Jeremiah 37 10

Jeremiah 37:10 kjv

For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

Jeremiah 37:10 nkjv

For though you had defeated the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained only wounded men among them, they would rise up, every man in his tent, and burn the city with fire.' "

Jeremiah 37:10 niv

Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down."

Jeremiah 37:10 esv

For even if you should defeat the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men, every man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.'"

Jeremiah 37:10 nlt

Even if you were to destroy the entire Babylonian army, leaving only a handful of wounded survivors, they would still stagger from their tents and burn this city to the ground!"

Jeremiah 37 verses

Jeremiah 37 10 meaning

Jeremiah 37:10 conveys a message of absolute certainty regarding Jerusalem's destruction by the Chaldeans, emphasizing the futility of any human effort to prevent it. It prophesies that even if the Judean forces were to inflict such a catastrophic defeat upon the Babylonian army that only severely wounded men remained, those same incapacitated soldiers would supernaturally rise and carry out the complete devastation of Jerusalem by fire. The verse underscores God's unyielding decree of judgment, indicating that the city's fate is sealed regardless of military circumstances.

Jeremiah 37 10 Context

Jeremiah 37 occurs during a pivotal moment in Jerusalem's siege by the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar. King Zedekiah had rebelled against Babylon, leading to the prolonged siege (588-586 BC). Briefly, the Babylonian army withdrew from Jerusalem because Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt marched out to engage them (v. 5). This withdrawal gave the people of Judah a false sense of hope, believing that God had delivered them and that the siege was lifted for good. In this specific setting, Jeremiah, who had consistently prophesied submission to Babylon as God's judgment, delivered the harsh reality check of verse 10. He corrected their erroneous belief that the threat was over, revealing the absolute certainty of the Chaldean return and Jerusalem's ultimate destruction. Jeremiah's message directly contradicted the optimistic, politically expedient messages of false prophets and solidified his unpopular stance. His prophecy came at a great personal cost, leading to his imprisonment shortly after.

Jeremiah 37 10 Word analysis

• For though ye had smitten:
  • For though: A rhetorical construction introducing a hypothetical scenario, setting up a sharp contrast with the inevitable reality.
  • ye: Refers to the military forces and inhabitants of Judah/Jerusalem, emphasizing their efforts in battle.
  • had smitten (נָכָה, nakah): To strike, smite, attack. Denotes a decisive, albeit hypothetical, military victory. Signifies even the most successful human military endeavor would be ultimately fruitless against God's plan.
• the whole army of the Chaldeans:
  • the whole army (כָּל־צָבָא, kol-tzava): Emphasizes a complete and overwhelming defeat of the enemy, an extreme hypothetical.
  • of the Chaldeans (כַּשְׂדִּים, kasdim): The Babylonians, God's chosen instrument of judgment against Judah.
• that fight against you:
  • Clearly defines their hostile role, underscoring the ongoing conflict.
• and there remained but wounded men among them:
  • remained but wounded men (נִפְשְׁעֵי דָם, niphesh'ei dam): Literally, "pierced/stricken by blood," indicating grievously wounded, incapacitated soldiers. This is an extreme hyperbole, highlighting a scenario of utter physical debilitation and minimal human threat.
• yet should they rise up:
  • yet should they: Marks the emphatic contradiction to the hypothetical situation.
  • rise up (קוּם, quwm): To stand up, rally, appear. Implies a miraculous, unhindered recovery or renewed strength, demonstrating divine determination behind their actions despite their physical state.
• every man in his tent:
  • every man in his tent: Symbolizes individual soldiers, even those isolated or confined to their personal living quarters in the camp. Reinforces the idea of their deep incapacitation and dispersal, making their rising up even more remarkable and a testament to the irresistible force of God's will.
• and burn this city with fire:
  • burn this city with fire (יִשְׂרְפוּ אֶת־הָעִיר בָּאֵשׁ, yisrephu et-ha'iyr ba'esh): The ultimate, irreversible judgment pronounced upon Jerusalem. This fate of fiery destruction symbolizes God's wrath and the finality of the city's end.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans... and there remained but wounded men among them": This segment creates a vivid image of total victory from Judah's perspective, presenting an impossible scenario where the enemy is reduced to its weakest possible state. It sets up the most extreme test for God's prophetic word.
• "yet should they rise up every man in his tent": This clause utterly shatters the false hope established in the preceding phrase. It asserts that despite such overwhelming odds or weakness, the enemy would still mobilize, not through their own strength, but by divine decree. It conveys the unassailable nature of God's will.
• "and burn this city with fire": This final declaration reveals the inevitable, devastating consequence. It is the core message of Jeremiah: Jerusalem's destruction is unavoidable and will be fulfilled completely, demonstrating God's sovereign control over historical events.

Jeremiah 37 10 Bonus section

• This prophecy highlights Jeremiah's unique position as God's prophet, whose messages consistently countered popular sentiment and delivered harsh, unpopular truths. His words were always tethered to God's decree, not to political expediency or nationalistic pride.
• The extreme hyperbole of "wounded men" rising emphasizes the absolute and unconditional nature of God's judgment. It implies that nothing, no military victory, no human ingenuity, no change in circumstances, could thwart the predetermined outcome for Jerusalem.
• The phrase "every man in his tent" (אִישׁ בְּאָהֳלוֹ, ish be'oholo) can signify individuals in their private, resting, or vulnerable states. Even in this dispersed and vulnerable condition, they would be empowered to fulfill God's devastating will.
• This verse stands as a powerful testament to the sovereignty of God, reminding Judah, and by extension, all who read it, that when God declares a thing, it will certainly come to pass, regardless of any perceived obstacles or human capabilities.
• The judgment on Jerusalem ultimately pointed to the seriousness of sin and covenant unfaithfulness, and how God will use unlikely or even seemingly defeated instruments to execute His righteous judgment.

Jeremiah 37 10 Commentary

Jeremiah 37:10 stands as a stark and severe declaration of divine sovereignty over human events, specifically concerning the inescapable judgment upon Jerusalem. At a time when Jerusalem held onto fleeting hope due to the Chaldean army's temporary withdrawal, Jeremiah's words crush any illusion of escape. The extreme hypothetical—reducing the powerful Chaldean army to a handful of wounded men—serves as a rhetorical device to highlight that even such an improbable weakening of the enemy would not prevent God's preordained judgment. The point is not that the Chaldeans were physically indestructible or miraculously healed; rather, it means that God's purpose for Jerusalem was so fixed that He could and would achieve it through any means necessary, even using a supposedly vanquished and incapacitated foe. This verse emphasizes the futility of human resistance against a divinely orchestrated plan and underscores the terrifying certainty of God's word once pronounced. It exemplifies that God's will triumphs over all human calculations, military might, and false hopes, culminating in Jerusalem's fiery destruction as foretold.