags so Jeremiah could pad the ropes under his arms, and Jeremiah was lifted out. During Jerusalem's final crisis, God sent Jeremiah a personal message for Ebed-Melech promising that his life would be spared because he had trusted in the Lord.
Biblical Significance
Ebed-Melech stands out for courage, compassion, and faith during Judah's collapse. His rescue of Jeremiah and God's promise to preserve him make him a notable example of righteous action by a foreign-born court official.