Bible/Jeremiah/38

Jeremiah 38:17

38:16 So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

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Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Yahweh, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you will go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul will live, and this city will not be burned with fire. You will live, along with your house.

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If you will assuredly go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house:

38:18 But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

What does Jeremiah 38:17 mean?

Jeremiah 38:17 is a verse in the book of Jeremiah, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אָמַר (ʼâmar), יִרְמְיָה (Yirmᵉyâh), צִדְקִיָּה (Tsidqîyâh). It connects to 5 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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Then
saidאָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)
JeremiahיִרְמְיָהYirmᵉyâh/yir-meh-yaw'/H3414Jirmejah, the name of eight or nine Israelites
unto
Zedekiah,צִדְקִיָּהTsidqîyâh/tsid-kee-yaw'/H6667Tsidkijah, the name of six Israelites
Thus
saithאָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)
the
LORD,יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
the
Godאֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîym/el-o-heem'/H430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
of
hosts,צָבָאtsâbâʼ/tsaw-baw'/H6635a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)
the
Godאֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîym/el-o-heem'/H430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
of
Israel;יִשְׂרָאֵלYisrâʼêl/yis-raw-ale'/H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
If
thou
wilt
assuredlyיָצָאyâtsâʼ/yaw-tsaw'/H3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
go
forthיָצָאyâtsâʼ/yaw-tsaw'/H3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
unto
the
kingמֶלֶךְmelek/meh'-lek/H4428a king
of
Babylon'sבָּבֶלBâbel/baw-bel'/H894Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire
princes,שַׂרsar/sar/H8269a head person (of any rank or class)
then
thy
soulנֶפֶשׁnephesh/neh'-fesh/H5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
shall
live,חָיָהchâyâh/khaw-yaw'/H2421to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive
and
this
cityעִירʻîyr/eer/H5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
shall
not
be
burnedשָׂרַףsâraph/saw-raf'/H8313to be (causatively, set) on fire
with
fire;אֵשׁʼêsh/aysh/H784fire (literally or figuratively)
and
thou
shalt
live,חָיָהchâyâh/khaw-yaw'/H2421to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive
and
thine
house:בַּיִתbayith/bah'-yith/H1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

Commentary on Jeremiah 38:17

HENRY_FULL · Jeremiah 38:17
for the encouragement of the church in after ages, with reference to the power and prevalency of her enemies. 1. That proud oppressors should be reckoned with, ver. 1 . 2. That care should be taken of the church, as of God's vineyard, ver. 2, 3 . 3. That God would let fall his controversy with the people, upon their return to him, ver. 4, 5 . 4. That he would greatly multiply and increase them, ver. 6 . 5. That, as to their afflictions, the property of them should be altered ( ver. 7 ), they should be mitigated and moderated ( ver. 8 ), and sanctified, ver. 9 . 6. That though the church might be laid waste, and made desolate, for a time ( ver. 10, 11 ), yet it should be restored, and the scattered members should be gathered together again, ver. 12, 13 . All this is applicable to the grace of the gospel, and God's promises to, and providences concerning, the Christian church, and such as belong to it. The Doom of Persecutors; The Privilege of Saints. ( b. c. 718.) 1 In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Numbers 21:17

Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: Spring: Heb. Ascend sing: or, answer

Jeremiah 2:21

Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

Jeremiah 5:1

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

Matthew 21:33

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

Luke 20:9

Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.

Topics

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Jeremiah 38:17.

Genesis 1:24

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Genesis 2:16

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: thou: Heb. eating thou shalt eat

Genesis 2:18

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. meet: Heb. as before him

Genesis 3:1

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Yea: Heb. Yea, because, etc.

2 Kings 24:18

Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

Genesis 1:11

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. grass: Heb. tender grass

Genesis 1:12

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:14

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: the day: Heb. between the day and between the night

Frequently asked questions

What does Jeremiah 38:17 say?

Jeremiah 38:17 (King James Version) reads: "Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:"

Is Jeremiah 38:17 in the Old or New Testament?

Jeremiah 38:17 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Jeremiah.

Reflect

As you read Jeremiah 38:17, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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