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Jeremiah 38:17

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Jeremiah 38:17 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon`s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon`s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house.
Jeremiah 38:17 — American Standard Version

Context — Jeremiah 38

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
14Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of Jehovah: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.
15Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, thou wilt not hearken unto me.
16So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As Jehovah liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.
17Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon`s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house.
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 away to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.
20But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of Jehovah, in that which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well with thee, and thy soul shall live.
← Jeremiah 38:16Jeremiah 38:18 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, etc.] Being thus indemnified and secured by the king’s word and oath, he proceeds freely to lay before the king the whole matter as from the Lord: thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; the prophet does not give the following advice in his own name, but in the name of the eternal Jehovah, the Lord of armies above and below, and who had a special regard to the people of Israel, and their welfare; and therefore it became the king to show the more regard unto it: if thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes; the generals of his army, whose names are mentioned, (<243903>Jeremiah 39:3); the king not being with his army at…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“princes-- (Jer 39:3). He does not say "to the king himself," for he was at Riblah, in Hamath (Jer 39:5; Kg2 25:6). "If thou go forth" (namely, to surrender; Kg2 24:12; Isa 36:16), God foreknows future conditional contingencies, and ordains not only the end, but also the means to the end.”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“38:17-18 Jeremiah laid out the Lord’s decree. Zedekiah could save the city by surrendering or he could watch as it was destroyed by the invaders.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the God of hosts: Psa 80:7, Psa 80:14; Amo 5:27 the God of Israel: Ch1 17:24; Ezr 9:4 If thou: Jer 38:2, Jer 7:6, Jer 7:7, Jer 21:8-10, Jer 27:12, Jer 27:17, Jer 39:3; Job 23:13 Jeremiah 38:18”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“After this solemn asseveration of the king, Jeremiah said to him, "Thus saith Jahveh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt assuredly go out to the princes of the king of Babylon \i.e., wilt surrender thyself to them, cf. [Kg2 18:31; Kg2 24:12\], then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and thou and thy house shall live. But if thou dost not go out to the princes of the king of Babylon, then this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand." The word of God is the same that Jeremiah had already repeatedly announced to the king, cf. Jer 34:2-5; Jer 32:4; Jer 21:4-10.…”
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Related study paths

Read Jeremiah 38 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification