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Thursday, January 1st, 2026
Holy Name of Jesus
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Easy-to-Read Version

Jeremiah 38:26

If they say this to you, tell them, ‘I was begging the king not to send me back to the cell in the dungeon under Jonathan's house. If I were to go back there, I would die.'"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jonathan;   King;   Prisoners;   Zedekiah;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Scribes;   Zedekiah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - King;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Jehonathan;   Jonathan;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Jonathan;   Zedekiah,;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jonathan ;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jonathan (1);   Zedekiah (2);  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If they do, tell them, ‘I was bringing before the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.’”
Hebrew Names Version
then you shall tell them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Yonatan's house, to die there.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
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.'"
New American Standard Bible
then you are to say to them, 'I was presenting my plea before the king, not to make me return to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"
New Century Version
If they ask you, tell them, ‘I was begging the king not to send me back to Jonathan's house to die.'"
Amplified Bible
then you are to say to them, 'I was presenting my [humble] petition and plea to the king so that he would not send me back to Jonathan's house to die there.'"
World English Bible
then you shall tell them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then shalt thou say vnto them, I humbly besought the King that he would not cause me to returne to Iehonathans house, to die there.
Legacy Standard Bible
then you are to say to them, ‘I was presenting my petition before the king, not to make me return to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"
Berean Standard Bible
then tell them, 'I was presenting to the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"
Contemporary English Version
So if they question you, tell them you were begging me not to send you back to the prison at Jonathan's house, because going back there would kill you."
Complete Jewish Bible
then tell them, ‘I presented my request to the king that he would not make me return to Y'honatan's house, to die there.'"
Darby Translation
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.
George Lamsa Translation
Then you shall say to them, I was beseeching the king that he would not cause me to return to Jonathans house to die there.
Good News Translation
Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there."
Lexham English Bible
Then you shall say to them, ‘I was presenting my plea before the king, to not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"
Literal Translation
Then you shall say to them, I was causing my plea to fall before the king, that he should not return me to the house of Jonathan, to die there.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Se thou geue them this answere: I haue humbly besought the kynge, that he will let me lye nomore in Ionathas house, that I dye not there?
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
Then you are to say to them, I made my request to the king, that he would not send me back to my death in Jonathan's house.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.'
King James Version (1611)
Then thou shalt say vnto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to returne to Ionathans house to die there.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
See thou geue them this aunswere: I haue humbly besought the kyng that he wyll let me lye no more in Iehonathans house, that I dye not there.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Therefore I awake, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet to me.
English Revised Version
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
thou schalt seie to hem, Knelyngli Y puttide forth my preiris bifore the kyng, that he schulde not comaunde me to be led ayen in to the hous of Jonathan, and Y schulde die there.
Update Bible Version
then you shall say to them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then thou shalt say to them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.
New English Translation
If they do this, tell them, ‘I was pleading with the king not to send me back to die in the dungeon of Jonathan's house.'"
New King James Version
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."'
New Living Translation
If this happens, just tell them you begged me not to send you back to Jonathan's dungeon, for fear you would die there."
New Life Bible
Then you must tell them, ‘I was asking the king not to make me return to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"
New Revised Standard
then you shall say to them, ‘I was presenting my plea to the king not to send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then shalt thou say unto them, - I was causing my supplication to fall prostrate before the king, - that he would not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan, to die there.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou shalt say to them: I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not command me to be carried back into the house of Jonathan, to die there.
Revised Standard Version
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.'"
Young's Literal Translation
then thou hast said unto them, I am causing my supplication to fall before the king, not to cause me to return to the house of Jonathan, to die there.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
then you are to say to them, 'I was presenting my petition before the king, not to make me return to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"

Contextual Overview

14 Then King Zedekiah sent someone to get Jeremiah the prophet. He had Jeremiah brought to the third entrance to the Temple of the Lord . Then the king said, "Jeremiah, I am going to ask you something. Don't hide anything from me, but tell me everything honestly." 15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I give you an answer, you will probably kill me. And even if I give you advice, you will not listen to me." 16 But King Zedekiah secretly swore an oath to Jeremiah. Zedekiah said, "As surely as the Lord lives, who gives us breath and life, I will not kill you, Jeremiah. And I promise not to give you to the officials who want to kill you." 17 Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, "The Lord God All-Powerful is the God of Israel. This is what he says, ‘If you surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, your life will be saved, and Jerusalem will not be burned down. And you and your family will live. 18 But if you refuse to surrender, Jerusalem will be given to the Babylonian army. They will burn Jerusalem down, and you will not escape from them.'" 19 But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "But I am afraid of the men of Judah who have already gone over to the side of the Babylonian army. I am afraid that the soldiers will give me to those men, and they will treat me badly and hurt me." 20 But Jeremiah answered, "The soldiers will not give you to the men of Judah. King Zedekiah, obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then things will go well for you, and your life will be saved. 21 But if you refuse to surrender to the army of Babylon, the Lord has shown me what will happen. This is what he has told me: 22 All the women who are left in the house of the king of Judah will be brought out. They will be brought to the important officials of the king of Babylon. Your women will make fun of you with a song. This is what they will say: ‘Your friends were stronger than you, and they led you the wrong way. You trusted them, but now your feet are stuck in the mud, and your friends have left you.' 23 "All your wives and children will be brought out. They will be given to the Babylonian army. You yourself will not escape from the army of Babylon. You will be captured by the king of Babylon, and Jerusalem will be burned down."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Jeremiah 37:15, Jeremiah 37:20, Jeremiah 42:2, Esther 4:8

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 16:2 - I am come Esther 7:3 - let my life Jeremiah 38:6 - And in Jeremiah 40:8 - Jonathan Acts 16:24 - the inner

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Cain. Eve said, "With the Lord 's help, I have made a man!"
Genesis 37:33
His father saw the coat and knew that it was Joseph's. He said, "Yes, that is his! Maybe some wild animal has killed him. My son Joseph has been eaten by a wild animal!"
Genesis 38:2
Judah met a Canaanite girl there and married her. The girl's father was named Shua.
Genesis 38:3
The Canaanite girl gave birth to a son and named him Er.
Genesis 38:11
Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Go back to your father's house. Stay there and don't marry until my young son Shelah grows up." Judah was afraid that Shelah would also be killed like his brothers. So Tamar went back to her father's home.
Genesis 38:12
Later, Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah's time of sadness, he went to Timnah with his friend Hirah from Adullam. Judah went to Timnah to have the wool cut from his sheep.
Genesis 38:14
Tamar always wore clothes that showed that she was a widow. So she put on some different clothes and covered her face with a veil. Then she sat down near the road going to Enaim, a town near Timnah. Tamar knew that Judah's younger son Shelah was now grown up, but Judah would not make plans for her to marry him.
1 Samuel 24:17
He said, "You are right, and I am wrong. You were good to me, even though I have been bad to you.
2 Samuel 16:22
Then they put up a tent for Absalom up on the roof of the house. Absalom had sexual relations with his father's wives so that all the Israelites could see what happened.
2 Samuel 20:3
David went back to his house in Jerusalem. He had left ten of his slave women to take care of the house. He put these women in a special house. Then he put guards around the house. They stayed in this house until they died. David took care of the women and gave them food, but he did not have sexual relations with them. They lived like widows until they died.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then thou shalt say unto them,.... Here the king puts words into the prophet's mouth, what he should say to the princes, to put them off from inquiring further, and so keep the matter a secret:

I presented my supplication before the king; or "caused [it] to fall" d; delivered it in an humble and submissive manner:

that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there; this he had entreated of the king before, Jeremiah 37:20; and now, no doubt, renewed his request, having this fair opportunity with the king alone to do it; or, however, it is highly probable he did it upon this hint of the king. This shows how much the king stood in fear of his princes in this time of his distress; and that he had only the name of a king, and had not courage and resolution enough to act of himself, according to the dictates of his mind; yea, that he feared men more than he feared the Lord.

d מפיל אני תחנתי "cadere feci deprecationem meam", Pagninus; "cadere faciens fui", &c. Schmidt.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 38:26. I presented my supplication — This was telling the truth, and nothing but the truth, but not the whole truth. The king did not wish him to defile his conscience, nor did he propose any thing that was not consistent with the truth.


 
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