Jeremiah 38:16

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.

📖 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

• 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."

• 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.

• 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 Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out; and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, 'Is there any word from the LORD?' And Jeremiah said, 'There is, for, said he, you shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.'
• Isa 57:16 : 16 For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry; for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
• Jer 34:20 : 20 I will give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life; and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the sky, and to the beasts of the earth.
• Jer 38:1-6 : 1 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people, saying, 2 Thus says the LORD, He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life as a prize, and shall live. 3 Thus says the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it. 4 Therefore the princes said to the king, We beg you, let this man be put to death; for he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but the harm. 5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand; for the king is not anyone who can do anything against you. 6 Then they took Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, which was in the court of the prison; and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire; so Jeremiah sank in the mire.
• Zech 12:1 : 1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, says the LORD, who stretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.
• John 3:2 : 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.
• Num 16:22 : 22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will You be angry with all the congregation?
• Num 27:16 : 16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
• Eccl 12:7 : 7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
• Isa 42:5 : 5 Thus says God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it; he that gives breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
• Heb 12:9 : 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we respected them: shall we not much more be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?