New English Translation
Jeremiah 38:15
15Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I answer you, you will certainly kill me. If I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”
Jeremiah 38:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?
- New International Version (NIV)Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I give you an answer, will you not kill me? Even if I did give you counsel, you would not listen to me.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”
Context of Jeremiah 38:15
13So they pulled Jeremiah up from the cistern with ropes. Jeremiah, however, still remained confined to the courtyard of the guardhouse. 14Some time later Zedekiah sent and had Jeremiah brought to him at the third entrance of the Lord’s temple. The king said to Jeremiah, “I would like to ask you a question. Do not hide anything from me when you answer.” Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I answer you, you will certainly kill me. If I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” 16So King Zedekiah made a secret promise to Jeremiah and sealed it with an oath. He promised, “As surely as the Lord lives who has given us life and breath, I promise you this: I will not kill you or hand you over to those men who want to kill you.” 17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “The Lord, the God who rules over all, the God of Israel, says, ‘You must surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon. If you do, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down. Indeed, you and your whole family will be spared.
Read all of Jeremiah 38Jeremiah 38:15 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ כִּ֚י אַגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔ הֲל֖וֹא הָמֵ֣ת תְּמִיתֵ֑נִי וְכִי֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ לֹ֥א תִשְׁמַ֖ע אֵלָֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Jeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הוּyirmeyâh yirmeyâhû · JeremiahH3414
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Zedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֫הוּtsidqîyâh tsidqîyâhû · ZedekiahH6667
- If I declareנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- unto thee, wilt thou not surelyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and if I give thee counselיָעַץyâ‛ats · to adviseH3289
- wilt thou not hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
Cross-references for Jeremiah 38:15
Commentaries on Jeremiah 38:15
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Wilt thou not hearken ! - Rather, Thou wilt not hearken.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-28Verses 14-28 Jeremiah was not forward to repeat the warnings, which seemed only to endanger his own life, and to add to the king's guilt, but asked whether he feared to do the will of God. The less men fear God, the more they fear men; often they dare not act according to their own judgments and consciences.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-16Zedekiah desperately wanted a miracle to save his kingdom from the Babylonian armies. He arranged a secret meeting with Jeremiah.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. wilt thou not hearken unto me--Zedekiah does not answer this last query; the former one he replies to in Jr 38:16. Rather translate, "Thou wilt not hearken to me." Jeremiah judges so from the past conduct of the king. Compare Jr 38:17 with Jr 38:19.Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 38:15
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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