John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 39:13-14

"So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushazban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon; they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people." — Jeremiah 39:13-14 (ASV)

Here Jeremiah completes what we began to expound yesterday, namely that by the command of King Nebuchadnezzar he was delivered from prison. But we have said that although that pagan king considered his own interest, his mind was nevertheless ruled by the secret power of God, who thus planned to rescue His servant from death. For God is accustomed to work in this way even through the ungodly, who have other intentions. It is not always by a voluntary act that people serve God, for many carry out what God has decreed when they have no intention of doing so. He so turns and directs them in various ways that they are compelled, whether willing or unwilling, to obey His authority. Thus it was, then, that Nebuchadnezzar liberated Jeremiah.

And yet the Prophet fully believed that he did not owe his life to King Nebuchadnezzar, but that he had been preserved in a wonderful manner by God’s favor; and to show this is the purpose of the whole narrative.

He says that the king had sent all the leaders of the Chaldean army to take him out of the court of the prison, and that he was then delivered to the care of Gedaliah—not so that he might be watched as usual, but because the princes knew that the people harbored hatred towards the holy Prophet, and therefore wished him to be kept safe from all violence. This, then, was the reason they committed him to the keeping of Gedaliah, who, as we shall see later, was in favor with the Chaldeans and highly esteemed.

He adds finally that he dwelt in the midst of the people: an expression that signifies complete liberty, as we say in our language, aller et venir. He then says that he was in the midst of the people because he had previously been shut up in prison.