Jeremiah 38:17 net — Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah,“The LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says,‘You must surrender to the off…

NET Bible

"Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah,“The LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, 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."

— Jeremiah 38:17, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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Jeremiah 38:17 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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:”

  • ASV

    “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. ”

  • WEB

    “Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Armies, 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.”

  • DRB

    “And Jeremiah 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.”

  • BBE

    “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:”

  • KJVA

    “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:”

Jeremiah 38 — Context

14

Jeremiah Responds to Zedekiah’s Request for Secret Advice Some time later Zedekiah sent and had Jeremiah brought to him at the third entrance of the LORD’s temple. The king said to Jeremiah,“I would like to ask you a question. Do not hide anything from me when you answer.”

15

Jeremiah said to Zedekiah,“If I answer you, you will certainly kill me. If I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”

16

So King Zedekiah made a secret promise to Jeremiah and sealed it with an oath. He promised,“As surely as the LORD lives who has given us life and breath, I promise you this: I will not kill you or hand you over to those men who want to kill you.”

17

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah,“The LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, 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.

18

But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be handed over to the Babylonians and they will burn it down. You yourself will not escape from them.’”

19

Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah,“I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Babylonians. The Babylonians might hand me over to them and they will torture me.”

20

Then Jeremiah answered,“You will not be handed over to them. Please obey the LORD by doing what I have been telling you. Then all will go well with you and your life will be spared.

Jeremiah 38:17 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Jeremiah 38:17 say?
Jeremiah 38:17 in the NET Bible reads: “Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah,“The LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, 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.”
Where is Jeremiah 38:17 in the Bible?
Jeremiah 38:17 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 38, verse 17.
Who wrote Jeremiah?
Jeremiah is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, with scribal help from Baruch. It was written c. 627–580 BC.
What is the book of Jeremiah about?
Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet," ministered through Judah's slow-motion collapse — pleading with kings and people to repent, suffering imprisonment for his message, and ultimately watching Jerusalem fall. Yet in the midst of judgment he promises a new covenant written on the heart.
What are the major themes of Jeremiah?
Jeremiah explores themes including Judgment, Repentance, New Covenant, Suffering Prophet, Hope. These themes shape the meaning and context of Jeremiah 38:17.
What translation should I read Jeremiah 38:17 in?
Jeremiah 38:17 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Jeremiah 38:17?
Jeremiah 38:17 reads (NET): “Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah,“The LORD God of Heaven’s Armies, 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.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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