Jeremiah 38:21 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 38:21 kjv
But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:
Jeremiah 38:21 nkjv
But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:
Jeremiah 38:21 niv
But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the LORD has revealed to me:
Jeremiah 38:21 esv
But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the LORD has shown to me:
Jeremiah 38:21 nlt
But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the LORD has revealed to me:
Jeremiah 38 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 21:8-10 | "And to this people you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death." | Choice presented to people |
| Jer 38:17-18 | "Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, 'Thus says the Lord... If you surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon... your life shall be spared... But if you do not surrender...'" | Direct context of warning |
| Deut 30:19 | "I have set before you life and death... therefore choose life..." | Divine offer of choice and consequence |
| Lev 26:14-17 | "But if you will not obey Me... I will punish you seven times more for your sins... I will break your proud might..." | Consequences of disobedience |
| Deut 28:15 | "But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God... all these curses shall come upon you..." | Warnings against refusing God's word |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king." | Consequences of rejecting God's word/stubbornness |
| Prov 1:24-28 | "Because I have called and you refused... I will laugh at your calamity... Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer..." | Rejection of divine warning |
| Isa 1:19-20 | "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword." | Choice between obedience and rebellion |
| Ezek 33:11 | "Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.’" | God's desire for repentance vs. judgment |
| Zech 7:11-12 | "But they refused to heed... made their hearts like flint, lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit..." | Stubborn refusal to hear God's word |
| 2 Chr 36:15-16 | "The Lord God... sent messages to them by His messengers... but they ridiculed the messengers of God... until the wrath of the Lord arose..." | Rejection of prophets' warnings |
| Amos 3:7 | "Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." | God revealing plans to prophets |
| Heb 3:7-8 | "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion..." | Warning against hardening hearts |
| Jer 26:4-6 | "If you will not listen to Me... then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse..." | Consequence for ignoring God's voice |
| Num 22:35 | "The Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, 'Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.'" | Prophets as divine spokespersons |
| Jer 42:1-6 | People seek Jeremiah's word, promise to obey; prophet acts as mediator. | Contrast: Promise to obey prophets |
| 1 Kgs 20:42 | "Thus says the Lord: 'Because you have let go out of your hand a man whom I had appointed for utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life...'" | Divine judgment for disobedience to a specific command |
| Luke 13:3-5 | "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish." | Call to repentance to avoid perishing |
| Matt 23:37-38 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... how often I wanted to gather your children together... but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate." | God's desire for obedience met with refusal |
| Hos 4:6 | "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you..." | Rejecting divine instruction |
| Rev 22:18-19 | "If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues... if anyone takes away from the words... God shall take away his part..." | Gravity of God's revealed word |
| 2 Tim 3:16 | "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." | Divine origin and purpose of God's word |
Jeremiah 38 verses
Jeremiah 38 21 meaning
Jeremiah 38:21 delivers a pivotal warning from the prophet Jeremiah to King Zedekiah. It asserts that if the king refuses the Lord's command to surrender to the Babylonians, a divinely revealed word of judgment awaits him. This verse functions as the direct antithesis to the previous promise of life and survival for Zedekiah and Jerusalem if he complies, signaling severe consequences for defiance.
Jeremiah 38 21 Context
Jeremiah chapter 38 depicts the dramatic final days of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Jeremiah, imprisoned for his prophecies of surrender, is secretly consulted by King Zedekiah. The king, trapped between his fear of the Babylonians and his fear of the Judean officials and people who had defected, seeks a word from the Lord. Jeremiah responds with a two-part prophecy: surrender brings survival for the king and the city (Jer 38:17-18), but refusal guarantees utter destruction (Jer 38:21-23). The historical context is critical; Judah is under divine judgment due to generations of apostasy, and Jerusalem is facing its inevitable fall as foretold by numerous prophets, including Jeremiah. This verse presents Zedekiah's last chance to choose a less destructive path, based on a direct divine revelation to Jeremiah, delivered to a hesitant and fearful king.
Jeremiah 38 21 Word analysis
- But if (וְאִם, wə’im): This conjunctive phrase introduces a strong conditional statement, directly contrasting with the preceding promise. It emphasizes the choice now squarely before Zedekiah. It denotes an 'if-then' consequence, underscoring agency.
- you refuse (מָאֵ֣ן אַתָּ֗ה, mā’ēn ’attā):
- Mā’ēn (מאן): This Hebrew root means "to refuse," "to reject," "to deny," or "to be unwilling." It carries a sense of stubborn, determined refusal. It's an active decision to go against counsel.
- ’attā (אתה): The pronoun "you," specifically emphasizing Zedekiah's personal responsibility in this decision.
- This phrase highlights Zedekiah's active and defiant will against the Lord's clear instruction. His refusal isn't passive; it's a deliberate act.
- to go out (לָצֵ֔את, lāṣēṯ): The infinitive "to go out" here means to surrender or defect to the Babylonian forces, as Jeremiah had explicitly commanded in previous verses. It signifies stepping out of the besieged city to the Chaldean camp. This action represents obedience to God, despite being politically humiliating.
- this is the word (זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר, zeh haddāvār):
- Haddāvār (הדבר): "The word," which in prophetic context consistently refers to a divine message, revelation, or utterance from God Himself. It implies authority and truth. It's not Jeremiah's opinion but God's decree.
- that the Lord (אֲשֶׁר־הִרְאָ֑נִי יְהוָֽה, ’ăšer-hir’āni Yahweh):
- Yahweh (יהוה): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His sovereign power, faithfulness, and righteous judgment. It underscores the ultimate source of this warning.
- ’ăšer-hir’āni (אשר הראני): "that has shown me." The verb rā’āh (ראה) means "to see" or "to show." In this Hifil form, hir’āni means "He has caused me to see" or "He has shown me." This denotes a direct divine revelation to Jeremiah, indicating a clear, unmissable message, possibly a vision or a direct audible communication from God. This legitimizes Jeremiah's warning, not as human advice, but as divine insight into the future.
- This entire phrase asserts the prophetic authenticity and divine origin of the impending doom.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "But if you refuse to go out,": This phrase encapsulates human will against divine command. It paints Zedekiah as an individual making a consequential choice with full awareness. The phrase foregrounds the moral agency of the king.
- "this is the word that the Lord has shown me": This grouping provides the basis for the subsequent prophecy. It emphasizes that what follows is not Jeremiah's personal conjecture but a revealed truth from the ultimate sovereign authority, God. This phrase acts as a solemn preamble to the inevitable consequence of refusal, lending prophetic weight to Jeremiah's words.
Jeremiah 38 21 Bonus section
The Hebrew word for "Lord" used here, Yahweh (יהוה), specifically emphasizes the covenant God of Israel. This choice of name in the revelation underscores that the judgment to come is not from a foreign deity or mere fate, but from the God who entered into covenant relationship with Israel and expects obedience. This covenantal context deepens the theological implications of Zedekiah's refusal. His stubbornness is not merely political but is a profound betrayal of his covenant responsibility as king over God's chosen people. This also echoes the recurrent theme in Jeremiah and the Deuteronomistic history that blessings follow obedience to Yahweh, and curses follow disobedience. The divine "showing" of the word implies that God's plans, though often concealed, are selectively unveiled to His faithful messengers for the ultimate purpose of calling His people to accountability and repentance.
Jeremiah 38 21 Commentary
Jeremiah 38:21 is a succinct yet profoundly significant verse, marking the definitive point of no return for King Zedekiah. Having presented the choice between life and death—surrender or utter destruction—Jeremiah reiterates that any refusal by the king will trigger a pre-determined divine judgment. The emphasis on "the word that the Lord has shown me" highlights that Jeremiah is merely a messenger, relaying a revelation of immutable truth and God's sovereign plan. Zedekiah is given no room to doubt the message's source or validity. This verse, therefore, captures the intersection of divine will and human stubbornness, where God's ultimate justice, tempered by prior offers of mercy, is poised to descend due to continued disobedience. It reflects God's pattern of warning through His prophets, extending opportunities for repentance until the final choice is made.
Examples:
- Like a physician diagnosing a terminal illness with one last possible remedy, the verse presents the dire prognosis without that remedy.
- Similar to a clear exit sign being ignored before entering a dangerous, restricted zone.
- It parallels the last direct warning from a parent before a disobedient child faces certain disciplinary consequences.