Jeremiah 38 26

Jeremiah 38:26 kjv

Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.

Jeremiah 38:26 nkjv

then you shall say to them, 'I presented my request before the king, that he would not make me return to Jonathan's house to die there.' "

Jeremiah 38:26 niv

then tell them, 'I was pleading with the king not to send me back to Jonathan's house to die there.'?"

Jeremiah 38:26 esv

then you shall say to them, 'I made a humble plea to the king that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"

Jeremiah 38:26 nlt

If this happens, just tell them you begged me not to send you back to Jonathan's dungeon, for fear you would die there."

Jeremiah 38 verses

Jeremiah 38 26 Meaning

The Lord instructed Jeremiah to tell Zedekiah that the king would not be handed over to his enemies. Instead, he would fall into the hands of those from whom he was trying to escape, leading to the fall of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 38 26 Context

Jeremiah 38 is situated within the final days of Jerusalem before its fall to the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar. King Zedekiah, despite Jeremiah's consistent warnings, is advised by his princes to abandon the prophet and pursue a political alliance to save the city. Zedekiah, fearing the princes and the people more than God, yields to their pressure, which leads to Jeremiah being cast into a cistern. The king later has a private meeting with Jeremiah, seeking divine counsel, but appears unwilling to truly act on it due to political pressure and fear. This verse is a response to Zedekiah's inquiry through his messengers regarding God's disposition towards him and the city.

Jeremiah 38 26 Word Analysis

• "and" (וְ - ve): Conjunction connecting the divine instruction to Jeremiah and the message for Zedekiah.

• "shalt" (נָתֹן – naton): Future tense, indicating a certainty of God's action.

• "deliver" (נָתַן – natan): To give, put, deliver, hand over. Emphasizes that Zedekiah's fate is being handed over by God's sovereign will.

• "thee" (אַתָּה – attah): Second person masculine singular pronoun, directly addressing King Zedekiah.

• "into" (בְּ – bə): Preposition indicating the destination or recipient.

• "the hand" (יַד – yad): Symbol of power, control, and authority.

• "of": Indicates possession or belonging.

• "them" (הֵמָּה – hemmah): Third person masculine plural pronoun, referring to the enemies of Zedekiah and Jerusalem, specifically the Chaldeans (Babylonians).

• "whose" (אֲשֶׁר – asher): Relative pronoun connecting the preceding noun ("hand") to the following clause describing those into whose hands he will be delivered.

• "the life" (נֶפֶשׁ – nephesh): Literally "soul" or "life." Implies delivering Zedekiah to those who sought his very existence.

• "of thy": Possessive pronoun.

• "flesh" (בָּשָׂר – basar): Refers to the physical body and existence. The expression "escape of the flesh" refers to those escaping the destructive power of the enemy.

• "seeketh" (בִּקְשָׁה – biqshah): Present tense, indicating the ongoing efforts and desire of his enemies.

• "of": Indicates possession or origin.

• "thee." (אֹתְךָ – otcha): Objective case, direct object of "seeketh."

• Words group analysis: "into the hand of them whose life of thy flesh seeketh" encapsulates Zedekiah's desperate attempt to escape death at the hands of the Chaldeans, ironically signifying that it is precisely into those hands he is destined to fall, those who are actively seeking to take his life.

Jeremiah 38 26 Bonus Section

The phrase "life of thy flesh" (נֶפֶשׁ בְּשָׂרְךָ – nephesh besarcha) is a strong idiomatic expression in Hebrew, often implying the very lifeblood or the most vulnerable aspect of a person's being. It emphasizes the complete subjection to the enemy. This specific phrasing can be seen as highlighting the utter helplessness Zedekiah would face when he could not even escape with his life, let alone with his kingdom intact. It underscores the depth of his fall. This emphasizes that God's mercy often involves protection from those seeking spiritual destruction, but when defiance is chosen, even physical life can be forfeit, or severely compromised as in Zedekiah's blinding. The parallel promise in Jer 34:5 indicates that Zedekiah would die in peace, implying this is in contrast to the manner of death he feared in Jeremiah 38 – one of violent capture and prolonged suffering in foreign lands. The instruction to hide the interaction reflects the political turmoil and distrust Zedekiah faced and exhibited.

Jeremiah 38 26 Commentary

This verse is a stark reiteration of God's sovereign plan, delivered through Jeremiah to King Zedekiah. Despite Zedekiah's attempts to subtly seek God's guidance, his underlying desire to escape God's word and the pronouncements of judgment, especially when pressured by his court, leads to further doom. The assurance that Zedekiah would "fall into the hands of them whose life of thy flesh seeketh" highlights that his efforts to avoid capture would ultimately fail, leading him into the precise hands of those who most intensely desired his demise. It underscores the futility of resisting God's declared judgment and the consequences of choosing human counsel over divine command, particularly for a leader. The king's evasion of Jeremiah in verse 24, hiding the conversation, shows a continued lack of full commitment to God's revealed will, ensuring the prophecy's fulfillment.