Boy Old Testament Known
Ebed-melech
the king's servant
עֶ֫בֶד מֶ֫לֶךְ e.ved me.lekh
Ebed-melech (Hebrew: עֶ֫בֶד מֶ֫לֶךְ, e.ved me.lekh) means “the king's servant”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 6 verses across 1 book of the Bible. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears in the same passages as Gedaliah.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
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Ebed-melech
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 6 across 1 book
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Jeremiah 38:7 |
| Last appears | Jeremiah 39:16 |
| Cross-references | 66 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Jeremiah co-occurrence Appears with Jeremiah in Jeremiah 38.
- Nebu-sar-sekim co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Nebu-sar-sekim.
- Nebushazban co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Nebushazban.
- Nergal-sar-ezer co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Nergal-sar-ezer.
- Mattan co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Mattan.
- Samgar co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Samgar.
- Gedaliah co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Gedaliah.
- Pashhur co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Pashhur.
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at Jer.38.7
§ Ebed-melech = "servant of the king"
an Ethiopian eunuch in the service of king Zedekiah, through whose interference Jeremiah was released from prison
Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch in King Zedekiah's service, rescued the prophet Jeremiah from a cistern and was promised safety by God for his faith.
The biblical story
Ebed-melech was an Ethiopian eunuch who served in the court of King Zedekiah during the final days of the kingdom of Judah. He played a significant role in rescuing the prophet Jeremiah from a life-threatening situation.
When Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern by the officials who opposed his prophetic message, Ebed-melech learned of the prophet's plight (Jer.38.7). Recognizing the injustice of the situation, Ebed-melech courageously went to King Zedekiah and interceded on Jeremiah's behalf (Jer.38.8-9).
The king granted Ebed-melech permission to rescue Jeremiah, and the Ethiopian eunuch took thirty men with him to the cistern (Jer.38.10). Ebed-melech showed compassion and resourcefulness by lowering old rags and worn-out clothes for Jeremiah to use as padding under the ropes.
Key verses
Ebed-melech appears in 6 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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Now when Ebed–melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;
Jeremiah 38:7 -
Ebed–melech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king, saying,
Jeremiah 38:8 -
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.
Jeremiah 38:10 -
So Ebed–melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 38:11 -
And Ebed–melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.
Jeremiah 38:12
Show all 6 references
Jeremiah (6)
- Jeremiah 38:7
- Jeremiah 38:8
- Jeremiah 38:10
- Jeremiah 38:11
- Jeremiah 38:12
- Jeremiah 39:16