New English Translation
Jeremiah 39:16
16“Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, ‘The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will carry out against this city what I promised. It will mean disaster and not good fortune for it. When that disaster happens, you will be there to see it.
Jeremiah 39:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Go and speak to Ebed–melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.
- New International Version (NIV)“Go and tell Ebed-Melek the Cushite, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city—words concerning disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you.
Context of Jeremiah 39:16
14sent and had Jeremiah brought from the courtyard of the guardhouse. They turned him over to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and the grandson of Shaphan, to take him home with him. But Jeremiah stayed among the people. 15Now the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah while he was still confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse, “Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, ‘The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, “I will carry out against this city what I promised. It will mean disaster and not good fortune for it. When that disaster happens, you will be there to see it. 17But I will rescue you when it happens. I, the Lord, affirm it! You will not be handed over to those whom you fear. 18I will certainly save you. You will not fall victim to violence. You will escape with your life because you trust in me. I, the Lord, affirm it!”’”
Read all of Jeremiah 39Jeremiah 39:16 word by word
הָל֣וֹךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ לְעֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶת־דְּבָרַ֜י אֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֛את לְרָעָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א לְטוֹבָ֑ה וְהָי֥וּ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- and speakאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to Ebed–melechעֶ֫בֶד מֶ֫לֶךְ‛ebed melek · Ebed-melechH5663
- the Ethiopianכּוּשִׁיkûshîy · EthiopianH3569
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- the Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- Behold, I will bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): fulfillH935
- my wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- upon this cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- for evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
- and not for goodטוֹבָהţôb · welfareH2896
- in that dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
Cross-references for Jeremiah 39:16
- Jeremiah 38:7An Ethiopian, Ebed Melech, a court official in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put in the cistern. While the king was holding court at the Benjamin Gate,
- Jeremiah 5:14Because of that, the Lord, the God who rules over all, said to me, “Because these people have spoken like this, I will make the words that I put in your mouth like fire. And I will make this people like wood which the fiery judgments you speak will burn up.”
- Jeremiah 19:11Tell them the Lord who rules over all says, ‘I will do just as Jeremiah has done. I will smash this nation and this city as though it were a potter’s vessel which is broken beyond repair. The dead will be buried here in Topheth until there is no more room to bury them.’
- Jeremiah 21:7Then I, the Lord, promise that I will hand over King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and any of the people who survive the war, starvation, and disease. I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will slaughter them with the sword. He will not show them any mercy, compassion, or pity.’
- Jeremiah 24:8“I, the Lord, also solemnly assert: ‘King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and the people who remain in Jerusalem or who have gone to live in Egypt are like those bad figs. I consider them to be just like those bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten.
- Jeremiah 26:15But you should take careful note of this: If you put me to death, you will bring on yourselves and this city and those who live in it the guilt of murdering an innocent man. For the Lord has sent me to speak all this where you can hear it. That is the truth!”
- Jeremiah 32:28Therefore I, the Lord, say: ‘I will indeed hand this city over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonian army. They will capture it.
- Jeremiah 34:2The Lord God of Israel told Jeremiah to go and give King Zedekiah of Judah a message. He told Jeremiah to tell him, “The Lord says, ‘I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon and he will burn it down.
- Jeremiah 35:17So I, the Lord, the God who rules over all, the God of Israel, say: “I will soon bring on Judah and all the citizens of Jerusalem all the disaster that I threatened to bring on them. I will do this because I spoke to them but they did not listen. I called out to them but they did not answer.”’”
- Jeremiah 36:31I will punish him and his descendants and the officials who serve him for the wicked things they have done. I will bring on them, the citizens of Jerusalem, and the people of Judah all the disaster that I threatened to do to them. I will punish them because I threatened them but they still paid no heed.”’”
- Jeremiah 44:28Some who survive in battle will return to the land of Judah from the land of Egypt. But they will be very few indeed! Then the Judean remnant who have come to live in the land of Egypt will know whose word proves true, mine or theirs.’
- Joshua 23:14“Look, today I am about to die. You know with all your heart and being that not even one of all the faithful promises the Lord your God made to you is left unfulfilled; every one was realized – not one promise is unfulfilled!
- 2 Chronicles 36:21This took place to fulfill the Lord’s message delivered through Jeremiah. The land experienced its sabbatical years; it remained desolate for seventy years, as prophesied.
- Daniel 9:12He has carried out his threats against us and our rulers who were over us by bringing great calamity on us – what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven!
- Zechariah 1:6But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers? Then they paid attention and confessed, ‘The Lord who rules over all has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.’”
- Matthew 24:35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 39:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Go and speak to Ebed-melech - The king's servant, the Cushite.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-18Verses 15-18 Here is a message to assure Ebed-melech of a recompence for his great kindness to Jeremiah. Because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord. God recompenses men's services according to their principles. Those who trust God in the way of duty, as this good man did, will find that their hope shall not fail in times of the greatest danger.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-17Ebed-melech saved Jeremiah from dying in the muddy cistern (Jeremiah 38:7–13). This promise was a serious declaration (see study note on Jeremiah 2:2).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1815-18. Belonging to the time when the city was not yet taken, and when Jeremiah was still in the court of the prison (Jr 38:13). This passage is inserted here because it was now that Ebed-melech's good act (Jr 38:7-12; Mt 25:43) was to be rewarded in his deliverance.Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 39:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 39
- 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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