Jeremiah 38:2 nasb — "Thus says the LORD, 'He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes…

NASB

""Thus says the LORD, 'He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live and have his own life as booty and stay alive.'"

— Jeremiah 38:2, NASB

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

Jeremiah 38:2 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations

KJV
“Thus saith the Lord, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.”
King James Version · Read this chapter in KJV
ASV
“Thus saith Jehovah, He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey, and he shall live. ”
American Standard Version · Read this chapter in ASV
WEB
“Thus says Yahweh, He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he who goes forth to the Chaldeans shall live, and his life shall be to him for a prey, and he shall live.”
World English Bible · Read this chapter in WEB
NET
““The LORD says,‘Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives.’””
NET Bible · Read this chapter in NET
DRB
“Thus saith the Lord: Whosoever shall remain in this city, shall die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence: but he that shall go forth to the Chaldeans, shall live, and his life shall be safe, and he shall live.”
Douay-Rheims Bible · Read this chapter in DRB
BBE
“These are the words of the Lord: Whoever goes on living in this town will come to his death by the sword or through need of food or by disease: but whoever goes out to the Chaldaeans will keep his life out of the power of the attackers and be safe.”
Bible in Basic English · Read this chapter in BBE
KJVA
“Thus saith the Lord, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.”
King James Version with Apocrypha · Read this chapter in KJVA

Jeremiah 38 — Context

Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying,

"Thus says the LORD, 'He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live and have his own life as booty and stay alive.'

"Thus says the LORD, 'This city will certainly be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and he will capture it.'"

Then the officials said to the king, "Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm."

So King Zedekiah said, "Behold, he is in your hands; for the king can do nothing against you."

Jeremiah 38:2 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions

What does Jeremiah 38:2 say?

Jeremiah 38:2 in the NASB reads: “"Thus says the LORD, 'He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live and have his own life as booty and stay alive.'”

Where is Jeremiah 38:2 in the Bible?

Jeremiah 38:2 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 38, verse 2.

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 38:2.

What translation should I read Jeremiah 38:2 in?

Jeremiah 38:2 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 38:2?

Jeremiah 38:2 reads (NASB): “"Thus says the LORD, 'He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live and have his own life as booty and stay alive.'” 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.

Jeremiah 38:2 nasb — "Thus says the LORD, 'He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes…

Read in Another Translation

Jeremiah 38:2 in Other Translations

Jeremiah 38 — Context

Jeremiah 38:2 — Frequently Asked Questions

Choose Theme

Light Themes 19

Dark Themes 11

Colorful Themes 2