Jeremiah 21:8

Jeremiah 21:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
• New International Version (NIV)“Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"And to this people you shall say: 'Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Now you shall say to this people, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

Context of Jeremiah 21:8

6I will attack everything that lives in this city, both people and animals. A very bad disease will kill them.” 7The Lord also says this: “Then I will put King Zedekiah of Judah under the power of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. I will do the same thing to any of his officers or people who are still alive. Those are the people that war, famine or disease has not already killed. I will give them to King Nebuchadnezzar and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will tell his soldiers to kill them. He will not be kind to them and he will kill them all.” But also tell the people that the Lord says this: “I will let you choose between two things. One is a way that will give you life. The other is a way that will give you death. 9Anyone who stays in the city will die. War or famine or disease will kill them. But you may choose to leave the city. You may put yourselves under the power of Babylon's army that is attacking the city. Anyone who does that will continue to live. 10I, the Lord, tell you this: I have decided not to rescue this city. Instead I will destroy it. I will give it to the king of Babylon. He will destroy it with fire.” ’

Jeremiah 21:8 word by word

וְאֶל־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ תֹּאמַ֔ר כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה הִנְנִ֤י נֹתֵן֙ לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם אֶת־דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמָּֽוֶת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And unto this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• thou shalt sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Behold, I setנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• you the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• of lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• of deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194

Cross-references for Jeremiah 21:8

• Deuteronomy 11:26Today I am telling you to choose. Do you want God to bless you? Or do you want God to curse you?
• Deuteronomy 30:15Look! You must choose between the things that I am offering you today. You may choose to have life and many good things. Or you may choose to have death and many troubles.
• Isaiah 1:19I will forgive you if you agree to obey me. If you are ready to do that, you will again eat plenty of good food from the land.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 21:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death - Meaning escape or destruction in the present instance. This is explained in the next verse.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Compare the marginal reference; but here the alternative is a life saved by desertion to the enemy, or a death by famine, pestilence, and the sword within the walls.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-10The Lord decided to destroy Jerusalem, but people could choose life, likely as slaves in Babylon, or death by Babylonian swords (see Deuteronomy 20:10–13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. "Life," if ye surrender; "death," if ye persist in opposing the Chaldees (compare De 30:19). The individuality of Jeremiah's mission from God is shown in that he urges to unconditional surrender; whereas all former prophets had urged the people to oppose their invaders (Is 7:16; 37:33, 35).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 21:8

• Babylon
• Salvation

In the dictionaries

• Literature, Sub-Apostolic
• Uriah; Uruah
• Way
• Zedekiah (2)
• Zedekiah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 21

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings