New King James Version
Jeremiah 38:5
5Then Zedekiah the king said, “Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you.”
Jeremiah 38:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.
- New International Version (NIV)“He is in your hands,” King Zedekiah answered. “The king can do nothing to oppose you.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)King Zedekiah said, "Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you."
- New Living Translation (NLT)King Zedekiah agreed. “All right,” he said. “Do as you like. I can’t stop you.”
Context of Jeremiah 38:5
3Thus says the Lord: ‘This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.’ ” 4Therefore 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.” Then Zedekiah the king said, “Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you.” 6So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire. 7Now Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon. When the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin,
Read all of Jeremiah 38Jeremiah 38:5 word by word
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ הִנֵּה־ה֖וּא בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יוּכַ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם דָּבָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Jeremiah 38:5
- 1 Samuel 15:24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
- 1 Samuel 29:9Then Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless the princes of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’
- 2 Samuel 3:39And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”
- 2 Samuel 19:22And David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?”
- Proverbs 29:25The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
- John 19:12From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”
Commentaries on Jeremiah 38:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5He is in your hand - Ye have power to do as you please; I must act by your counsel. Poor weak prince! you respect the prophet, you fear the cabal, and you sacrifice an innocent man to your own weakness and their malice!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5All real power was in their hands, and as they affirmed that Jeremiah‘s death was a matter of necessity, the king did not dare refuse it to them.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5The officials angrily confronted King Zedekiah and made their demands. He was weak and afraid.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. the king is not he--Zedekiah was a weak prince, and now in his straits afraid to oppose his princes. He hides his dislike of their overweening power, which prevented him shielding Jeremiah as he would have wished, under complimentary speeches. "It is not right that the king should deny aught to such faithful and wise statesmen"; the king is not such a one as to deny you your wishes [Jerome].Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 38:5
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries