Who was Malchiah in the Bible?

Malchiah, also called Malchijah, was a royal official and the son of Pashur during the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. He is best known for his role in the persecution of the prophet Jeremiah, as recorded in the Book of Jeremiah.

What did Malchiah do to Jeremiah?

Malchiah participated in a plot against Jeremiah, agreeing with other officials to have the prophet thrown into a muddy cistern to die (Jeremiah 38:1,6). This event highlights the severe opposition Jeremiah faced for delivering God's warnings to Jerusalem.

Why is Malchiah significant in the Bible?

Malchiah's actions represent the rejection of God's prophetic word by Jerusalem's leadership. His story serves as a sobering example of the consequences of opposing God's messengers and is part of the narrative leading to Judah's exile.

Malchiah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon

Malchiah, son of Pashur, was involved in a plot against Jeremiah (Jer.38.1,6; 21.1).

Malchiah

Biography

Malchiah son of Pashur was a prominent official in Jerusalem during the final years of the kingdom of Judah, in the reign of King Zedekiah. He appears in the book of Jeremiah as one of several officials who opposed the prophet's message of impending Babylonian conquest. When Jeremiah urged the people to surrender to Babylon as God's instrument of judgment, Malchiah and his fellow officials accused the prophet of weakening the morale of the soldiers and the people (Jeremiah 38:1-4). They persuaded King Zedekiah to hand Jeremiah over to them, and it was into the cistern belonging to Malchiah that they lowered Jeremiah, leaving him to sink in the mud (Jeremiah 38:6). This act of persecution against God's prophet stands as one of the most vivid episodes of opposition to prophetic ministry in the Old Testament.

Significance

Malchiah son of Pashur exemplifies the pattern of political leaders who suppress inconvenient prophetic truth. His attempt to silence Jeremiah by casting him into a cistern parallels a recurring biblical theme: the persecution of God's messengers by those in power. Yet his efforts ultimately failed, as Ebed-melech the Ethiopian rescued Jeremiah, and Babylon did indeed conquer Jerusalem precisely as the prophet had foretold. Malchiah's story warns against the dangers of prioritizing political expediency over divine revelation and demonstrates that no human scheme can ultimately thwart God's purposes or permanently silence His word.

Authority Records

Wikidata

Verse Appearances (3)

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 21:1 Jeremiah 38:1 Jeremiah 38:6

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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