Jeremiah 38:2

Jeremiah 38:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.
• New International Version (NIV)“This is what the Lord says: ‘Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives; they will live.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Thus says the Lord: He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war, and live.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Thus says the Lord: ‘He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes over to the Chaldeans shall live; his life shall be as a prize to him, and he shall live.’

Context of Jeremiah 38:2

1Some of Jerusalem's officers heard the things that Jeremiah had been telling the people. They were Mattan's son Shephatiah, Pashhur's son Gedaliah, Shelemiah's son Jehucal and Malkijah's son Pashhur. They had heard him say this: ‘The Lord says, “Any people who stay in this city will die. War or famine or disease will kill them. But those people who leave the city will not die. If they put themselves under the power of Babylon's soldiers, they will live.” 3The Lord also says, “I will put this city under the power of the King of Babylon's army. They will take it for themselves.” ’ 4When the officers heard that, they said to the king, ‘You must punish this man with death. He is making our soldiers who remain in the city afraid. The things that he says are making all the people in the city very afraid. He does not want to help our people. He wants to destroy them.’

Jeremiah 38:2 word by word

כֹּה֮ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֒ הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את יָמ֕וּת בַּחֶ֖רֶב בָּרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְהַיֹּצֵ֤א אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים֙ וְחָיָ֔ה וְהָיְתָה־לּ֥וֹ נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לְשָׁלָ֖ל וָחָֽי׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• He that remainethיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in this cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• shall dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• by the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• by the famineרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
• and by the pestilenceדֶּ֫בֶרdeber · pestilenceH1698
• but he that goeth forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• to the Chaldeansכַּשְׂדִּיםkaώdîy kaώdîymâh · ChaldeaH3778
• shall liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• for he shall have his lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• for a preyשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
• and shall liveחָיַיchâyay · to liveH2425

Cross-references for Jeremiah 38:2

• Jeremiah 38:17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, ‘The Lord Almighty, Israel's God, says, “You must put yourself under the power of the king of Babylon's officers. If you do that, you will not die. Your enemies will not burn down this city. You and your family will continue to live.
• Jeremiah 21:8But 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.
• Jeremiah 24:8But I, the Lord, also tell you this: “King Zedekiah of Judah and his officers are like the bad figs. That is true of the people who still live in Jerusalem, and those who have run away to Egypt to live there. They are all like the figs that are too bad to eat.
• Jeremiah 27:13You and your people do not need to die. But war, famine or disease will destroy any nation that refuses to serve the king of Babylon. The Lord has said that this will happen.
• Jeremiah 29:18I will use war, famine and disease to chase them away from their homes. I will send them to live among other nations. The people of all the nations in the world will see how disgusting they are. People will use their names as a curse. They will see how foolish they are and they will laugh at them.
• Jeremiah 34:17So I, the Lord, tell you this: You have not obeyed me. You have not let your Israelite slaves become free men and women. So now I will make you free! Yes, you will be free to let war, famine or disease kill you. People of all the kingdoms in the world will see how disgusting you are.
• Jeremiah 42:17All the people who decide to go and live in Egypt will die there. War, famine or disease will kill everyone. Nobody will escape from the terrible trouble that I will send. Nobody will remain alive.”
• Jeremiah 44:13I will punish the people who have come to live in Egypt. War, famine or disease will kill them, in the way that I punished the people of Jerusalem.
• Ezekiel 5:12Illness or famine will kill one third of your people inside the city. The soldiers who are around the city will kill a third of your people. And I will chase away a third of them to all parts of the earth. I will cause their enemies to run after them with their swords.
• Ezekiel 6:11This is what I, the Almighty Lord, say to you, Ezekiel: ‘Clap your hands together. Stamp on the ground with your feet. Show that you are very upset because of all the disgusting, evil things that Israel's people have done. War, famine and disease will kill them.
• Ezekiel 7:15The enemy is ready to attack outside the city. Inside the city, there is disease and famine. Enemy soldiers will kill the people who are in the country. Famine and disease will kill everyone who is in the city.
• Ezekiel 14:21This is what the Almighty Lord says: It will be terrible for Jerusalem's people when I punish them in all these four ways. I will send enemy soldiers with swords. I will send famine. I will send wild animals. And I will send disease. That will cause both people and animals to die.
• Matthew 24:7People in one country will attack the people in another country. Kings and their armies will fight against other kings and their armies. In some places, people will be hungry, with no food. The ground will shake in many different places.
• Revelation 6:4Then another horse came out. This horse was bright red, like fire. The person who was riding the horse had authority. He could take peace away from the earth, so that people killed each other. Someone gave him a large sword.
• Jeremiah 21:9Anyone 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.
• Jeremiah 39:18I will certainly save you. You will not die in battle. You trusted me, so I will keep your life safe. I, the Lord, say that to you.” ’

Commentaries on Jeremiah 38:2

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-13Jeremiah could talk to people while in the prison courtyard. He shared the Lord's judgments, which angered some government officials. Zedekiah showed cowardice by allowing these men to put Jeremiah in a muddy cistern. However, the king showed courage when he let a palace servant rescue Jeremiah and bring him back to the palace prison.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. life ... a prey--He shall escape with his life; though losing all else in a shipwreck, he shall carry off his life as his gain, saved by his going over to the Chaldeans. (See on Jr 21:9).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 38:2

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Persecution

In the dictionaries

• Pashur
• Shephatiah
• Jeremiah (2)
• Judah, Kingdom of
• Pashhur, Pashur
• Zedekiah (2)
• 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