Jeremiah 38 20

Jeremiah 38:20 kjv

But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.

Jeremiah 38:20 nkjv

But Jeremiah said, "They shall not deliver you. Please, obey the voice of the LORD which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.

Jeremiah 38:20 niv

"They will not hand you over," Jeremiah replied. "Obey the LORD by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared.

Jeremiah 38:20 esv

Jeremiah said, "You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the LORD in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.

Jeremiah 38:20 nlt

Jeremiah replied, "You won't be handed over to them if you choose to obey the LORD. Your life will be spared, and all will go well for you.

Jeremiah 38 verses

Jeremiah 38 20 meaning

Jeremiah 38:20 presents King Zedekiah with a definitive choice from the Lord, relayed through Jeremiah, concerning the fate of himself and Jerusalem. It states unequivocally that Zedekiah's reliance on his own people or officials to protect him from the Babylonians will prove futile. Instead, the path to personal well-being and the sparing of his life lies solely in obeying God's specific command—which, in the broader context, is to surrender to the Chaldean princes. This verse is a direct offer of divine grace and preservation, contingent upon immediate and humble obedience, juxtaposing human fear and misguided hope against divine counsel and promised safety.

Jeremiah 38 20 Context

Jeremiah 38:20 is situated at a critical juncture in the final siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. King Zedekiah, despite Jeremiah's persistent warnings, had previously relied on alliances with Egypt and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, bringing destruction upon Judah. Jerusalem is now starving and on the brink of collapse. Jeremiah has been imprisoned due to his unwelcome prophecies urging surrender. In a moment of private desperation and fear, Zedekiah secretly summons Jeremiah to seek divine counsel, but also expresses profound fear of what the Jews who had already defected to the Chaldeans would do if he were to surrender—specifically, mocking him and handing him over for ill-treatment. This verse is Jeremiah's direct response to Zedekiah's underlying fear, offering the divine solution against the king's human-centric anxieties and ultimately determining the fate of the king and the city.

Jeremiah 38 20 Word analysis

• "But" (וַיֹּאמֶר Vayomer): This Hebrew conjunction (waw) connects actions or introduces a contrasting thought. Here, it signals Jeremiah's direct, strong response to Zedekiah's fear, often rendered as "And" but functioning adversatively to counter the king's anxieties expressed in previous verses.
• "Jeremiah" (יִרְמְיָהוּ Yirmĕyahu): "Yahweh lifts up" or "Yahweh appoints." The prophet consistently speaks the word of God, even when it is deeply unpopular or directly confronts the powerful. His name embodies his prophetic mission to lift up God's word.
• "said" (Vayomer): Implying a direct, authoritative utterance. It underscores that this is Jeremiah's verbal declaration, carrying the weight of prophetic truth.
• "They" (לֹא־יִתְּנ֤וּ lo'-yittenū): Refers to the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and the Judean officials/citizens who had already defected. Zedekiah fears being mocked and given over by "them," a specific group of people he has betrayed or those who would scorn his weakness.
• "will not deliver" (לֹא־יִתְּנ֤וּ lo'-yittenū): The Hebrew verb nātan (נָתַן) here means "give over, hand over" and, in this context, implies "deliver, rescue, or protect." Jeremiah counters Zedekiah's underlying assumption or hope that resistance or the trust of his remaining men will save him. This is a negation of human rescue; they will not deliver Zedekiah to safety, nor will they prevent him from being delivered to danger if he disobeys.
• "you" (lekha לָּ֑ךְ): The pronoun, emphasized, focuses directly on Zedekiah. His personal safety and fate are at stake.
• "Obey" (שְׁמַע Shĕma): The Hebrew shama (שָׁמַע) signifies not merely "to hear" but to "hear and do," to "listen intently and act accordingly." It denotes active submission and compliance, foundational to the Israelite covenant relationship.
• "the voice" (בְּקוֹל bĕqôl): Qol (קול) refers to a sound, but here, in conjunction with "LORD," it means the authoritative divine utterance or command.
• "of the LORD" (יְהוָה YHVH): The personal, covenantal name of God. It highlights that the command comes directly from the sovereign Creator and Covenant-keeper, carrying absolute authority.
• "in what I say" (אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ דֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ ʾasher ʾăni dōvēR ʾēlekha): Jeremiah clearly identifies himself as the faithful mouthpiece of God. His words are not his own, but the very "voice of the LORD." This establishes prophetic authority and calls for complete trust.
• "to you" (ʾēlekha אֵלֶ֔יךָ): Reiterates the personal, direct nature of the divine command and its consequences for Zedekiah.
• "and it shall be well" (וְיִיטַ֣ב לָךְ vĕyīṭav lakh): The Hebrew yatav (יָטַב) means "to be good, well, pleasing, agreeable." This is a clear promise of welfare, peace, prosperity, and a positive outcome in the midst of national disaster. It contrasts sharply with the inevitable ruin otherwise.
• "with you" (lakh לָּ֑ךְ): Again, personalized for Zedekiah.
• "and your life" (וְנַפְשְׁךָ֥ vĕnaphshekha): Nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) in Hebrew refers to the whole being—soul, self, life. Here, it strongly emphasizes the preservation of physical life, protection from death.
• "shall be spared" (תִּֽחְיֶֽה׃ tichyeh): The verb chāyāh (חָיָה) means "to live, to have life, to revive, to be preserved." The phrasing emphasizes survival and continuity of life, a direct answer to Zedekiah's fears of death or a miserable end.

Words-group analysis

• "They will not deliver you. Obey the voice of the LORD": This powerful contrast dismantles Zedekiah's false hopes and fears of man. Jeremiah pivots from negating human protection to asserting the sole source of true safety—divine obedience. It is a direct refutation of Zedekiah's fear of people and a challenge to place trust solely in God.
• "Obey the voice of the LORD in what I say to you": This phrase highlights Jeremiah's unique role as God's chosen messenger. His prophetic pronouncements are presented not as human advice, but as the direct, authoritative command of Yahweh Himself, requiring implicit faith and immediate action from the king.
• "and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared": This is a twofold promise of salvation: welfare (quality of life, peace, and goodness) and physical preservation (safety from death). It articulates God's grace in offering not just bare survival, but genuine well-being, even under dire circumstances, as a direct consequence of obedience.

Jeremiah 38 20 Bonus section

The dialogue in Jeremiah 38 illustrates a profound theological tension between human free will and divine sovereignty. God's message, delivered through Jeremiah, consistently offers a clear choice with defined outcomes, even in the midst of foretold judgment. This reflects a principle where divine judgment is often remedial or a final opportunity for a people to turn. Zedekiah's struggle is emblematic of the "fear of man" (Prov 29:25) that repeatedly entrapped leaders in Judah, prioritizing public opinion and self-preservation over divine command. The specific nuance in Jeremiah's declaration "in what I say to you" underscores the concept of a "prophetic word"—not a suggestion, but an immediate and binding directive from God Himself, spoken through His chosen vessel. Zedekiah's ultimate failure to obey demonstrates the tragic consequences of valuing personal pride and the transient opinions of men over the eternal decree and compassionate offer of life from God, leading directly to the very outcomes Jeremiah sought to help him avoid. This event becomes a case study in how God gives explicit warnings, not for His own benefit, but to offer a path to life to those who will listen and obey, emphasizing individual responsibility within the larger divine plan for a nation.

Jeremiah 38 20 Commentary

Jeremiah 38:20 stands as a poignant encapsulation of God's grace and an uncompromising call to obedience, even at the precipice of judgment. King Zedekiah's profound fear of man, specifically of being humiliated or worse by those who had defected to Babylon, blinds him to the true path of safety. Jeremiah, the steadfast prophet, confronts this fear directly by stripping away all false human assurances and redirecting the king's focus to the singular, authoritative "voice of the LORD." The prophet unequivocally declares that no human alliance or resistance will rescue Zedekiah. Instead, the only avenue for personal well-being (shalom) and the sparing of his physical life is immediate and unconditional surrender as commanded by God. This moment, offered amidst siege and famine, underscores God's persistent desire for His people to choose life, even in the face of their collective disobedience. Zedekiah's failure to heed this warning led to his capture, blinding, and the total destruction of Jerusalem, serving as a stark reminder that true security and well-being come not from human machinations or avoiding perceived shame, but from absolute trust and obedience to God's will.