Jeremiah 38 16

Jeremiah 38:16 kjv

So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD 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.

Jeremiah 38:16 nkjv

So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, "As the LORD lives, who made our very souls, I will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life."

Jeremiah 38:16 niv

But King Zedekiah swore this oath secretly to Jeremiah: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us breath, I will neither kill you nor hand you over to those who want to kill you."

Jeremiah 38:16 esv

Then King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, "As the LORD lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life."

Jeremiah 38:16 nlt

So King Zedekiah secretly promised him, "As surely as the LORD our Creator lives, I will not kill you or hand you over to the men who want you dead."

Jeremiah 38 verses

Jeremiah 38 16 meaning

Jeremiah 38:16 records a secret oath made by King Zedekiah to the prophet Jeremiah. Fearing the powerful princes and officials who sought Jeremiah's life for his prophecy of surrender to Babylon, Zedekiah swore by the living God, the Creator of all life, that he would neither directly execute Jeremiah nor hand him over to his adversaries. This verse reveals Zedekiah's internal conflict, recognizing Jeremiah's divine message but lacking the courage to openly support him due to fear of man, leading him to offer a covert, compromised protection.

Jeremiah 38 16 Context

Jeremiah 38:16 occurs during the final desperate stages of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. King Zedekiah, installed as a vassal by Babylon, found himself caught between his defiant princes who wanted to resist Babylon, and Jeremiah, who faithfully prophesied surrender as God's will. Jeremiah's message was deemed treasonous, leading to his imprisonment, and the princes had just lowered him into a muddy cistern to die (Jer 38:6). After being rescued by Ebed-melech (Jer 38:7-13), Jeremiah was confined to the court of the guard. Zedekiah, riddled with fear of his own officials, secretly consulted Jeremiah to seek counsel from the Lord (Jer 38:14-15), betraying his deep anxiety and moral weakness in a time of national crisis. This specific verse encapsulates Zedekiah's paradoxical position: acknowledging divine truth while capitulating to human pressure.

Jeremiah 38 16 Word analysis

• Then King Zedekiah swore secretly:

  • King Zedekiah (צִדְקִיָּהוּ, Tzidkiyahu): Means "My righteousness is Yahweh," an ironic name for a king who consistently failed to act righteously or trust Yahweh. His character is marked by weakness, indecision, and fear of his princes and people.
  • swore (וַיִּשָּׁבַע, vayyishshava'): Indicates taking a solemn, binding oath, typically invoking a higher power as witness and guarantor. In the ancient world, breaking such an oath was a serious offense, often believed to invite divine wrath.
  • secretly (בַּסֵּתֶר, basseter): Literally "in the hidden place" or "in secret." This detail is crucial. It highlights Zedekiah's fear and duplicity. He was not courageous enough to make this pledge openly before his court, underscoring his spiritual weakness and his priority of pleasing men over obeying God's revealed will.

• to Jeremiah, saying, 'As the Lord lives, who made for us this soul,

  • to Jeremiah: The direct address to the prophet confirms that Zedekiah privately sought God's counsel through Jeremiah, indicating some level of belief in Jeremiah's prophetic authority, even though his public actions often contradicted it.
  • 'As the Lord lives (חַי־יְהוָה, ḥay-YHWH): A profound and common Israelite oath formula. It means "By the life of Yahweh," emphasizing the eternal existence and active presence of God, who is called upon as the ultimate witness and enforcer of the oath.
  • who made (אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה, ʾasher-ʿasah): "Made" or "created." Refers to God's act of creation.
  • for us this soul (לָנוּ אֶת־הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַזֹּאת, lanu ʾet-hannefesh hazzot):
    • soul (נֶפֶשׁ, nephesh): In Hebrew, nephesh is often translated as "soul" but signifies the entire living being, including breath, life, and personhood. It represents the vital force given by God. By swearing by the Lord who made this soul for them, Zedekiah invokes God as the ultimate sovereign over life and death, thereby adding immense weight to his oath.
    • for us: Emphasizes the universal or collective experience of receiving life from God, perhaps linking it to the shared fate of all in the kingdom, over whom Zedekiah as king has responsibility. This declaration contrasts with Zedekiah's willingness to allow others (like Jeremiah) to die by the hands of men.

• I will not put you to death or give you into the hand of these men who are seeking your life.'

  • I will not put you to death (אִם־מֵמִית אֲמִיתֶךָ, ʾim-memit ʾamitkeka): A direct pledge not to directly order Jeremiah's execution, a power reserved for the king. This ensures Jeremiah's safety from royal decree.
  • or give you into the hand of these men who are seeking your life: This part extends the protection to preventing his delivery to the vengeful princes (cf. Jer 38:4), who explicitly desired Jeremiah's demise. It signifies protection from indirect assassination or judicial murder by the king's fearful subordinates. The phrase "seeking your life" (מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשֶׁךָ, mevaqsḥei nafshka) vividly describes their deadly intentions, using nephesh again for "life" or "soul."

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• King Zedekiah swore secretly... 'As the Lord lives, who made for us this soul...': This phrase beautifully juxtaposes the king's human fear and lack of courage ("secretly") with the profound spiritual truth he invokes in his oath ("As the Lord lives, who made for us this soul"). It highlights the central paradox of Zedekiah's reign: a formal acknowledgement of God's sovereignty over life, while simultaneously failing to exercise righteous leadership in reliance on that very God. The solemnity of the oath stands in stark contrast to his underlying moral cowardice.
• 'I will not put you to death or give you into the hand of these men who are seeking your life': This promise reveals the extreme danger Jeremiah was in and the king's limited, fear-driven form of protection. It addresses both the possibility of direct royal decree against Jeremiah and indirect harm by handing him over to his enemies. While seemingly protective, it's a concession made under duress and secrecy, showing the king's inability to provide justice openly or wholeheartedly follow divine counsel.

Jeremiah 38 16 Bonus section

• Zedekiah's character, as depicted throughout Jeremiah, is consistently marked by weakness and indecision. He often sought Jeremiah's counsel in private but rarely acted upon it in public, becoming a tragic figure caught between divine instruction and human pressure.
• The contrast between "Zedekiah" (Yahweh is righteousness) and his unrighteous actions adds an ironic layer to the narrative, highlighting the chasm between his God-given position and his personal failings.
• This verse can be viewed as a study in leadership failure, demonstrating how the fear of public opinion or powerful factions can prevent a leader from making divinely-guided, necessary, and ultimately beneficial decisions for his people. It stands in stark contrast to leaders like Joshua or David who often showed bold faith in difficult situations.
• The emphasis on God as the Creator and Giver of "this soul" underscores the sanctity of life from a biblical perspective and serves as a powerful reminder of accountability to the life-giver when dealing with human life, particularly a prophet's.

Jeremiah 38 16 Commentary

Jeremiah 38:16 presents a pivotal moment, laying bare the deep moral crisis of King Zedekiah. His secret oath to Jeremiah, invoking God as the ultimate Creator and arbiter of life, reveals his spiritual recognition of truth while simultaneously exposing his profound fear of his own princes and his subjects. He understood Jeremiah’s prophecy to be from the Lord and therefore credible (as implied by his private consultation and the sacred oath), yet his resolve was compromised by the threat to his earthly power and person. This indecision led him to offer only clandestine protection to Jeremiah, rather than taking a public, principled stand. Zedekiah’s tragic flaw was not a lack of knowledge or a total absence of faith, but a debilitating fear of man that overshadowed his fear of God, ultimately preventing him from acting courageously on the divine revelation that could have saved his kingdom. His subsequent downfall, fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy, serves as a powerful testament to the consequences of such moral cowardice and compromise.