Jeremiah 38:20

Jeremiah 38:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.
• New International Version (NIV)“They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Jeremiah said, "You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Jeremiah said, “They shall not deliver you. Please, obey the voice of the Lord which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.

Context of Jeremiah 38:20

18But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand. 19And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of Yhwh, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live. 21But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that Yhwh hath shewed me: 22And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.

Jeremiah 38:20 word by word

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ לֹ֣א יִתֵּ֑נוּ שְֽׁמַֽע־נָ֣א׀ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֗ה לַאֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ דֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיִ֥יטַב לְךָ֖ וּתְחִ֥י נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃Read the interlinear

• But Jeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הוּyirmeyâh yirmeyâhû · JeremiahH3414
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• They shall not deliverנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• Obeyשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
• I beseech thee, the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• of Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• which I speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• unto thee: so it shall be wellיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
• unto thee, and thy soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• shall liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421

Cross-references for Jeremiah 38:20

• Jeremiah 26:13Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Yhwh your God; And Yhwh will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.
• 2 Chronicles 20:20And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in Yhwh your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
• Daniel 4:27Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
• Acts 26:29And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
• 2 Corinthians 5:11Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
• 2 Corinthians 6:1We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
• Philemon 1:8Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient,
• James 1:22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
• Isaiah 55:3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 38:20

• 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. 20-22Jeremiah told Zedekiah that things would be fine if he obeyed the Lord. If he did not, even his friends would leave him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-28All this was subsequent to his imprisonment in Jonathan's house, and his release on his interview with Zedekiah. The latter occurred before the return of the Chaldeans to the siege; the similar events in this chapter occurred after it. 1. Jucal--Jehucal (Jr 37:3). Pashur--(Jr 21:1; compare Jr 21:9 with Jr 38:2). The deputation in Jr 21:1, to whom Jeremiah gave this reply, if not identical with the hearers of Jeremiah (Jr 38:1), must have been sent just…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 38:20

• Obedience
• Prisoners
• Zedekiah

In the dictionaries

• Jeremiah
• Foreknowledge of God
• Jeremiah (2)
• Zedekiah (2)
• 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