Jeremiah 39:18 kjv
For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 39:18 nkjv
For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me," says the LORD.' "
Jeremiah 39:18 niv
I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.'?"
Jeremiah 39:18 esv
For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the LORD.'"
Jeremiah 39:18 nlt
Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the LORD, have spoken!'"
Jeremiah 39 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 38 | And I will deliver you this day, declares the LORD, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are now afraid. | Fulfills promise (direct link) |
| Jeremiah 1 | "See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant." | God's sovereignty over nations |
| Isaiah 41:10 | "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." | God's assurance against fear |
| Psalm 37:40 | The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. | Deliverance for those who trust God |
| Psalm 91:1-2 | He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." | God as refuge and deliverer |
| Proverbs 19:17 | Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed. | Reward for acts of kindness |
| Matthew 25:40 | Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. | Action for the "least" is for Christ |
| Luke 6:38 | Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure that you measure it, it will be measured back to you." | Principle of giving and receiving |
| Acts 9:40 | But Peter put them all out and went outside, and kneeling down prayed. And turning to her he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. | Resurrection and deliverance |
| Romans 8:28 | We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. | God's ultimate purpose for believers |
| 2 Timothy 4:17 | but the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear. I was delivered out of the lion's mouth. | God's presence and deliverance |
| Hebrews 6:10 | For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love that you have shown toward his name, in service to the saints. | God remembers service and love |
| Hebrews 11:5 | By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: "and he was not found, because God had taken him." Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. | Faith leading to divine preservation |
| 1 Peter 3:12 | For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. | God's attentiveness to the righteous |
| 2 Chronicles 36:21 | and to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. | Fulfillment of prophetic word |
| Isaiah 54:17 | No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD. | Divine protection against enemies |
| Psalm 121:3-4 | He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. | God's watchful protection |
| Psalm 41:1 | Blessed is the one who considers the impoverished; the LORD rescues him in a day of trouble. | Blessedness of showing compassion |
| Jeremiah 15:19-20 | "If you turn back, then I will turn you back, my priests, at the sword. and if you return not, I will turn you back my priests, at the sword," Thus says the LORD. "You shall not have your own women. This people have bent their stupid mind toward you as my priests for them and if they return not, then the people will come to grief and so it would be. But you shall not turn your women into idols and so you yourself to shame in the hearts of them as they have come to me, even me to the wrath and thus I will have this people to a woe upon you and upon them too. | Conditional promises, context for Ebed-Melech's actions |
Jeremiah 39 verses
Jeremiah 39 18 Meaning
This verse speaks of a divine assurance to Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian eunuch who had compassion on Jeremiah and acted to save him from death. It guarantees his safety amidst the destruction and judgment that befell Jerusalem and its people, because of his faith and action rooted in his trust in God. He is promised a life rescued and delivered by God, not falling prey to the hands of those who sought to harm him or to the calamities of the siege.
Jeremiah 39 18 Context
Jeremiah 39 recounts the final fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. In the preceding chapter (Jeremiah 38), Jeremiah is cast into a cistern to die due to his prophecies that condemned the actions of the king and princes. Ebed-Melech, an Ethiopian eunuch and an official in the king's palace, hears of Jeremiah's plight. Moved by compassion and a sense of justice, Ebed-Melech goes to King Zedekiah and persuades him to rescue Jeremiah. He then takes matters into his own hands, drawing Jeremiah up from the cistern using old rags and cords. This chapter then describes the actual invasion and fall of the city, and it is within this calamitous event that Ebed-Melech's salvation is assured. The verse serves as a postscript, highlighting God's awareness and reward for Ebed-Melech's kindness.
Jeremiah 39 18 Word Analysis
וְהִצַּלְתִּיךָ (ve-hitzaltika)
- וְ (ve-) - "and"
- הִצַּלְתִּי (hitzalti) - "I will deliver" or "I will save." This is the Hiphil (causative) perfect 1st person singular from the root נָצַל (natsal). The Hiphil conjugation emphasizes God's active role in delivering Ebed-Melech.
- ךָ (-ka) - "you" (masculine singular object suffix).
- Significance: This is the core promise, emphasizing God's direct and powerful intervention to save Ebed-Melech.
בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא (bay-yom ha-hû)
- בְּ (be-) - "in"
- יוֹם (yom) - "day"
- הַ (ha-) - the definite article "the"
- הַהוּא (ha-hû) - "that." Refers to the specific day of judgment and siege.
- Significance: Pinpoints the specific time of this promised deliverance, amidst the chaos of Jerusalem's fall.
נְאֻם־יְהוָה (ne’um-YHWH)
- נְאֻם (ne’um) - "utterance" or "declaration." It signifies a formal, authoritative statement.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) - The covenant name of God.
- Significance: This adds divine authority to the promise, signifying it as a solemn vow from God Himself.
וְלֹא־תִנָּתֵן (ve-lo-tinten)
- וְ (ve-) - "and"
- לֹא (lo) - "not"
- תִנָּתֵן (tinten) - "you shall be given" or "you shall be delivered up." This is the Niphal (passive) imperfect 2nd person masculine singular of נָתַן (nathan), "to give."
- Significance: Reinforces the certainty of his deliverance by stating the opposite – he will not be handed over.
בְּיַד (beyad)
- בְּ (be-) - "in"
- יַד (yad) - "hand."
- Significance: The "hand" here symbolizes control, power, and agency. Ebed-Melech would not fall into the possession or under the control of his enemies.
אֲנָשֵׁי (anashe)
- אֲנָשֵׁי (anashe) - "men of." This is the construct form of אֲנָשִׁים (anashim), "men."
- Significance: Refers to the individuals who posed a threat to Jeremiah.
אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּה (asher-atta)
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) - "whom" or "which."
- אַתָּה (atta) - "you" (masculine singular).
- Significance: Connects the men to Ebed-Melech's current fear.
יָגֹור (yagor)
- יָגֹור (yagor) - "you fear." This is the imperfect 2nd person masculine singular from the root גּוּר (gur), meaning "to fear," "to dwell" (as in fear drives one to seek refuge, or dwell in fear), or "to be a sojourner." In this context, "fear" is the predominant meaning.
- Significance: Identifies the emotion driving Ebed-Melech's fear, highlighting the specific people whose threat is now nullified by God's intervention.
Words-group analysis:
- "I will deliver you this day... and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are now afraid."
- This phrase is a complete assurance of divine protection.
- "This day" links the promise to the immediate context of impending doom, emphasizing God's timely intervention.
- The repetition of "hand" ("given into the hand of the men") powerfully signifies total exemption from their power and reach.
Jeremiah 39 18 Bonus Section
The name Ebed-Melech (עֶבֶד־מֶלֶךְ, 'eved-melekh) itself means "servant of the king." This is likely a title or perhaps his actual name, indicating his position within the royal administration of Judah. His courage and subsequent deliverance are a striking contrast to the faithlessness of the rulers and the people of Jerusalem, who ultimately brought destruction upon themselves. His story stands as an encouragement that faith and obedience can be found in unexpected places and that God sees and rewards such faithfulness, even when it occurs in a context of widespread apostasy and judgment. The emphasis on "the men of whom you are now afraid" highlights that Ebed-Melech's personal integrity and faith were tested by the same powerful adversaries who oppressed Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 39 18 Commentary
This verse is a powerful testament to God's faithfulness and His regard for acts of compassion and courage performed in faith. Ebed-Melech, an outsider by ethnicity and perhaps by religious affiliation in the eyes of some, demonstrated a profound moral courage and faith by defending the prophet of God. His act was not in vain. God declares His intention to deliver him specifically because of the fear Ebed-Melech has in his heart for the Lord's messenger and His word. The promise is that in the midst of the city's catastrophic downfall, Ebed-Melech would be personally spared from the hands of those who sought to harm him, or from falling victim to the very events he feared for Jeremiah. It's a specific promise for a faithful act, echoing the broader principle that those who fear God and show kindness to His servants will be protected and honored. His fear of God was greater than his fear of man or the approaching calamity.