Jeremiah 38:2

KJV1611 – Modern English

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.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כֹּה֮ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֒ הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את יָמ֕וּת בַּחֶ֖רֶב בָּרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְהַיֹּצֵ֤א אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים֙ *יחיה **וְחָיָ֔ה וְהָיְתָה־לּ֥וֹ נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לְשָׁלָ֖ל וָחָֽי׃

Transliteration

Thus kōh ʾāmar YHWH, the-yōšēḇ in-the-ʿîr the-zōʾt shall-yāmût by-the-ḥereḇ, by-the-rāʿāḇ, and-by-the-dāḇer, and-the-yōṣēʾ to-the-kaśdîm shall-yiḥyeh [wə-ḥāyāh] and-wə-hāytāh-to-him nap̄šô for-šālāl and-wā-ḥāy

Grammar Details

• *kōh*: adverb - thus/so
• *ʾāmar*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - said/has said
• *YHWH*: proper noun, divine name - Yahweh/the LORD
• *yōšēḇ*: qal participle, masculine singular - dwelling/sitting/remaining
• *ʿîr*: noun, feminine singular - city
• *zōʾt*: demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular - this
• *yāmût*: qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he will die
• *ḥereḇ*: noun, feminine singular - sword
• *rāʿāḇ*: noun, masculine singular - famine/hunger
• *dāḇer*: noun, masculine singular - plague/pestilence
• *yōṣēʾ*: qal participle, masculine singular - going out/exiting
• *kaśdîm*: proper noun, masculine plural - Chaldeans
• *yiḥyeh*: qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he will live (Ketiv)
• *wə-ḥāyāh*: waw-consecutive + qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he will live (Qere)
• *wə-hāytāh*: waw-consecutive + qal perfect, 3rd feminine singular - and it will be
• *nap̄šô*: noun, feminine singular construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his soul/life
• *šālāl*: noun, masculine singular - spoil/plunder/prey
• *wā-ḥāy*: waw-consecutive + qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he will live

Word Meanings

• *yōšēḇ*: one who remains/dwells/sits/stays
• *ʿîr*: city/town
• *ḥereḇ*: sword/warfare
• *rāʿāḇ*: famine/hunger
• *dāḇer*: plague/pestilence
• *yōṣēʾ*: one who goes out/exits/defects
• *nap̄šô*: his soul/life/self
• *šālāl*: spoil/plunder/booty/prey
• *yiḥyeh*/*wə-ḥāyāh*: textual variant (Ketiv/Qere) - both meaning 'he will live'

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  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.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thus saith{H559} Jehovah,{H3068} He that abideth{H3427} in this city{H5892} shall die{H4191} by the sword,{H2719} by the famine,{H7458} and by the pestilence;{H1698} but he that goeth forth{H3318} to the Chaldeans{H3778} shall live,{H2421} and his life{H5315} shall be unto him for a prey,{H7998} and he shall live.{H2421}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thus saith{H559}{(H8804)} the LORD{H3068}, He that remaineth{H3427}{(H8802)} in this city{H5892} shall die{H4191}{(H8799)} by the sword{H2719}, by the famine{H7458}, and by the pestilence{H1698}: but he that goeth forth{H3318}{(H8802)} to the Chaldeans{H3778} shall live{H2421}{(H8804)}; for he shall have his life{H5315} for a prey{H7998}, and shall live{H2421}{(H8799)}{(H8675)}{H2425}{(H8804)}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Thus saieth the LORDE: Who so remayneth in this cite, shall perish, ether with the swearde, with honger or with pestilence: But who so falleth vnto the Caldees, shal escape, wynnynge his soule for a pray, & shal lyue.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Thus sayth the Lord, He that remaineth in this citie, shall dye by the sworde, by the famine and by the pestilence: but hee that goeth foorth to the Caldeans, shall liue: for he shall haue his life for a praye, and shall liue.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Thus saith the Lorde, Who so remayneth in this citie, shall perishe either with the sworde, with hunger, or with pestilence: but who so falleth vnto the Chaldees shal escape, winning his soule for a pray, and shall lyue.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `Thus said Jehovah: He who is remaining in this city dieth, by sword, by famine, and by pestilence, and he who is going forth unto the Chaldeans liveth, and his soul hath been to him for a prey, and he liveth.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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 (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  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.

• World English Bible (2000)

  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.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  “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.’”

Referenced Verses

• Jer 39:18 : 18 For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in me, says the LORD.
• Jer 45:5 : 5 And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not: for behold, I will bring disaster upon all flesh, says the LORD: but I will give you your life as a prize wherever you go.
• Jer 34:17 : 17 Therefore thus says the LORD: You have not listened to me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, says the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
• Jer 42:17 : 17 So shall it be with all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt to live there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
• Jer 42:22 : 22 Now therefore know certainly that you shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place where you desire to go and to live.
• Jer 44:13 : 13 For I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:
• Jer 21:8-9 : 8 And to this people you shall say, Thus says the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. 9 He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he who goes out, and falls to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be as a prize to him.
• Jer 24:8 : 8 And as for the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad; surely thus says the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the rest of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt:
• Jer 27:13 : 13 Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the LORD has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
• Jer 29:18 : 18 And I will pursue them with the sword, famine, and pestilence, and will deliver them to be moved to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations where I have driven them.
• Jer 38:17-23 : 17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If you will assuredly 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. 18 But if you will not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape out of their hand. 19 And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews who have fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. 20 But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the voice of the LORD, which I speak to you: so it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live. 21 But if you refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD has shown me: 22 And, behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Your friends have set you on and have prevailed against you; your feet are sunk in the mire, and they have turned away back. 23 So they shall bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans; and you shall not escape from their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon; and you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.
• Ezek 5:12-17 : 12 A third part of you shall die with pestilence, and with famine they shall be consumed in your midst: and a third part shall fall by the sword around you; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. 13 Thus shall my anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal when I have accomplished my fury in them. 14 Moreover I will make you a waste, and a reproach among the nations that are around you, in the sight of all that pass by. 15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment to the nations that are around you, when I shall execute judgments in you in anger and in fury and in fierce rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it. 16 When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread: 17 So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave you; and pestilence and blood shall pass through you; and I will bring the sword upon you. I the LORD have spoken it.
• Ezek 6:11 : 11 Thus says the Lord GOD; Clap your hands, and stamp your foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.
• Ezek 7:15 : 15 The sword is outside, and the pestilence and the famine within; he who is in the field shall die by the sword, and he who is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.
• Ezek 14:21 : 21 For thus says the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four severe judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the wild beasts, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
• Matt 24:7-8 : 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
• Rev 6:4-8 : 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo, a black horse; and he who sat on him had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see that you do not harm the oil and the wine. 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse: and his name who sat on him was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given unto them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.