God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 38:4
4Then the officials said to the king, “Have this man put to death. He discourages the soldiers who are left in this city and all the people by telling them such things. This man is not trying to help these people; he’s trying to hurt them.”
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
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. 3“This is what the Lord says: This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, and it will capture the city.” Then the officials said to the king, “Have this man put to death. He discourages the soldiers who are left in this city and all the people by telling them such things. This man is not trying to help these people; he’s trying to hurt them.” 5King Zedekiah answered, “He’s in your hands. I won’t do anything to stop you.” 6So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son. It was in the courtyard of the prison. They used ropes to lower Jeremiah into the cistern. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
Read all of Jeremiah 38Jeremiah 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore the princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- We beseech thee, let this manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- be put to deathמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- for thus[כִּי עַל] כֵּןkên · sinceH3651
- he weakenethרָפָהrâphâh · to slackenH7503
- the handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- of the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- that remainשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
- in this cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- of all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- in speakingדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- such wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- seekethדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
- not the welfareשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peace: well-beingH7965
- but the hurtרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
Cross-references for Jeremiah 38:4
- Jeremiah 26:11Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man is condemned to die because he prophesied against this city as you yourselves have heard.”
- Jeremiah 36:12Then he went down to the scribe’s room in the king’s palace where all the scribes were sitting. The scribe Elishama, Delaiah (son of Shemaiah), Elnathan (son of Achbor), Gemariah (son of Shaphan), Zedekiah (son of Hananiah), and all the other officials were there.
- 2 Chronicles 24:21But they plotted against Zechariah, and by the king’s order they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.
- Ezekiel 22:27Your leaders are like wolves that tear their prey into pieces. They murder and destroy people to make excessive profits.
- Micah 3:1Then I said: Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You should know justice.
- Zephaniah 3:1How horrible it will be for that rebellious and corrupt place, the city of violence.
- Exodus 5:4The king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their work? Get back to work!”
- 1 Kings 18:17When he saw Elijah, Ahab said, “Is that you, you troublemaker of Israel?”
- 1 Kings 21:20Ahab asked Elijah, “So you’ve found me, my enemy?” Elijah answered, “I found you. Because you sold yourself to do what the Lord considers evil.
- Ezra 4:12Your Majesty, you should know that the Jews who came to us from you are now in Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are close to finishing the walls. The foundations are already in place.
- Nehemiah 6:9They were all trying to intimidate us. They thought we would give up and not finish the work. But God made me strong.
- Amos 7:10Then Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, sent a message to King Jeroboam of Israel. It read, “Amos is plotting against you among the people of Israel. The country isn’t able to endure everything he is saying.
- Luke 23:2They began to accuse Jesus by saying, “We found that he stirs up trouble among our people: He keeps them from paying taxes to the emperor, and he says that he is Christ, a king.”
- John 11:46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
- Acts 16:20In front of the Roman officials, they said, “These men are stirring up a lot of trouble in our city. They’re Jews,
- Acts 17:6When they didn’t find Paul and Silas, they dragged Jason and some other believers in front of the city officials. They shouted, “Those men who have made trouble all over the world are now here in Thessalonica,
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
In the dictionaries
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
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