Jeremiah 38:17

THE MESSAGE

So Jeremiah told Zedekiah, "This is the Message from God, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel: ‘If you will turn yourself over to the generals of the king of Babylon, you will live, this city won't be burned down, and your family will live. But if you don't turn yourself over to the generals of the king of Babylon, this city will go into the hands of the Chaldeans and they'll burn it down. And don't for a minute think there's any escape for you.'"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Jeremiah therefore said to Zedekiah, “This is what the Lord, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If indeed you surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned, and you and your household will survive.

Hebrew Names Version
Then said Yirmeyahu to Tzidkiyahu, Thus says the LORD, the God Tzva'ot,, the God of Yisra'el: If you will go forth to the king of Bavel's princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house.

King James Version
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the Lord , the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

English Standard Version
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the Lord , the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

New American Standard Bible
So Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the LORD God of armies, the God of Israel says: 'If you will indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will survive.

New Century Version
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the Lord God All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be saved. Jerusalem will not be burned down, and you and your family will live.

Amplified Bible
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, 'If you will go out and surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live and this city will not be burned with fire; and you and your household will live.

World English Bible
Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, Thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then sayd Ieremiah vnto Zedekiah, Thus sayth the Lord God of hostes, the God of Israel, If thou wilt goe foorth vnto the King of Babels princes, then thy soule shall liue, and this citie shal not be burnt vp with fire, and thou shalt liue, and thine house.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says Yahweh God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘If you will indeed go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will live.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the LORD, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive.

Contemporary English Version
Then I told him that the Lord had said: "Zedekiah, I am the Lord God All-Powerful, the God of Israel. I promise that if you surrender to King Nebuchadnezzar's officers, you and your family won't be killed, and Jerusalem won't be burned down.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then Yirmeyahu said to Tzidkiyahu, "Here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: ‘If you will go out and surrender to the king of Bavel's officers, then you will stay alive — this city will not be burned down; and you and your family will live.

Darby Translation
And Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, Thus saith Jehovah the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt freely go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house.

Easy-to-Read Version
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.

George Lamsa Translation
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will go forth to the king of Babylons princes, then you will spare your life, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you and your household shall live;

Good News Translation
Then I told Zedekiah that the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, had said, "If you surrender to the king of Babylonia's officers, your life will be spared, and this city will not be burned down. Both you and your family will be spared.

Lexham English Bible
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘If only you will go surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then you will live, and this city will not be burned with fire, and you will live, you and your house.

Literal Translation
And Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, So says Jehovah, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel: If going you will go out to the rulers of the king of Babylon, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire. And you and yourhouse shall live.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde Ieremy vnto Sedechias: Thus saieth ye LORDE off hoostes the God of Israel: Yf case be, that thou wilt go forth vnto the kynge off Babilons prynces, thou shalt saue thy life, and this cite shall not be bret, yee both thou and thy housholde shall escape with youre lyues.

American Standard Version
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house.

Bible in Basic English
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, These are the words of the Lord, the God of armies, the God of Israel: If you go out to the king of Babylon's captains, then you will have life, and the town will not be burned with fire, and you and your family will be kept from death:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah: 'Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, thou, and thy house;

King James Version (1611)
Then said Ieremiah vnto Zedekiah, Thus saith the Lord the God of hostes, the God of Israel, If thou wilt assuredly goe foorth vnto the king of Babylons Princes, then thy soule shall liue, and this Citie shall not be burnt with fire, and thou shalt liue, and thine house.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayde Ieremie vnto Zedekia, Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel: If case be that thou wylt go foorth vnto the kyng of Babylons princes, thou shalt saue thy lyfe, and this citie shall not be brent, yea both thou and thy housholde shall escape with your lyues:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
There shall be an abiding home for thy children.

English Revised Version
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Jeremye seide to Sedechie, The Lord of oostis, God of Israel, seith these thingis, If thou goest forth, and goest out to the princes of the kyng of Babiloyne, thi soule schal lyue, and this citee schal not be brent with fier, and thou schalt be saaf, thou and thin hous.

Update Bible Version
Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, Thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house:

New English Translation
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "The Lord , the God who rules over all, the God of Israel, says, ‘You must surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon. If you do, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down. Indeed, you and your whole family will be spared.

New King James Version
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: "If you surely surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live; this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

New Living Translation
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the Lord God of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you surrender to the Babylonian officers, you and your family will live, and the city will not be burned down.

New Life Bible
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the Lord God of All, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you will go out to the captains of the king of Babylon, then you will live. This city will not be burned with fire, and you and those of your house will live.

New Revised Standard
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the Lord , the God of hosts, the God of Israel, If you will only surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah - Thus, saith Yahweh God of hosts, God of Israel - If thou wilt, indeed go forth, unto the princes of the king of Babylon, then shall thine own soul live, and, this city, shall not be burned with fire, - but thou shalt live, thou and thy house.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jeremias said to Sedecias: Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: If thou wilt take a resolution and go out to the princes of the king of Babylon, thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burnt with fire: and thou shalt be safe, and thy house.

Revised Standard Version
Then Jeremiah said to Zedeki'ah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, If you will surrender to the princes of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jeremiah saith unto Zedekiah, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Hosts, God of Israel: If thou dost certainly go forth unto the heads of the king of Babylon, then hath thy soul lived, and this city is not burned with fire, yea, thou hast lived, thou and thy house.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, 'If you will indeed go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will survive.

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ Later, King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and had him brought to the third entrance of the Temple of God . The king said to Jeremiah, "I'm going to ask you something. Don't hold anything back from me." ¹⁵ Jeremiah said, "If I told you the whole truth, you'd kill me. And no matter what I said, you wouldn't pay any attention anyway." ¹⁶ Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah right there, but in secret, "As sure as God lives, who gives us life, I won't kill you, nor will I turn you over to the men who are trying to kill you." ¹⁷So Jeremiah told Zedekiah, "This is the Message from God, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel: ‘If you will turn yourself over to the generals of the king of Babylon, you will live, this city won't be burned down, and your family will live. But if you don't turn yourself over to the generals of the king of Babylon, this city will go into the hands of the Chaldeans and they'll burn it down. And don't for a minute think there's any escape for you.'" ¹⁹ King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "But I'm afraid of the Judeans who have already deserted to the Chaldeans. If they get hold of me, they'll rough me up good." ²⁰Jeremiah assured him, "They won't get hold of you. Listen, please. Listen to God 's voice. I'm telling you this for your own good so that you'll live. But if you refuse to turn yourself over, this is what God has shown me will happen: Picture this in your mind—all the women still left in the palace of the king of Judah, led out to the officers of the king of Babylon, and as they're led out they are saying: "‘They lied to you and did you in, those so-called friends of yours; And now you're stuck, about knee-deep in mud, and your "friends," where are they now?' ²³ "They'll take all your wives and children and give them to the Chaldeans. And you, don't think you'll get out of this—the king of Babylon will seize you and then burn this city to the ground." ²⁴Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Don't let anyone know of this conversation, if you know what's good for you. If the government officials get wind that I've been talking with you, they may come and say, ‘Tell us what went on between you and the king, what you said and what he said. Hold nothing back and we won't kill you.' If this happens, tell them, ‘I presented my case to the king so that he wouldn't send me back to the dungeon of Jonathan to die there.'" ²⁷ And sure enough, all the officials came to Jeremiah and asked him. He responded as the king had instructed. So they quit asking. No one had overheard the conversation. ²⁸ Jeremiah lived in the courtyard of the palace guards until the day that Jerusalem was captured.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the God of hosts: Psalms 80:7, Psalms 80:14, Amos 5:27

the God of Israel: 1 Chronicles 17:24, Ezra 9:4

If thou: Jeremiah 38:2, Jeremiah 7:6, Jeremiah 7:7, Jeremiah 21:8-10, Jeremiah 27:12, Jeremiah 27:17, Jeremiah 39:3, Job 23:13

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 24:12 - Jehoiachin 2 Kings 24:20 - Zedekiah Jeremiah 21:4 - Behold Jeremiah 21:9 - that abideth Jeremiah 27:8 - that nation Jeremiah 29:16 - General Jeremiah 37:13 - Thou Jeremiah 40:9 - Fear Ezekiel 17:14 - but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand Zephaniah 3:7 - so

Cross-References

Genesis 38:20
Judah sent the kid goat by his friend from Adullam to recover the pledge from the woman. But he couldn't find her. He asked the men of that place, "Where's the prostitute that used to sit by the road here near Enaim?" They said, "There's never been a prostitute here."

Genesis 38:24
Three months or so later, Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law has been playing the whore—and now she's a pregnant whore." Judah yelled, "Get her out here. Burn her up!"

Genesis 38:25
As they brought her out, she sent a message to her father-in-law, "I'm pregnant by the man who owns these things. Identify them, please. Who's the owner of the seal-and-cord and the staff?"

Proverbs 20:16
Hold tight to collateral on any loan to a stranger; beware of accepting what a transient has pawned.

Luke 16:8
"Now here's a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah,.... Being thus indemnified and secured by the king's word and oath, he proceeds freely to lay before the king the whole matter as from the Lord:

thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; the prophet does not give the following advice in his own name, but in the name of the eternal Jehovah, the Lord of armies above and below, and who had a special regard to the people of Israel, and their welfare; and therefore it became the king to show the more regard unto it:

if thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes; the generals of his army, whose names are mentioned, Jeremiah 39:3; the king not being with his army at this time, but at Riblah, Jeremiah 39:5; the meaning is, if he would open the gates of Jerusalem, and go forth from thence to the Chaldean army, and surrender himself and the city into the hands of the princes in it, and general officers of it:

then thy soul shall live; in thy body, and not be separated from it; or live comfortably, in peace and safety, though not in so much splendour and glory as he had done:

and this city shall not be burned with fire; as had been threatened; and as the Chaldeans would be provoked to do, should it hold out to the last extremity; but should preserve it upon a surrender:

and thou shall live, and thine house; not only himself, but his wives and children, and servants.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 38:17. Wilt assuredly go — On the king's obedience to the advice of the prophet the safety of the city depended.

Unto the king of Babylon's princes — The generals of the army then returning to the siege from the defeat of the Egyptians; for Nebuchadnezzar himself was then at Riblah, in Syria, Jeremiah 39:5; Jeremiah 39:6.