Jeremiah 37:20

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Now please hear me, my lord the king. Let my plea come before you: Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְעַתָּ֕ה שְֽׁמַֽע־נָ֖א אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ תִּפָּל־נָ֤א תְחִנָּתִי֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַל־תְּשִׁבֵ֗נִי בֵּ֚ית יְהוֹנָתָ֣ן הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְלֹ֥א אָמ֖וּת שָֽׁם׃

Transliteration

And-now šəmaʿ-nāʾ ʾăḏōnî the-meleḵ tippāl-nāʾ təḥinnātî before-you and-not-təšiḇēnî bêt Yəhônātān the-sōp̄ēr and-not ʾāmût there.

Grammar Details

• *šəmaʿ*: Qal imperative masculine singular - hear/listen
• *nāʾ*: particle of entreaty - please
• *ʾăḏōnî*: masculine singular noun with 1st person singular suffix - my lord
• *meleḵ*: masculine singular noun with definite article - the king
• *tippāl*: Qal imperfect 3rd feminine singular jussive - let fall
• *təḥinnātî*: feminine singular noun with 1st person singular suffix - my supplication
• *təšiḇēnî*: Hiphil imperfect 2nd masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix + negative particle - do not return me
• *bêt*: masculine singular construct - house of
• *Yəhônātān*: proper noun - Jonathan
• *sōp̄ēr*: masculine singular noun with definite article - the scribe
• *ʾāmût*: Qal imperfect 1st person singular - I will die

Word Meanings

• *tippāl*-*nāʾ* *təḥinnātî*: please let my supplication fall/please let my petition be accepted
• *təšiḇēnî*: do not send me back/do not return me

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Therefore hear now, I pray you, O my lord the king: let my plea, I pray you, be accepted before you, that you do not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And now hear, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be presented before thee, that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And therfore heare now, o my lorde the kynge: let my prayer be accepte before the, & sende me nomore in to ye house of Ionathas the scrybe, that I dye not there.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Therefore heare nowe, I pray thee, O my lorde the King: let my prayer be accepted before thee, that thou cause mee not to returne to the house of Iehonathan the scribe, least I die there.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And therfore heare nowe O my Lorde the kyng, let my prayer be accepted before thee, and sende me no more into the house of Ionathan the scribe, that I dye not there.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And now, hearken, I pray thee, my lord, O king, let my supplication fall, I pray thee, before thee, and cause me not to return `to' the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I die not there.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And now hear, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be presented before thee, that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And now hear, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be presented before thee, that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And now be pleased to give ear, O my lord the king; let my prayer for help come before you, and do not make me go back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, for fear that I may come to my death there.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But now please listen, your royal Majesty, and grant my plea for mercy. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan, the royal secretary. If you do, I will die there.”

Referenced Verses

• Jer 36:7 : 7 Perhaps they will bring their plea before the LORD, and each one will turn from his wicked way, for great are the anger and wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people.
• Jer 38:6-9 : 6 So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud. 7 Now Ebed-Melech, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Benjamin Gate, 8 Ebed-Melech went out of the palace and said to the king, 9 "My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will die from hunger, since there is no longer any bread in the city."
• Jer 38:26 : 26 then tell them, ‘I was pleading with the king not to send me back to Jonathan’s house to die there.’"
• Acts 23:16-22 : 16 But the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, so he went to the barracks and reported it to Paul. 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, 'Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.' 18 So the centurion took him, led him to the commander, and said, 'The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.' 19 The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked him privately, 'What is it you have to tell me?' 20 He said, 'The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they are going to inquire more thoroughly about him.' 21 But do not be persuaded by them, because more than forty of them are lying in wait for him. They have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready and waiting for your consent. 22 So the commander dismissed the young man and ordered him, 'Don’t tell anyone that you have informed me about this.'
• Acts 25:10-11 : 10 Paul said, 'I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you yourself clearly know.' 11 If I am guilty and have done anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.
• Acts 28:18-19 : 18 They examined me and wanted to release me because there was no basis for a death sentence against me. 19 But when the Jews objected, I felt compelled to appeal to Caesar—not because I had any accusation to bring against my own people.
• Jer 26:15 : 15 But you should certainly know that if you put me to death, you are bringing innocent blood upon yourselves, this city, and its inhabitants, for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.