{"id":67105,"date":"2024-12-24T09:00:46","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T14:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/?p=67105"},"modified":"2025-01-08T11:09:23","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T16:09:23","slug":"ebedmelech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/ebedmelech\/","title":{"rendered":"Ebedmelech\u2014A Remarkable Figure in Jerusalem\u2019s Final Days"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_67106\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/?attachment_id=67106\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-67106\" class=\"wp-image-67106 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2021\/12\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-300x222.jpg.avif\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"332\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2021\/12\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-300x222.jpg.avif 300w, https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2021\/12\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-1024x756.jpg.avif 1024w, https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2021\/12\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-768x567.jpg.avif 768w, https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2021\/12\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-1536x1135.jpg.avif 1536w, https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2021\/12\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-2048x1513.jpg.avif 2048w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 450px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 450\/332;\" data-original-sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" data-smush-avif-fallback=\"{&quot;data-src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-300x222.jpg&quot;,&quot;data-srcset&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-300x222.jpg 300w, https:\\\/\\\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-1024x756.jpg 1024w, https:\\\/\\\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-768x567.jpg 768w, https:\\\/\\\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-1536x1135.jpg 1536w, https:\\\/\\\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/12\\\/2560px-Francesco_Hayez_017-2048x1513.jpg 2048w&quot;}\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-67106\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem<br \/><em>Francesco Hayez, 1867. <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Template:PD-US-expired\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PD-US-expired<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Ebedmelech, a Judahite official whom the Bible identifies as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baslibrary.org\/biblical-archaeology-review\/46\/5\/24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cushite<\/a>,<a href=\"#1\"><sup>1<\/sup><\/a> makes a brief but command appearance in the Book of Jeremiah during the horrifying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baslibrary.org\/biblical-archaeology-review\/2\/1\/3\">Babylonian siege of Jerusalem<\/a>, c. 588\u2013586 B.C.E. (Jeremiah 38:7\u201313). Showing honor in chaos, his level-headed actions save Jeremiah\u2019s life. In the life-and-death drama of Jerusalem\u2019s fall, Ebedmelech interacts not only with Jeremiah but also with the city\u2019s nobles and Zedekiah, the last king of Judah (c. 597\u2013586 B.C.E.).<\/p>\n<p>Jeremiah\u2019s unpopular prophetic words provide the drama\u2019s conflict. He delivers what seems a paradoxical\u2014even treasonous!\u2014message to Jerusalem\u2019s inhabitants: Surrender to the Babylonians and live or face death by sword, famine, and pestilence (Jeremiah 38:2\u20133, 17\u201318). He delivers versions of it consistently. He prophesies Jerusalem\u2019s fall, but the way it falls is the people\u2019s choice (Clements 1988, 222). Ultimately, the king, nobles, and city dwellers choose not to surrender. The breaching of Jerusalem\u2019s walls, slaughter, and the burning of the king\u2019s house and the people\u2019s houses follow (Jeremiah 39:8).<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n\n\t\t<div id=\"mailing_list_ebook_page\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class='gravity_form_mailing_list'>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"downloadFormSec esolshortwrap\">\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-3 col-sm-3 mb-4 mb-md-0\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img data-src='https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2019\/03\/the-first-christmas-cover-new-e1585324283562.jpg.avif' class='esolsetnewimg smush-dimensions lazyload' width='130' style='--smush-image-width: 130px; --smush-image-aspect-ratio: 130\/168;' src='data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==' data-smush-avif-fallback='{&quot;data-src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/03\\\/the-first-christmas-cover-new-e1585324283562.jpg&quot;}'>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-9 col-sm-9\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-sm-12\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>FREE ebook: <strong>The First Christmas: The Story of Jesus\u2019 Birth in History and Tradition<\/strong>. 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*\/\n<\/script>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t<!-- download link -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div id=\"eBook_download_link\" name=\"eBook_download_link\">\n\n\t\t\t<button onclick=\"location.href='https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/the_first_christmas_the_story_of_jesus_birth_in_history_and_tradition.pdf'\">DOWNLOAD EBOOK<\/button>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>The Main Characters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong><em>Jeremiah<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Jeremiah, of course, dominates the book bearing his name. The Lord commissioned <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/titus-flavius-josephus-and-the-prophet-jeremiah\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jeremiah<\/a> while a reluctant, questioning youth and appointed him \u201ca prophet to the nations\u201d (Jeremiah 1:4\u201310). Decades later, he seems weary, alone, sad, and afraid, yet he faithfully relays whatever he hears from the Lord. He resides in a city facing judgment and among a people \u201cskilled in doing evil\u201d (Jeremiah 4:22 [NIV]). His neighbors perceive him as a traitor (Brueggemann 2003, 184). He\u2019s in and out of prison and often under guard. Prevailing public sentiment agrees that God will protect his city, temple, and people. After all, had he not done so more than a century earlier when Hezekiah and Jerusalem faced the Assyrians (Isaiah 38:4\u20136)? Some expect a similar divine intervention against the Babylonians (also known as the Chaldeans). Others look to Egypt (see Jeremiah 37:5).<\/p>\n<h4><strong><em>Ebedmelech<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Other than identifying him as a Cushite, the text remains silent about Ebedmelch\u2019s background. How did he come to Jerusalem? Was he a mercenary, advisor, servant, or perhaps a proselyte, a believer in Israel\u2019s God, as his name, \u201cservant of the king,\u201d suggests? This silence follows the biblical practice of giving only enough information to advance a book\u2019s themes. Ebedmelech\u2019s words and actions show his character; they advance the dominant themes of God\u2019s upcoming judgement on Judah and the nations, and the need for repentance. The Bible indicates Ebedmelech is some sort of court official of King Zedekiah, one enjoying access to power and well known throughout the city.<a href=\"#2\"><sup>2<\/sup><\/a> He has the king\u2019s ear, eye, and trust.<\/p>\n<h4><strong><em>Zedekiah<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Zedekiah\u2019s words and actions portray him unfavorably. Bullied by Jerusalem\u2019s nobles, he easily acquiesces to their demands (Jeremiah 38:5). Depicted as vacillating, he summons the prophet frequently. He hopes to hear that God has changed his mind. However, Jeremiah routinely relates the two prophetic words of choice\u2014surrender to the Babylonians and live or do not surrender and the people will die by sword, famine, and pestilence.<\/p>\n<p>Jeremiah\u2019s prophetic words carry a time limit. While Zedekiah dilly-dallies, Jerusalem\u2019s rationed bread runs out. Lamentations 4:10 recalls in poetic brush strokes the horrific conditions that ensued: \u201cThe hands of compassionate women\u2026boiled their own children; they have become their food.\u201d Evidently cannibalism likewise prevailed earlier during the time of the Aramaean king Ben-Hadad\u2019s siege of Samaria (2 Kings 6:24\u201331).<\/p>\n<p>A fence-sitter, Zedekiah\u2019s choice to delay means he chooses the latter prophetic word\u2014and it happens. When the city falls, Zedekiah acts the coward. With soldiers and sons, he sneaks out at night through the garden gate between Jerusalem\u2019s double walls. The Babylonians soon capture the escapees on \u201cthe plains of Jericho\u201d (Jeremiah 39:4\u20135).<\/p>\n<p>Zedekiah ends pitiably. Taken to Riblah (a town in Syria), he faces Nebuchadrezzar (also called Nebuchadnezzar), the Babylonian king. The Bible recounts the verdict but not the trial. Zedekiah watches the slaughter of his sons; then his eyes are gouged out. Bound in fetters, he is taken to Babylon (Jeremiah 39:5\u20137).<\/p>\n<h4><strong><em>Jerusalem\u2019s Nobles<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Four named nobles\u2014Shephatiah, Gedaliah, Jucal, and Pashhur\u2014approach the king. Belittling Jeremiah as \u201c<em>this man<\/em>\u201d and thereby refusing to recognize him as a prophet (italics added), they charge that Jeremiah discourages the soldiers by his words. Furthermore, he does not seek the people\u2019s welfare. They demand his death (Jeremiah 38:1, 4).<\/p>\n<p>Zedekiah \u201ccaves,\u201d to use a modern expression and, without disagreement, hands Jeremiah to them, whining in the third person that \u201cthe king is powerless against you\u201d (v. 5). The four quickly take Jeremiah to a <em>bowr<\/em>, a Hebrew word alternately translated as \u201cdungeon\u201d or \u201ccistern.\u201d The translations do agree, however, that it bottoms in a mire. The cistern provides the setting for a slow death by starvation, exhaustion, and suffocation.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Ebedmelech\u2019s Moments<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>When Ebedmelech hears that the nobles have put Jeremiah in a cistern (Jeremiah 38:7), he approaches Zedekiah in public at the Benjamin Gate, perhaps during a routine king-subjects meeting. Ebedmelech declares the nobles have \u201cacted wickedly\u201d against the prophet! The Hebrew word <em>ra&#8217;<\/em> that he uses denotes moral failure, harm, spoilage, and evil. His denunciation shows courage. By honoring and standing up for the prophet, he puts his life on the line. Ebedmelech predicts that \u201c<em>the prophet Jeremiah\u201d<\/em> will die there from hunger \u201cfor there is no bread left in the city\u201d (Jeremiah 38:7\u20139) (italics added).<\/p>\n<p>Ebedmelech\u2019s declaration carries this silent question, \u201cDo you want the death of this prophet attributed to your reign?\u201d The king understands. He commands Ebedmelech to take men and get Jeremiah out of the cistern. Translations vary between three and thirty men.<\/p>\n<p>Ebedmelech obeys but pauses at the house of the king. He goes to a room containing rags and worn-out clothes. Arriving at the cistern, he lowers the cloths by ropes and instructs Jeremiah to put them under his armpits. The cloths buffer the prophet\u2019s body. This action shows Ebedmelech\u2019s forethought and compassion. No doubt the three men and Ebedmelech separate, each side pulling in unison. Jeremiah surfaces. The text says Jeremiah \u201cremained in the court of the guard\u201d (Jeremiah 38:11\u201313).<\/p>\n<p>Seeking a different word from the Lord, Zedekiah soon calls Jeremiah for a private meeting. Jeremiah wisely first bargains for assurance of his life; Zedekiah gives it. The prophetic word comes, updating earlier words and then elaborating on the upcoming ridicule of women against Zedekiah and the future of his children and wives (Jeremiah 38:14\u201323). Despite Jeremiah\u2019s pleadings, Zedekiah refuses to surrender to the Babylonians. His reason? He fears abuse from the Judeans who have gone over to the Babylonians (v. 19).<\/p>\n<p>Soon the city falls. Few details emerge, perhaps because the original readers knew firsthand the horror of slaughter, pillage, rape, and slavery. The 18-month siege ends with the city\u2019s almost complete destruction (Jeremiah 39:1\u20133, 8). King Nebuchadrezzar commands his captain of the guard, Nebuzaradan, to look after Jeremiah and to do him no harm (Jeremiah 39:11\u201312).<\/p>\n<p>The Book of Jeremiah mentions Ebedmelech once more (Jeremiah 39:15\u201318). In what must have come unexpectedly, he receives a prophetic word of comfort, one similar to that given to Baruch, Jeremiah\u2019s scribe (Jeremiah 45). Speaking in the name of \u201cthe Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,\u201d Jeremiah assures Ebedmelech that he \u201cshall not be handed over\u201d to those whom he fears. Neither will he \u201cfall by the sword.\u201d God twice assures Ebedmelech that \u201cI will save you.\u201d The prophetic word also commends him. The Lord says through the prophet Jeremiah that Ebedmelech shall have his life \u201cas a prize of war, because you have trusted in me\u201d (v. 18).<\/p>\n<p>Ebedmelech\u2019s cameo appearance in the Book of Jeremiah truly reveals a man more courageous, more honorable, and more kingly than the king.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><strong>Bibliography<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Walter Brueggemann, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wjkbooks.com\/Products\/0664264417\/an-introduction-to-the-old-testament-third-edition.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination<\/em><\/a> (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003).<\/p>\n<p>R.E. Clements, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wjkbooks.com\/Products\/0664238769\/jeremiah.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Jeremiah: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching<\/em><\/a> (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988).<\/p>\n<h5><a id=\"1\"><\/a><strong>Notes:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>1. For Cushites in the Bible, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.burmanu.ca\/directory\/kevin-burrell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kevin Burrell<\/a>, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.baslibrary.org\/biblical-archaeology-review\/46\/5\/24\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Biblical Profile: Representing Cush in the Hebrew Bible,<\/a>\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baslibrary.org\/biblical-archaeology-review\/46\/5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>BAR<\/em>, Winter 2020<\/a>.<br \/>\n<a id=\"2\"><\/a><br \/>\n2. For insights that the word <em>official<\/em> may also be translated <em>eunuch,<\/em> see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fuller.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Andrew_Dearman_CV_2018.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">J. Andrew Dearman<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/churchsource.com\/products\/jeremiah-lamentations?variant=14929205067845\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Jeremiah and Lamentations: The NIV Application Commentary <\/em><\/a>(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002, 341n).<\/p>\n<p>i. Unless otherwise indicated, the translation used for this article is the NRSV, the New Revised Standard Version.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><strong>Biography<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5483 alignleft lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/wp-content\/smush-avif\/2012\/02\/robin-gallaher-branch.jpg.avif\" alt=\"branch\" width=\"150\" height=\"113\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/113;\" data-smush-avif-fallback=\"{&quot;data-src&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2012\\\/02\\\/robin-gallaher-branch.jpg&quot;}\" \/><strong>Robin Gallaher Branch<\/strong> serves as an adjunct professor at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee, and in a research capacity at North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa, where she did her Fulbright Fellowship in 2002\u20132003. She holds a Ph.D. in Hebrew Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. She is the author of numerous academic articles and two books, <a href=\"https:\/\/wipfandstock.com\/9781498230841\/six-biblical-plays-for-contemporary-audiences\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Six Biblical Plays for Contemporary Audiences<\/em><\/a> (Cascade 2016) and <a href=\"https:\/\/wipfandstock.com\/9781532643118\/jeroboams-wife\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Jeroboam\u2019s Wife: The Enduring Contributions of the Old Testament\u2019s Least-Known\u00a0<\/em><\/a><i>Women\u00a0<\/i><em>(Wipf &amp; Stock 2018).<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4>Bible History Daily articles by Robin Gallaher Branch:<\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Pdma7GHCJ8\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/barnabas-an-encouraging-early-church-leader\/\">Barnabas: An Encouraging Early Church Leader<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Barnabas: An Encouraging Early Church Leader&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/barnabas-an-encouraging-early-church-leader\/embed\/#?secret=dYqUg7KIiy#?secret=Pdma7GHCJ8\" data-secret=\"Pdma7GHCJ8\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"9rZ4H6JrUs\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/barnabas-an-encouraging-early-church-leader-2\/\">Part II\u2014Barnabas: An Encouraging Early Church Leader<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Part II\u2014Barnabas: An Encouraging Early Church Leader&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/barnabas-an-encouraging-early-church-leader-2\/embed\/#?secret=y2K3JkQnHh#?secret=9rZ4H6JrUs\" data-secret=\"9rZ4H6JrUs\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"WegEP62nAC\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/judith-a-remarkable-heroine\/\">Judith: A Remarkable Heroine<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Judith: A Remarkable Heroine&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/judith-a-remarkable-heroine\/embed\/#?secret=aBeb1sI2ZU#?secret=WegEP62nAC\" data-secret=\"WegEP62nAC\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"APd6eFLv6r\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/judith-a-remarkable-heroine-part-2\/\">Judith: A Remarkable Heroine, Part 2<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Judith: A Remarkable Heroine, Part 2&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/judith-a-remarkable-heroine-part-2\/embed\/#?secret=fZxoCP5TMC#?secret=APd6eFLv6r\" data-secret=\"APd6eFLv6r\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"csl5PqSVmy\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/widows-in-the-bible\/\">Widows in the Bible<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Widows in the Bible&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/people-in-the-bible\/widows-in-the-bible\/embed\/#?secret=DrImSPeGFI#?secret=csl5PqSVmy\" data-secret=\"csl5PqSVmy\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"KERKzOW0m6\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-topics\/bible-interpretation\/the-bible-and-sexuality-in-south-africa\/\">The Bible and Sexuality in South Africa<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;The Bible and Sexuality in South Africa&#8221; &#8212; Biblical Archaeology Society\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/biblical-topics\/bible-interpretation\/the-bible-and-sexuality-in-south-africa\/embed\/#?secret=ecF5li8cOI#?secret=KERKzOW0m6\" data-secret=\"KERKzOW0m6\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ebedmelech, a Judahite official whom the Bible identifies as a Cushite,1 makes a brief but command appearance in the Book of Jeremiah during the horrifying 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