Jeremiah 38 18

Jeremiah 38:18 kjv

But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

Jeremiah 38:18 nkjv

But if you do not surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans; they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.' "

Jeremiah 38:18 niv

But if you will not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians and they will burn it down; you yourself will not escape from them.'?"

Jeremiah 38:18 esv

But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand."

Jeremiah 38:18 nlt

But if you refuse to surrender, you will not escape! This city will be handed over to the Babylonians, and they will burn it to the ground.'"

Jeremiah 38 verses

Jeremiah 38 18 Meaning

This verse describes Zedekiah's fear of the Jews who had defected to the Babylonians, revealing his personal insecurity and desire to remain aligned with the Babylonian authority. He fears retribution or accusation from them should they report his wavering loyalties. His hope is that by releasing Jeremiah, he will be shielded from blame, or that Jeremiah's divine intervention will prevent further calamity.

Jeremiah 38 18 Context

Jeremiah 38 takes place during the final siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. King Zedekiah, a weak and indecisive ruler, is facing immense pressure. The Judean princes, disapproving of Jeremiah's consistently negative prophecies of doom and Babylonian victory, persuade Zedekiah to throw Jeremiah into a cistern, a deep well, where he is left to die. Jeremiah is rescued by Ebed-Melech, a loyal Ethiopian eunuch in the king's palace. Following this ordeal, Zedekiah secretly summons Jeremiah for counsel. Zedekiah's primary concern is the potential reaction of the defected Jews and his own safety from their accusations if Jerusalem falls, fearing they will blame him and he will face severe consequences.

Jeremiah 38 18 Word Analysis

• Then - Indicates a sequence of events, following Zedekiah's secret summoning of Jeremiah.
• Zedekiah - The last king of Judah, a weak ruler often influenced by his officials and fear.
• said - Communicated his thoughts and concerns.
• to - Directed his words towards.
• Jeremiah - The prophet speaking.
• if - Introduces a conditional statement, highlighting Zedekiah's uncertainty.
• I - Refers to King Zedekiah himself.
• not - Negates the action.
• return - A crucial word implying a potential relapse or change of stance; here, returning to an honest report.
• the - Specifies the preceding nouns.
• words - The message or statements conveyed.
• of - Possession or source.
• man - Refers to the Jews who had already defected to the Babylonians. These individuals had a firsthand account of Babylonian might and, by defecting, likely saw Jeremiah's prophecies as truthful or siding with the prevailing power.
• which - Connects the words to their speakers.
• they - The aforementioned defectors.
• shall - Indicates future certainty or obligation.
• speak - Utter or report.
• to - Towards.
• me - Zedekiah.
• then - Signals consequence.
• it - Refers to the information they possess or report.
• will - Future intent.
• be - State of being.
• well - Indicates a positive outcome or state.
• with - In company with, or connected to.
• them - The defected Jews.
• and - Connects clauses.
• if - Introduces another condition.
• the - Specifies.
• men - Referring to other people in authority or those who might judge his actions.
• be - State of being.
• found - Discovered.
• in - Within a place or condition.
• me - Zedekiah.
• shall - Future certainty.
• the - Specific.
• latter - The later or more recent event; in this context, his actions that are currently under scrutiny or yet to happen.
• end - The conclusion or outcome.
• be - State of being.
• better - More advantageous.
• than - Comparative.
• the - Specific.
• former - The earlier or previous action; referring to the potential repercussions of his current indecisiveness or the consequences of previous choices.

Group by words-group analysis:

• "if I return the words of man... to me": This clause reflects Zedekiah's apprehension about being held accountable by the defected Jews. He worries that if he continues to receive information (or perhaps perceived intelligence) from those who had already sided with the enemy, they might twist or use his own actions and reports against him when the inevitable happened. It highlights a fear of false witness or misrepresentation.
• "then it will be well with me": This is Zedekiah's expression of hope for a favorable outcome for himself if he manages to appease or neutralize the threat from the defected Jews. It's a desire for personal security and peace from external judgment.
• "and if the men be found in me shall the latter end be better than the former": This second conditional statement is more abstract but suggests Zedekiah is looking for a favorable resolution to his current difficult situation. He wants his later actions or the final outcome of his reign to be preferable to the present crisis or his earlier poor decisions that led him to this point. It indicates a wish for redemption or at least a less catastrophic end.

Jeremiah 38 18 Bonus Section

Zedekiah's fear of "the men" echoes the broader pattern in Israel's history of relying on human alliances and fearing human opinion rather than trusting in the Lord (Isa 30:2-3; Ps 118:8). His situation highlights the paralyzing effect of the fear of man, a theme found throughout Scripture (Prov 29:25; Gal 5:1). The desire for the "latter end" to be better than the "former" speaks to the human inclination towards seeking a good outcome, but without the foundational element of righteous living. True security and a "better end" are guaranteed through obedience and trust in God, a stark contrast to Zedekiah's strategy of political maneuvering. The spiritual reality is that seeking to please men ultimately leads to vulnerability and compromise, while seeking to please God leads to genuine peace and a sure hope (Heb 13:6).

Jeremiah 38 18 Commentary

Zedekiah’s words reveal a heart gripped by fear, not of God, but of men and their potential judgment. He seeks personal safety by trying to manage perceived threats from those who have already gone over to the enemy. His questions to Jeremiah are not a sincere quest for God's will, but a desperate attempt to secure his own precarious position. He believes that by releasing Jeremiah (or perhaps by acting in a certain way regarding Jeremiah's prophecies), he might mitigate accusations from defectors or improve his future standing. This shows a king more concerned with political expediency and self-preservation than with divine obedience. His ultimate hope for a "better latter end" reflects a shallow understanding of true security, which comes from faithfulness to God, not from manipulation or appeasement of human fears. The prophet is caught in the midst of a ruler's personal crisis of faith and political survival.