Jeremiah 38:4

Jeremiah 38:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.
• New International Version (NIV)Then the officials said to the king, “This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the officials said to the king, "Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore the princes said to the king, “Please, let this man be put to death, for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm.”

Context of Jeremiah 38:4

2“This is what the LORD says: Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war, and he will live. 3This is what the LORD says: This city will surely be delivered into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.” Then the officials said to the king, “This man ought to die, for he is discouraging the warriors who remain in this city, as well as all the people, by speaking such words to them; this man is not seeking the well-being of these people, but their ruin.” 5“Here he is,” replied King Zedekiah. “He is in your hands, since the king can do nothing to stop you.” 6So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

Jeremiah 38:4 word by word

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ הַשָּׂרִ֜ים אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ י֣וּמַת נָא֮ אֶת־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּה֒ כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֡ן הֽוּא־מְרַפֵּ֡א אֶת־יְדֵי֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים׀ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֗את וְאֵת֙ יְדֵ֣י כָל־הָעָ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֣י׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֗ה אֵינֶ֨נּוּ דֹרֵ֧שׁ לְשָׁל֛וֹם לָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כִּ֥י אִם־לְרָעָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Then the officialsשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• ought to dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• ought to dieנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• forכִּי [עַל כֵּן]kîy · for as that: sinceH3588
• for[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן]‛al · sinceH5921
• for[כִּי עַל] כֵּןkên · sinceH3651
• heהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• is discouragingרָפָהrâphâh · to slackenH7503
• ·יָדyâd · handH3027
• the warriorsאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• the warriorsמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• who remainשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
• in thisזֹאתzô'th · thisH2063
• cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• as well as allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• by speakingדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• suchאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
• wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• ·כִּיkîy · forH3588
• is notאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• seekingדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• the well-beingשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peace: well-beingH7965
• butכִּי [אם]kîy · that if: exceptH3588
• but[כִּי] אם'im · if: exceptH518
• their ruinרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451

Cross-references for Jeremiah 38:4

• Jeremiah 26:11Then the priests and prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man is worthy of death, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears!”
• Jeremiah 36:12he went down to the scribe’s chamber in the king’s palace, where all the officials were sitting: Elishama the scribe, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.
• 2 Chronicles 24:21But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.
• Ezekiel 22:27Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
• Micah 3:1Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?
• Zephaniah 3:1Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!
• Exodus 5:4But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!”
• 1 Kings 18:17When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
• 1 Kings 21:20When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
• Ezra 4:12Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring its walls and repairing its foundations.
• Nehemiah 6:9For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.
• Amos 7:10Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words,
• Luke 23:2And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”
• John 11:46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
• Acts 16:20They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil
• Acts 17:6But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,

Commentaries on Jeremiah 38:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Let this man be put to death - And they gave their reasons plain enough: but the proof was wanting.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4For thus … - Because he makes the men of war dispirited. No doubt this was true. Jeremiah, however, did not speak as a private person, but as the representative of the government; the temporal ruler in a theocracy being responsible directly to God.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The officials thought Jeremiah's prophecies would lower the soldiers' morale against the Babylonian army. So, they put him on trial for treason.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Had Jeremiah not had a divine commission, he might justly have been accused of treason; but having one, which made the result of the siege certain, he acted humanely as interpreter of God's will under the theocracy, in advising surrender (compare Jr 26:11).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 38:4

• Jehucal
• Persecution
• Shephatiah

In the dictionaries

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

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