God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 21:9
9Those who live in this city will die in the war, famine, or plague. Those of you who go out and surrender to the Babylonians will live. You will escape with your lives.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Jeremiah 21:9
7Afterwards, declares the Lord, I will hand over Judah’s King Zedekiah, his officials, the people, and everyone else in this city who survives the plague, war, and famine. They will be handed over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. Nebuchadnezzar will kill them with swords. He won’t spare them, show them compassion, or care for them.’ 8“Say to these people, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to give you the choice of life or death. Those who live in this city will die in the war, famine, or plague. Those of you who go out and surrender to the Babylonians will live. You will escape with your lives. 10I’ve decided to harm this city, not to do good to it, declares the Lord. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down.’ 11“Say to the nation of the king of Judah, ‘Listen to the Lord’s word,
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 21:7Afterwards, declares the Lord, I will hand over Judah’s King Zedekiah, his officials, the people, and everyone else in this city who survives the plague, war, and famine. They will be handed over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. Nebuchadnezzar will kill them with swords. He won’t spare them, show them compassion, or care for them.’
- Jeremiah 27:18If they are prophets and the Lord is speaking to them, they should beg the Lord of Armies not to allow the utensils that are left in the Lord’s temple, in the royal palace of Judah, and in Jerusalem to be taken away to Babylon.
- Jeremiah 38:2They heard Jeremiah say, “This is what the Lord says: Those who stay in this city will die in wars, famines, or plagues. But those who surrender to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives.
- Jeremiah 39:18I will certainly rescue you. You will not die in war. You will escape with your life because you trusted me, declares the Lord.’ ”
- Jeremiah 45:5Are you looking for great things for yourself? Don’t look for them, because I’m going to bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord. But wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’ ”
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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