English Standard Version
Jeremiah 21:9
9He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you shall live and shall have his life as a prize of war.
Jeremiah 21:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
- New International Version (NIV)Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out and defects to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be as a prize to him.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who go out and surrender to the Babylonians will live. Their reward will be life!
Context of Jeremiah 21:9
7Afterward, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword. He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion.' 8"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. He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you shall live and shall have his life as a prize of war. 10For I have set my face against this city for harm and not for good, declares the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.' 11"And to the house of the king of Judah say, 'Hear the word of the Lord,
Read all of Jeremiah 21Jeremiah 21:9 word by word
הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את יָמ֕וּת בַּחֶ֖רֶב וּבָרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְהַיּוֹצֵא֩ וְנָפַ֨ל עַל־הַכַּשְׂדִּ֜ים הַצָּרִ֤ים עֲלֵיכֶם֙ וְחָיָ֔ה וְהָֽיְתָה־לּ֥וֹ נַפְשׁ֖וֹ לְשָׁלָֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- He that abidethיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in this cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- shall dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- by the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- and by the famineרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
- and by the pestilenceדֶּ֫בֶרdeber · pestilenceH1698
- but he that goeth outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- and fallethנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- to the Chaldeansכַּשְׂדִּיםkaώdîy kaώdîymâh · ChaldeaH3778
- that besiegeצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
- you, he shall liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- and his lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- shall be unto him for a preyשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
Cross-references for Jeremiah 21:9
- Jeremiah 21:7Afterward, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword. He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion.'
- Jeremiah 27:18If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, then let them intercede with the Lord of hosts, that the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon.
- Jeremiah 38:2"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.
- Jeremiah 39:18For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.'"
- Jeremiah 45:5And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go."
Commentaries on Jeremiah 21:9
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9He that falleth to the Chaldeans - This was to counsel desertion, and would have been treason in an ordinary man: but the prophets Spoke with an authority above that even of the king, and constantly interfered in political matters with summary decisiveness. Compare Matthew 24:16-18. A prey - Something not a man‘s own, upon which he seizes in the midst of danger, and hurries away with it. So must the Jews hurry away with their lives as something more…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. 99. (Jr 38:2, 17, 18). falleth to--deserts to. life ... a prey--proverbial, to make one's escape with life, like a valuable spoil or prey that one carries off; the narrowness of the escape, and the joy felt at it, are included in the idea (Jr 39:18).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 21:9
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries