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: ‘Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who surrender to the Babylonians will live. Their reward will be life. They will live!’ 3The Lord also says: ‘The city of Jerusalem will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.’” So these officials went to the king and said, “Sir, this man must die! That kind of talk will undermine the morale of the few fighting men we have left, as well as that of all the people. This man is a traitor!” 5King Zedekiah agreed. “All right,” he said. “Do as you like. I can’t stop you.” 6So the officials took Jeremiah from his cell and lowered him by ropes into an empty cistern in the prison yard. It belonged to Malkijah, a member of the royal family. There was no water in the cistern, but there was a thick layer of mud at the bottom, and Jeremiah sank down into it.

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 26:11The priests and prophets presented their accusations to the officials and the people. “This man should die!” they said. “You have heard with your own ears what a traitor he is, for he has prophesied against this city.”
• Jeremiah 36:12he went down to the secretary’s room in the palace where the administrative officials were meeting. Elishama the secretary was there, along with Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Acbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.
• 2 Chronicles 24:21Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple.
• Ezekiel 22:27Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money!
• Micah 3:1I said, “Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong,
• Zephaniah 3:1What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime!
• Exodus 5:4Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work!
• 1 Kings 18:17When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?”
• 1 Kings 21:20“So, my enemy, you have found me!” Ahab exclaimed to Elijah. “Yes,” Elijah answered, “I have come because you have sold yourself to what is evil in the Lord’s sight.
• Ezra 4:12“The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls.
• Nehemiah 6:9They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.
• Amos 7:10Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel: “Amos is hatching a plot against you right here on your very doorstep! What he is saying is intolerable.
• Luke 23:2They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”
• John 11:46But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
• Acts 16:20“The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials.
• Acts 17:6Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, 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