Jeremiah 38:19 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

But if Zedekiah went out according to the prophet's advice, and delivered himself, what needed he to fear his subjects (that had deserted the city) delivering of him? It seems rather therefore to be the sense, lest the Chaldeans, when I have yielded myself to them, should deliver me into the hands of those Jews which have fallen to them, and they should mock me: so as he seems to be more concerned for his honour than for his own life, and his family s, and the whole city: thus often great persons are more patient of death than of reproach and dishonour.