Jeremiah 38:4

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

2“This is what the Lord says: ‘Anyone who stays in this city will die by the sword, by famine, or by plague; but anyone who surrenders to the Chaldeans will live and have his own life as plunder, and stay alive.’ 3This is what the Lord says: ‘This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon and he will capture it.’” Then the officials said to the king, “Please have this man put to death, since he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking words like these to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people, but rather their harm.” 5And King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands; for the king can do nothing against you.” 6So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchijah the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guardhouse; and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. Now in the cistern there was no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud.

Jeremiah 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

• officialsשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Pleaseנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• have thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• putמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• sinceכִּיkîy · forH3588
• since[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן]‛al · sinceH5921
• since[כִּי עַל] כֵּןkên · sinceH3651
• discouragingרָפָהrâphâh · to slackenH7503
• discouragingיָדyâd · handH3027
• of warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• who are leftשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
• cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• by speakingדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• like theseאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
• manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• is not seekingדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
• the well-beingשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peace: well-beingH7965
• but rather[כִּי] אם'im · if: exceptH518

Cross-references for Jeremiah 38:4

• Jeremiah 26:11Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied against this city, just as you have heard with your own ears!”
• Jeremiah 36:12he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there--Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.
• 2 Chronicles 24:21So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the house of the Lord.
• Ezekiel 22:27Her leaders within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to make dishonest profit.
• Micah 3:1And I said, “Hear now, you leaders of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice?
• Zephaniah 3:1Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, The oppressive city!
• Exodus 5:4But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you let the people neglect their work? Get back to your labors!”
• 1 Kings 18:17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is this you, the cause of disaster to Israel?”
• 1 Kings 21:20Then Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, enemy of mine?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have given yourself over to do evil in the sight of the Lord.
• Ezra 4:12let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and evil city and are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.
• Nehemiah 6:9For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, God, strengthen my hands.
• Amos 7:10Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is unable to endure all his words.
• Luke 23:2And they began to bring charges against Him, saying, “We found this Man misleading our nation and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
• John 11:46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.
• Acts 16:20and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men, Jews as they are, are causing our city trouble,
• Acts 17:6When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also;

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

• Jehucal
• Persecution
• Shephatiah

In the dictionaries

• Pashur
• Shephatiah
• Jeremiah (2)
• Pashhur, Pashur
• Zedekiah (2)
• Law of Moses
• 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