Jeremiah 22 24

Jeremiah 22:24 kjv

As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;

Jeremiah 22:24 nkjv

"As I live," says the LORD, "though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet on My right hand, yet I would pluck you off;

Jeremiah 22:24 niv

"As surely as I live," declares the LORD, "even if you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off.

Jeremiah 22:24 esv

"As I live, declares the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on my right hand, yet I would tear you off

Jeremiah 22:24 nlt

"As surely as I live," says the LORD, "I will abandon you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah. Even if you were the signet ring on my right hand, I would pull you off.

Jeremiah 22 verses

Jeremiah 22 24 Meaning

The Lord declares that He will treat Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as His signet ring, signifying his possession and authority. Because Jeconiah and his people did not listen, the Lord will give them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. This judgment is absolute and irreversible due to their disobedience.

Jeremiah 22 24 Context

This verse is part of a prophecy concerning the kings of Judah. Chapters 21-23 of Jeremiah deliver messages of judgment against various rulers and false prophets who have led the people astray. Specifically, chapter 22 addresses kings Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin (also called Coniah or Jeconiah). The preceding verses in chapter 22 denounce the unrighteousness and oppression prevalent in the royal court, setting the stage for divine retribution. Historically, this prophecy was delivered during a period of immense turmoil for Judah, culminating in the Babylonian exile. The people faced destruction, and their monarchy was deposed, events which these prophecies directly address and foretell.

Jeremiah 22 24 Word Analysis

• "As I live," (ḥai ’ānōḵī, חַי אָנֹכִי) - A solemn oath sworn by God, invoking His own existence. This emphasizes the absolute certainty and immutability of His declaration.
  • Significance: Establishes divine authority and the gravity of the judgment being pronounced. This phrase is frequently used by God in the Old Testament to underscore the reliability of His word.
• "declares the Lord," (nā’um YHWH, נְאֻם יהוה) - A formula indicating that the following words are spoken directly from God, the LORD.
  • Significance: Reinforces the divine origin and authority of the message.
• "though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah," (kī ’im konyāhū bēn yəḥōyāqīm melek yěhûḏāh, כִּי אִם־כׇּנְיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָקִים מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה) - Identifies Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin) as the specific object of God's displeasure, tracing his lineage.
  • Significance: Pinpoints the judgment onto a particular individual and his royal line. Jeconiah was a young king who reigned for a very short period before being taken captive to Babylon.
• "were the signet on my right hand," (ḵəḥōṯam ’al-yəḏ Yiymînî, כַּחוֹתָם עַל־יַד־יְמִינִי) - A signet ring, particularly on the right hand, represented closeness, authority, possession, and immense value to the owner. It was often a symbol of a king's royal seal.
  • Significance: Illustrates how highly Jeconiah and the Davidic kings were to be regarded, as favored and possessing delegated authority. The phrase "on my right hand" implies intimacy and importance.
• "yet I would pull you off," (gạm ’ešlḵənnû mē‘āl, גַּם־אַשְׁלְכֶנּוּ מֵעָל) - To cast off, remove, or reject. This is a direct repudiation.
  • Significance: Conveys a decisive and complete rejection despite the prior esteemed position.
• "and though you were the ring on my right hand," (wəḵal-ḵōṯam, וְכׇל־חוֹתָם) - Repeats and emphasizes the severity by reiterating the signet ring imagery.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the totality of the casting off; not just a symbol but the substance of His favored status.
• "yet I would pull you off." (gạm ’ešlḵənnû mē‘āl, גַּם־אַשְׁלְכֶנּוּ מֵעָל) - Same phrase as before, reinforcing the definitive action of rejection.
• "I will give you into the hand of those who seek your life," (nəṯaṯîḵ, ḵə də ’êš wə ’ôhăbê nap̄šəḵ, נְתַתִּיךָ כַּדַּי לְאֹהֲבֵי נַפְשֶׁךָ) - To hand over to enemies who desire one's death. The Hebrew idiom "lovers of your soul" or "seekers of your life" refers to those who intensely pursue one's demise.
  • Significance: Describes the method of judgment – being delivered to determined enemies.
• "and into the hand of those of whom you are afraid," (ûladdê ’êḵlḵa mēʾê yĕqîrĕḵā, וּלְדֵי אֵימָתֶךָ) - Into the hand of those you fear. This implies an intensified state of dread and helplessness, a terror that paralyzes.
  • Significance: Highlights the psychological terror and powerlessness that would accompany the judgment. The enemies were not just adversaries, but sources of deep anxiety.
• "and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans." (ûladdê neḇûḵaḏne’ṣṣar melek bālôḇ, וּלְדֵי נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָבֶל וּלְדֵי ḵālḏîyîm, וּלְדֵי כַשְׂדִּים) - Specifically names the king and the people who would execute the judgment. Nebuchadnezzar was a formidable conqueror and king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The Chaldeans were the dominant ethnic group within Babylon.
  • Significance: Clearly identifies the historical agent of God's judgment, grounding the prophecy in specific historical events and the political reality of the time.

Word Groups Analysis

• Signet Ring Imagery: The dual use of "signet on my right hand" and "ring on my right hand" (even using slight variations in phrasing) strongly conveys the totality of God's former regard for Jeconiah and the completeness of his rejection. It shifts from a position of intimate favor and authority to utter dismissal. This mirrors how earthly rulers prized their signets. The Lord, in His sovereignty, withdraws His favor just as powerfully as He bestowed it.
• Delivery into Enemy Hands: The progression from "seekers of your life" to "those of whom you are afraid" and then specifying "Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Chaldeans" shows a layering of divine judgment. It begins with a general statement of abandonment to destructive forces, escalates to the internal psychological experience of fear and helplessness, and culminates in the specific historical executors of this judgment.

Jeremiah 22 24 Bonus Section

The judgment pronounced on Jeconiah and his descendants carried profound implications for the Messianic line. Jeremiah 22:30 declares that none of his descendants would sit on the throne of David. However, this did not sever the lineage from which the Messiah would come. Jesus, the Son of David, was born into the line of David through Mary. The genealogies in Matthew and Luke trace Jesus' lineage, and Matthew 1:11 includes Jeconiah, highlighting his cursed status from a royal lineage perspective (though Jesus' kingship transcends earthly throne limitations). This verse, therefore, sets up the future reality that the true King, Jesus, would not reign from an earthly Davidic throne after the Babylonian exile, but would establish a spiritual kingdom and eventually claim an ultimate, eternal throne. The "casting off" was temporal, demonstrating God's holiness, but His covenant faithfulness to David was ultimately expressed through Christ, who possesses all authority on heaven and earth, making the discarded signet a foreshadowing of Christ’s supreme kingship.

Jeremiah 22 24 Commentary

This verse vividly portrays God’s sovereign authority and His ability to both exalt and depose kings, even those from the line of David. Jeconiah, despite his royal status and initial divine favor symbolized by the signet ring, is utterly cast off due to his disobedience and the sin of his nation. The imagery of the signet ring, representing closeness, authority, and possession, underscores the depth of the fall. To be pulled off is a complete reversal, indicating disqualification and removal from favor. God explicitly states the instruments of His judgment, Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans, indicating the coming Babylonian exile and the end of a significant phase for the Davidic dynasty on the throne of Judah. The prophecy highlights that even God's chosen lineage is subject to His judgment when unfaithfulness prevails. It's a powerful reminder that privileges, whether personal or national, are contingent upon obedience and faithfulness to God.