Jeremiah 38:5

Jeremiah 38:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.
• New International Version (NIV)“He is in your hands,” King Zedekiah answered. “The king can do nothing to oppose you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)King Zedekiah said, "Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Zedekiah the king said, “Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you.”

Context of Jeremiah 38:5

3Thus says the Lord, ‘This city will certainly be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and he will take it.’ ” 4Therefore the princes (court officials) said to the king, “Please [we implore you] let this man [Jeremiah] be put to death; for [speaking] in this way he discourages and weakens [the will of] the soldiers who remain in this city and he discourages and weakens [the will of] all the people by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of these people, but rather their harm.” Then King Zedekiah [fearing the princes] said, “Listen, he is in your hand; for the king is in no position to do anything against you.” 6So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchijah the king’s son, which was in the court of the guardhouse; and they let Jeremiah down [into the cistern] with ropes. Now there was no water in the cistern but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud. 7Now Ebed-melech the Ethiopian (Cushite), one of the eunuchs who was in the king’s palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern, and while the king was sitting in the Gate of Benjamin,

Jeremiah 38:5 word by word

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ הִנֵּה־ה֖וּא בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יוּכַ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם דָּבָֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then Zedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּtsidqîyâh tsidqîyâhû · ZedekiahH6667
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• in your handיָדyâd · handH3027
• canיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697

Cross-references for Jeremiah 38:5

• 1 Samuel 15:24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
• 1 Samuel 29:9Achish answered David, “I know that you are blameless in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle.’
• 2 Samuel 3:39Today I am weak, though anointed king; these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too difficult for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer [Joab] in accordance with his wickedness!”
• 2 Samuel 19:22David said, “What business is this of yours, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be an adversary to me today? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?”
• Proverbs 29:25The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and safe.
• John 19:12As a result of this, Pilate kept making efforts to release Him, but the Jews kept screaming, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar! Anyone who makes himself out [to be] a king opposes Caesar [and rebels against the emperor]!”

Commentaries on Jeremiah 38:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5He is in your hand - Ye have power to do as you please; I must act by your counsel. Poor weak prince! you respect the prophet, you fear the cabal, and you sacrifice an innocent man to your own weakness and their malice!Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5All real power was in their hands, and as they affirmed that Jeremiah‘s death was a matter of necessity, the king did not dare refuse it to them.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5The officials angrily confronted King Zedekiah and made their demands. He was weak and afraid.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. the king is not he--Zedekiah was a weak prince, and now in his straits afraid to oppose his princes. He hides his dislike of their overweening power, which prevented him shielding Jeremiah as he would have wished, under complimentary speeches. "It is not right that the king should deny aught to such faithful and wise statesmen"; the king is not such a one as to deny you your wishes [Jerome].Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 38:5

• Persecution
• Rulers
• Zedekiah

In the dictionaries

• Zedekiah
• Pashur
• Jeremiah (2)
• Pashhur, Pashur
• Zedekiah (2)
• Law of Moses

Commentaries on Jeremiah 38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings