Jeremiah 21:1 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 21:1 kjv
The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,
Jeremiah 21:1 nkjv
The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying,
Jeremiah 21:1 niv
The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said:
Jeremiah 21:1 esv
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, saying,
Jeremiah 21:1 nlt
The LORD spoke through Jeremiah when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malkijah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, the priest, to speak with him. They begged Jeremiah,
Jeremiah 21 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 24:18-20 | Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king... he did what was evil... | Zedekiah's appointment and reign of wickedness. |
| Jer 37:1-2 | King Zedekiah the son of Josiah, who reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, sent to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "Pray for us to the Lord our God." But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land paid attention to the words of the Lord that he spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. | Zedekiah's consistent disinterest in Jeremiah's message despite appeals. |
| Jer 38:5 | So King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you.” | Zedekiah's weakness and fear of his officials. |
| 2 Kgs 19:2-4 | Hezekiah sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, clothed in sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet... | Hezekiah sending officials to Isaiah during Sennacherib's siege, a parallel but distinct situation. |
| 1 Sam 28:6-7 | When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." | Saul's desperation when God would not answer him. |
| Amos 8:11-12 | "Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord..." | The dire consequence of not hearing the word of God. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout... so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose... | The power and efficacy of God's spoken word. |
| Jer 1:4, 11, 13 | Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying... | Jeremiah's prophetic commission often begins with this phrase. |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. | The powerful, piercing nature of God's word. |
| Jer 25:9-11 | behold, I will send and take all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants... | Babylon designated as God's instrument of judgment. |
| Hab 1:5-6 | "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation..." | God's sovereign use of a foreign nation for judgment. |
| Jer 27:6-8 | "Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him..." | God's declaration that Nebuchadnezzar serves His purpose. |
| Exod 15:11 | "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" | Recalling God's "wonderful deeds" at the Red Sea. |
| Psa 77:11-14 | I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old... You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. | The psalmist's reflection on God's mighty acts of the past. |
| Isa 29:14 | ...therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder... | God's ability to perform new wonders. |
| Josh 3:5 | Then Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." | God's readiness to do wonders for a prepared, obedient people. |
| Psa 9:1 | I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. | Thanksgiving for God's wondrous works. |
| Isa 25:1 | O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and true. | Acknowledging God's faithful and wonderful plans. |
| Hos 6:1-3 | "Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up." | Example of a call for true repentance and restoration. |
| Prov 1:28-31 | Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord... | Consequences for seeking God only in distress after rejecting Him. |
| Luke 13:3, 5 | "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." | Jesus' consistent call for repentance in the face of judgment. |
| Eze 14:1-4 | ...certain of the elders of Israel came to me, and sat before me... "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces; should I let myself be inquired of by them at all?" | God's refusal to be inquired of by those with unrepentant hearts. |
| Matt 7:21 | "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." | The inadequacy of mere profession without obedience. |
| Jer 20:1-2 | Now Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks... | Jeremiah's prior persecution, highlighting the irony of current appeal. |
| Jer 37:15 | ...the officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for it had been made a prison. | Officials persecuting Jeremiah even after this incident. |
| Matt 23:37 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were unwilling!" | Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's history of rejecting prophets. |
| Jer 22:3-5 | Thus says the Lord: Act with justice and righteousness... "If you truly perform this thing, then kings who sit on the throne of David will enter through the gates of this house... But if you will not obey these words, I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation." | Prophecy of judgment tied to the leadership's righteousness. |
| Deut 28:49-52 | The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, swooping down like an eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand... They shall besiege you in all your towns... | Covenant curses for disobedience, foreshadowing the Babylonian siege. |
Jeremiah 21 verses
Jeremiah 21 1 meaning
This passage recounts the pivotal moment when King Zedekiah, Judah's last king, facing the overwhelming siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, desperately sent his key officials – Pashhur son of Malkiah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest – to the prophet Jeremiah. Their mission was to earnestly "inquire of the Lord," with a plea rooted in a hopeful memory of God's past miraculous "wonderful deeds," anticipating a similar divine intervention that would compel the Babylonian forces to withdraw from them. It encapsulates a crisis point where Judah's leadership seeks God's miraculous rescue amidst grave peril, albeit without immediate signs of repentance, setting the stage for a pronouncement of judgment.
Jeremiah 21 1 Context
Jeremiah 21 opens a new section of Jeremiah's prophecies concerning Jerusalem and Judah (chapters 21-24), delivered during the final siege by Babylon. This particular incident, involving King Zedekiah's appeal, is situated chronologically just before the complete destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. King Zedekiah, appointed by Nebuchadnezzar as a puppet ruler, found himself trapped between a Babylonian siege and his own rebellious inclination, along with the pressure from pro-Egyptian factions. Having largely ignored or persecuted Jeremiah's prophecies for years (such as those recorded in Jeremiah chapters 19 and 20), this urgent mission by his top officials signifies a moment of ultimate desperation for Zedekiah and the city. They clung to a misplaced hope for a miraculous deliverance, similar to God's past "wonderful deeds," rather than embracing Jeremiah's consistent message of surrender and repentance.
Jeremiah 21 1 Word analysis
- The word (דָּבָר, dabar): Signifies a divine message or revelation. It's potent and authoritative, conveying God's active communication, distinct from human speech or conjecture.
- came to Jeremiah: Identifies Jeremiah as the recipient and prophet. Highlights his ongoing role as God's designated messenger, despite rejection and suffering.
- from the Lord (מֵאֵת יְהוָה, me'et Yahweh): Emphasizes the absolute divine origin of the message, distinguishing it as Yahweh's (the covenant God of Israel) decree, not Jeremiah's personal opinion.
- when King Zedekiah: Establishes the specific historical context and protagonist. Zedekiah (צִדְקִיָּהוּ, Tsidqiyahu) was the last, indecisive king of Judah, facing his kingdom's end.
- sent to him: Denotes a formal embassy, highlighting the urgency and importance of the king's request, recognizing Jeremiah's unique prophetic authority despite their previous hostilities.
- Pashhur son of Malkiah: One of Zedekiah's key officials, possibly a prince or royal minister. Distinct from the priest Pashhur who had put Jeremiah in stocks (Jer 20:1). Represents the political elite.
- and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest: A prominent priest. His inclusion signifies that the king sought both political and religious intercession/guidance in their crisis. Priests typically offered counsel and sacrifices; consulting a prophet indicates extreme distress.
- saying, ‘Inquire of the Lord for us,’: The core request. Inquire (דָּרַשׁ, darash) implies seeking divine guidance, a revelation of God's will, especially concerning future events or desired intervention.
- for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon: Identifies the formidable antagonist. Nebuchadnezzar (נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר, Nevukhadnetsar) was the instrument of God's judgment, bringing an unstoppable force against Judah.
- is making war against us: Describes the dire immediate threat – the active siege of Jerusalem.
- Perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful deeds: Expresses a desperate hope. Wonderful deeds (נִפְלָאוֹת, nifla'ot) refers to God's miraculous acts of deliverance in Israel's history (e.g., Exodus, victories over enemies), clinging to a past precedent of divine rescue.
- and make him withdraw from us’: Their specific desired outcome: an end to the siege and Babylonian retreat. This request for physical deliverance contrasts with the deeper need for spiritual repentance.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "The word...from the Lord": Establishes divine authority and prophetic truth, setting the entire discourse within the framework of God's absolute decree. It signals that what follows is not merely human counsel but divine will.
- "King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur...and Zephaniah...the priest": Shows the high level of diplomatic and spiritual appeal. The collaboration of political (Pashhur) and religious (Zephaniah) leaders underscores the national gravity of the situation and Zedekiah's profound desperation.
- "Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadnezzar...is making war against us.": The immediate motivation for the inquiry: physical threat and impending destruction. This is a cry for help prompted by crisis, seeking external relief.
- "Perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful deeds": Reveals a superficial and selective memory of God's covenant. They appeal to God's power as demonstrated in history, but ignore the conditions (obedience and faithfulness) that accompanied those deeds, highlighting their focus on rescue without repentance.
- "and make him withdraw from us.": Articulates their primary, immediate desire: removal of the external threat, indicating a desire for comfort rather than transformative change in their relationship with God.
Jeremiah 21 1 Bonus section
- The placement of this encounter early in Jeremiah's judgment section (chapters 21-24) signifies that all subsequent prophecies against Judah and its leaders should be understood within the immediate, devastating context of Jerusalem under siege.
- Zedekiah's request for God's "wonderful deeds" is both a recognition of God's sovereign power and a theological misunderstanding. It shows they held to a deterministic view that God must act on behalf of Zion, irrespective of Judah's covenant loyalty, reflecting a false security rooted in divine promise but stripped of moral obligation.
- This verse represents one of the few instances where Zedekiah, albeit in desperation, directly seeks Jeremiah's counsel, revealing a latent, though unheeded, awareness of Jeremiah's prophetic authenticity even among those who resisted him most fiercely.
Jeremiah 21 1 Commentary
Jeremiah 21:1-2 sets the scene for a definitive confrontation between Judah's desperate hopes and God's unyielding judgment. King Zedekiah's appeal to Jeremiah is a poignant example of humanity turning to God in crisis, but still on its own terms. Despite years of rejecting Jeremiah's prophetic warnings and enduring persecution against him, the leadership, at the precipice of national collapse, reluctantly sought the prophet. Their hope rested on God's past "wonderful deeds," implicitly asking Him to replicate ancient miracles of deliverance (like the Exodus or defeat of Sennacherib) against the Babylonians. This request, however, lacked a crucial element: repentance for the chronic unfaithfulness that had led them to this dire state. They desired a miraculous rescue without genuine internal transformation or submission to God's revealed will—which, through Jeremiah, consistently advocated surrender to Babylon as divine judgment. This incident thus underscores a common human fallacy: seeking God's power to escape consequences while neglecting the righteousness that pleases Him. For example, during dire personal straits, one might pray for a miraculous financial bailout without addressing habitual recklessness, or for health without altering destructive lifestyles, echoing Zedekiah's plea for external salvation over internal repentance.