Jeremiah 21:9

“He that abideth in this city, etc.] Imagining himself safe there; not fearing its being taken by the king of Babylon; though it was so often foretold by the prophet of the Lord that it should: shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: by the first of these, in sallying out against the enemy; and by the other two, which raged within the city: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live; not fall upon them, as the words may be literally rendered; so it would describe such that went out of the city and sallied upon them; whereas it designs such who should go out of the city, and surrender themselves unto the Chaldeans; submit to…”

“(Jer 38:2, Jer 38:17-18). falleth to--deserts to. life . . . a prey--proverbial, to make one's escape with life, like a valuable spoil or prey that one carries off; the narrowness of the escape, and the joy felt at it, are included in the idea (Jer 39:18).”

“He that ... falleth to the Chaldeans - This was to counsel desertion, and would have been treason in an ordinary man: but the prophets Spoke with an authority above that even of the king, and constantly interfered in political matters with summary decisiveness. Compare Matthew 24:16-18. A prey - Something not a man’s own, upon which he seizes in the midst of danger, and hurries away with it. So must the Jews hurry away with their lives as something more than they had a right to, and place them in the Chaldaean camp as in a place of safety. return to 'Top of Page'”

“His life - This is a proverbial expression, signifying a man's possession of his life as a prey, or booty recovered from the enemy. Jeremiah 21:12”

“that abideth: Jer 21:7, Jer 27:13, Jer 38:2, Jer 38:17-23 and his: Jer 38:2, Jer 39:18, Jer 45:5 Jeremiah 21:10”