Jeremiah 38:16

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But King Zedekiah swore an oath secretly to Jeremiah, "As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us breath, I will neither put you to death nor hand you over to those who want to kill you."

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיִּשָּׁבַ֞ע הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֛הוּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּסֵּ֣תֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר חַי־יְהוָ֞ה *את אֲשֶׁר֩ עָשָׂה־לָ֨נוּ אֶת־הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ הַזֹּאת֙ אִם־אֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְאִם־אֶתֶּנְךָ֗ בְּיַד֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ ס

Transliteration

And-yiššābaʿ the-melek ṣidqîyāhū to-yirmĕyāhū in-the-sēter lēmōr: ḥay-yĕhwāh ʾet who ʿāśāh-to-us ʾet-the-nepeš the-zōʾt if-ʾămîtekā and-if-ʾettenĕkā in-yad the-ʾănāšîm the-ʾēlleh who mĕbaqqĕšîm ʾet-napšekā.

Grammar Details

• *yiššābaʿ*: waw-consecutive + Niphal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he swore
• *melek*: masculine singular noun with article - the king
• *ṣidqîyāhū*: proper name - Zedekiah
• *yirmĕyāhū*: proper name with preposition *ʾel* - to Jeremiah
• *sēter*: masculine singular noun with article and preposition *bĕ* - in the secret/privately
• *lēmōr*: Qal infinitive construct - saying
• *ḥay*: adjective construct - living/as lives
• *yĕhwāh*: divine name - YHWH
• *ʾet*: direct object marker (or possibly untranslated particle)
• *ʿāśāh*: Qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - he made/created
• *nepeš*: feminine singular noun with article - the soul/life
• *zōʾt*: feminine singular demonstrative - this
• *ʾămîtekā*: Hiphil imperfect, 1st common singular with 2nd masculine singular suffix with conditional *ʾim* - if I kill you
• *ʾettenĕkā*: Qal imperfect, 1st common singular with 2nd masculine singular suffix with conditional *ʾim* - if I give you
• *yad*: feminine singular construct with preposition *bĕ* - in the hand of
• *ʾănāšîm*: masculine plural noun with article - the men
• *ʾēlleh*: plural demonstrative with article - these
• *mĕbaqqĕšîm*: Piel participle, masculine plural - seeking
• *napšekā*: feminine singular noun with 2nd masculine singular suffix - your life/soul

Word Meanings

• *yiššābaʿ*: swore/took an oath
• *sēter*: secret/privately/hiding
• *ḥay*: as lives/by the life of
• *yĕhwāh*: LORD/Yahweh (divine name)
• *ʿāśāh*: made/created/formed
• *nepeš*: soul/life/being
• *ʾămîtekā*: kill you/put you to death
• *ʾettenĕkā*: give you/hand you over
• *yad*: hand/power/control
• *ʾănāšîm*: men/people/individuals
• *mĕbaqqĕšîm*: seeking/looking for/pursuing
• *napšekā*: your life/your soul/your being

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto emiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  So Zedekiah{H6667} the king{H4428} sware{H7650} secretly{H5643} unto Jeremiah,{H3414} saying,{H559} As Jehovah{H3068} liveth,{H2416} that made{H6213} us this soul,{H5315} I will not put thee to death,{H4191} neither will I give{H5414} thee into the hand{H3027} of these men{H582} that seek{H1245} thy life.{H5315}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  So Zedekiah{H6667} the king{H4428} sware{H7650}{(H8735)} secretly{H5643} unto Jeremiah{H3414}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, As the LORD{H3068} liveth{H2416}, that made{H6213}{(H8804)} us this soul{H5315}, I will not put thee to death{H4191}{(H8686)}, neither will I give{H5414}{(H8799)} thee into the hand{H3027} of these men{H582} that seek{H1245}{(H8764)} thy life{H5315}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  So the kynge swore an ooth secretly vnto Ieremy, sayenge: As truly as the LORDE lyueth, that made vs these soules, I will not slaye the, ner geue the in to the hodes of them, that seke after thy life.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  So the King sware secretly vnto Ieremiah, saying, As the Lorde liueth that made vs these soules, I will not slay thee, nor giue thee into the hands of those men that seeke thy life.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  So the kyng swore an oth secretely to Ieremie, saying: As the Lorde liueth that made vs these soules, I wyll not slay thee, nor geue thee into the handes of them that seke after thy lyfe.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, [As] the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, As Yahweh lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And the king Zedekiah sweareth unto Jeremiah in secret, saying, `Jehovah liveth, He who made for us this soul, I do not put thee to death, nor give thee unto the hand of these men who are seeking thy soul.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As Jehovah liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As Jehovah liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  So King Zedekiah gave his oath to Jeremiah secretly, saying, By the living Lord, who gave us our life, I will not put you to death, or give you up to these men who are desiring to take your life.

• World English Bible (2000)

  So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, As Yahweh lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  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.”

Referenced Verses

• Jer 37:17 : 17 Then King Zedekiah sent for him and secretly questioned him in his palace, saying, "Is there any word from the LORD?" Jeremiah replied, "There is. You will be handed over to the king of Babylon."
• Isa 57:16 : 16 I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit would faint before me—the breath of life that I created.
• Jer 34:20 : 20 I will hand them over to their enemies and to those who seek their lives. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth.
• Jer 38:1-6 : 1 Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah heard the words Jeremiah was speaking to all the people: 2 This is what the LORD says: Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine, or plague. But whoever goes out to the Chaldeans will live; they will escape with their life and survive. 3 This is what the LORD says: This city will surely be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 4 The officials said to the king, "This man must be put to death, because he is discouraging the soldiers who remain in the city and all the people by speaking these words to them. He is not seeking the welfare of this people, but only their harm." 5 King Zedekiah replied, "He is in your hands. The king can do nothing to oppose you." 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.
• Zech 12:1 : 1 This is the Lord’s message concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit within humans, declares this:
• John 3:2 : 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one can perform these signs You do unless God is with him.'
• Num 16:22 : 22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, "O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?"
• Num 27:16 : 16 May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all humankind, appoint a man over the assembly
• Eccl 12:7 : 7 And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
• Isa 42:5 : 5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all its offspring, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it:
• Heb 12:9 : 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!