Jeremiah 21:9 kjv
He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
Jeremiah 21:9 nkjv
He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out and defects to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be as a prize to him.
Jeremiah 21:9 niv
Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.
Jeremiah 21:9 esv
He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you shall live and shall have his life as a prize of war.
Jeremiah 21:9 nlt
Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who go out and surrender to the Babylonians will live. Their reward will be life!
Jeremiah 21 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 21:7 | "And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as remain in the city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; and none shall save them." | Jeremiah 21:10 (Fulfillment) |
| Jeremiah 32:28 | "Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:" | Similar prophecy of city's fall |
| Jeremiah 38:2 | "Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans that besiege you shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey." | Near identical statement |
| 2 Kings 24:12 | "And Jehoiachin the king of Judah did captive, and the king of Babylon, and his mother, and his king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he captive from Jerusalem to Babylon." | Historical context of previous exile |
| 2 Kings 25:4 | "And it came to pass that they of Jerusalem fled, and the king and all the men of war by night by the way of the gate between the two walls which is by the king's garden: and the Chaldees stood round about the city: and the king went forth the way of the plain." | Historical context of Zedekiah's escape attempt |
| Jeremiah 39:3 | "And all the princes of the king of Babylon came, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergalsharezer, Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon." | Princes of Babylon |
| Jeremiah 39:7 | "Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon, and put him in prison house until the day that he visited him." | Zedekiah's fate |
| Jeremiah 34:4-5 | "Howbeit hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah; thus saith the LORD of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword; But thou shalt die in peace; and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have appointed the word by the mouth of the LORD." | Contrast of Zedekiah's promise in another context |
| Isaiah 10:4 | "Without retaining any, or giving account: and among the slain, the multitude of them shall fall, as the falling of figs out of a great tree shaken with the wind." | God's judgment on the proud |
| Ezekiel 6:12 | "He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth, and is escaped, shall die of famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them." | Similar depiction of judgments |
| Ezekiel 7:15 | "The sword without, and terror within: it shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of grey hairs." | Total destruction |
| Matthew 10:28 | "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." | Prioritizing spiritual over physical life |
| Luke 10:42 | "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." | Value of enduring life |
| Romans 8:35-39 | "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." | Overcoming in difficult circumstances |
| Revelation 6:8 | "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." | Personification of death and its instruments |
| Jeremiah 20:4 | "For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall smite them with the edge of the sword." | Previous pronouncement to Jeremiah |
| Jeremiah 21:6 | "He shall smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: and they shall die of a great pestilence." | Consequences of resistance |
| 1 Corinthians 10:13 | "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye be able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." | God providing an escape |
| Amos 3:6 | "Shall a trumpet be in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?" | God's sovereignty in judgment |
| Jeremiah 34:17 | "Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty every one to his brother, and every one to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will deliver you into the hands of these people, saith the LORD." | Conditional nature of God's pronouncements |
Jeremiah 21 verses
Jeremiah 21 9 Meaning
This verse declares that those who remain in Jerusalem will face death by sword, famine, or plague. Conversely, those who surrender to the attacking Babylonians will be spared their lives, having their lives as spoils.
Jeremiah 21 9 Context
This verse is part of Jeremiah's prophecy delivered during the final siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The city is under immense pressure, with famine and plague ravaging its inhabitants. King Zedekiah and his officials had sent a delegation to Jeremiah seeking a divine message. This specific verse is a direct response to their plea for help and an extension of God's judgment upon Judah for its persistent disobedience and idolatry. It highlights the grim choices facing the besieged: death within the walls from the announced calamities, or surrender to the enemy with a chance of survival. The message is a stark pronouncement of inevitable divine judgment for rejecting God's word and His covenant.
Jeremiah 21 9 Word analysis
- וְאַחַרֵי כֵן (ve'acharey ken): "And afterward" or "And it shall come to pass that after this". This phrase signifies a consequence or a subsequent event following a preceding action or condition, pointing to the future unfolding of God's judgment.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָה (neum-YHVH): "the declaration of the LORD" or "saith the LORD". This is a recurring prophetic formula in Jeremiah, asserting the divine authority and origin of the message. It emphasizes that the words are not Jeremiah's but God's.
- וּנְתַתִּ֣י (un'tattiy): "and I will give". This indicates God as the active agent in handing over the people.
- אֶת־כָּל־יְהוּדָה (et-kol-Yehudah): "all Judah" or "all of Judah". This signifies the totality of the people and territory of the kingdom of Judah, indicating a widespread judgment.
- בְּיַד (b'yad): "into the hand of". This idiomatic expression denotes control, power, and possession, underscoring the complete subjugation to the enemy.
- מֶ֤לֶךְ (melekh): "king". Specifically referring to Nebuchadnezzar.
- בָבֶל (Bavel): "Babylon". The imperial power of the era responsible for the conquest of Judah.
- וּבְיַד (u'v'yad): "and into the hand of". Repeated for emphasis, reinforcing the extent of their subjugation to the Babylonians.
- צָרַיִךְ (tzarayikh): "your enemies". This refers to the Babylonians who are besieging Jerusalem.
- וּבְיַד (u'v'yad): "and into the hand of". Third repetition for strong emphasis on total surrender of control.
- מְבַקְשֵׁ֤י (m'vakshey): "those who seek". Those actively looking for, desiring, or hunting for the lives of the people.
- נַפְשֵׁךְ (nafsh'ekh): "your soul" or "your life". The very essence and continuation of existence.
- וְהִכֵּיתִי (v'hikkeitiy): "and I will smite". Indicates a forceful striking or killing.
- אֹתָם (otam): "them". Referring back to the people of Judah.
- לְפִי (l'fiy): "according to" or "by the edge of".
- חֶרֶב (kheresh): "sword". A weapon of war and death.
- וְכֹל (v'khol): "and all". Denoting completeness.
- הַנּוֹתָרִים (ha'notarim): "those who remain". Those who survive the initial onslaught or who are still within the city.
- בָּעִיר (ba'ir): "in the city". The physical location of Jerusalem.
- וּפָשׁוּט (up'shut): "and they shall fall" or "they will escape/flee". The structure and context suggest a more positive outcome for this group.
- חַיֵּיכֶם (chay'yeikhem): "your lives".
- לְבַז (l'vaz): "for a prey" or "for spoils". Their lives become the reward for surrendering.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And afterward, saith the LORD" (
וְאַחַרֵי כֵן נְאֻם־יְהוָה): Establishes divine authority and timing for the unfolding judgment. - "and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and into the hand of your enemies, and into the hand of those who seek your life" (
וּנְתַתִּ֣י אֶת־כָּל־יְהוּדָה בְּיַד מֶ֤לֶךְ בָבֶל֙ וּבְיַד צָרַיִךְ֙ וּבְיַד מְבַקְשֵׁ֤י נַפְשֵׁךְ): Emphasizes the complete surrender and loss of control to the Babylonians on three levels of description (king, enemies, life-seekers) to leave no doubt about the extent of their defeat. - "and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword" (
וְהִכֵּיתִי אֹתָם לְפִי חֶרֶב): Predicts death by military action. - "and all who remain in the city shall fall by famine and by pestilence" (This part is in v. 9 in Hebrew, the structure and meaning connect directly): This is a reiteration of the impending doom for those who refuse to surrender.
- "and your lives shall be for a prey" (
וּפָשׁוּט חַיֵּיכֶם לְבַז): This provides the stark alternative: surrender and live, but as spoils of war, stripped of freedom and status. The life is preserved, but it is a life taken from them by their conquerors, meaning they become captives, their existence no longer their own but subject to the victors.
Jeremiah 21 9 Bonus section
The phrasing "shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey" presents a grim survival. It’s not a triumphant "living," but a qualified existence. The life they gain is no longer their own to govern or freely possess. It belongs to their captors. This serves as a powerful illustration of how, in a spiritual sense, living a life beholden to sin or worldly desires, even if it feels like life, is essentially living as "prey" to those powers, with one's true freedom and God-given destiny surrendered. The term "prey" (בַז - baz) implies something captured, looted, and acquired through force or cunning, stripping away its inherent value or owner. Thus, those who surrender to the Babylonians are saved from immediate death, but their lives become a commodity for their conquerors. This resonates with Jesus' teaching about saving one's life versus losing it for His sake (Matthew 16:25).
Jeremiah 21 9 Commentary
Jeremiah 21:9 is a message of consequence, detailing the inevitable fate of those in Jerusalem who resist the Babylonian conquest. It offers a dire dichotomy: annihilation through sword, famine, or pestilence if they remain within the besieged city, or a surrender that grants survival but at the cost of their lives becoming "prey" – captives and slaves to the victors. This "prey" signifies that their existence, though spared physical death, is now claimed and controlled by the conquerors. It's a painful truth that even life can be taken in a spiritual sense if freedom and God-given dignity are surrendered for a mere existence. This echoes the spiritual truth that a life not lived in obedience to God, though physically intact, is ultimately a life taken captive by sin or earthly powers.