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“The Lord says, ‘Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives.’” 3They had also heard him say, “The Lord says, ‘This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon. They will capture it.’” So these officials said to the king, “This man must be put to death. For he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in the city as well as all the other people there by these things he is saying. This man is not seeking to help these people but is trying to harm them.” 5King Zedekiah said to them, “Very well, you can do what you want with him. For I cannot do anything to stop you.” 6So the officials took Jeremiah and put him in the cistern of Malkijah, one of the royal princes, that was in the courtyard of the guardhouse. There was no water in the cistern, only mud. So when they lowered Jeremiah into the cistern with ropes he sank in 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

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 made their charges before the officials and all the people. They said, “This man should be condemned to die because he prophesied against this city. You have heard him do so with your own ears.”
• Jeremiah 36:12He went down to the chamber of the royal secretary in the king’s palace and found all the court officials in session there. Elishama the royal secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials were seated there.
• 2 Chronicles 24:21They plotted against him and by royal decree stoned him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.
• Ezekiel 22:27Her officials are like wolves in her midst rending their prey – shedding blood and destroying lives – so they can get dishonest profit.
• Micah 3:1I said, “Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You ought to know what is just,
• Zephaniah 3:1The filthy, stained city is as good as dead; the city filled with oppressors is finished!
• Exodus 5:4The king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work? Return to your labor!”
• 1 Kings 18:17When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on Israel?”
• 1 Kings 21:20When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah replied, “I have found you, because you are committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord.
• Ezra 4:12Now let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city. They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations.
• Nehemiah 6:9All of them were wanting to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.” So now, strengthen my hands!
• Amos 7:10Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent this message to King Jeroboam of Israel: “Amos is conspiring against you in the very heart of the kingdom of Israel! The land cannot endure all his prophecies.
• Luke 23:2They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar and claiming that he himself is Christ, a king.”
• John 11:46But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported to them what Jesus had done.
• Acts 16:20When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion. They are Jews
• Acts 17:6When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, screaming, “These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too,

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