Jeremiah 38:18

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be handed over to the Babylonians and they will burn it down. You yourself will not escape from them.’”

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְאִ֣ם לֹֽא־תֵצֵ֗א אֶל־שָׂרֵי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וְנִתְּנָ֞ה הָעִ֤יר הַזֹּאת֙ בְּיַ֣ד הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים וּשְׂרָפ֖וּהָ בָּאֵ֑שׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹֽא־תִמָּלֵ֥ט מִיָּדָֽם׃ ס

Transliteration

But-if not-tēṣēʾ to-śārê melek bābel, and-nittĕnāh the-ʿîr the-zōʾt in-yad the-kaśdîm, and-śĕrāpūhā in-the-ʾēš; and-you not-timmālēṭ from-yādām.

Grammar Details

• *tēṣēʾ*: Qal imperfect, 2nd masculine singular with negative *lōʾ* and conditional *ʾim* - if you do not go out
• *śārê*: masculine plural construct - princes/officials of
• *melek*: masculine singular construct - king of
• *bābel*: proper name - Babylon
• *nittĕnāh*: Niphal perfect, 3rd feminine singular with waw-consecutive - and will be given
• *ʿîr*: feminine singular noun with article - the city
• *zōʾt*: feminine singular demonstrative - this
• *yad*: feminine singular construct with preposition *bĕ* - into the hand of
• *kaśdîm*: proper name with article - the Chaldeans
• *śĕrāpūhā*: Qal perfect, 3rd common plural with 3rd feminine singular suffix - and they will burn it
• *ʾēš*: feminine singular noun with preposition *bĕ* - with fire
• *timmālēṭ*: Niphal imperfect, 2nd masculine singular with negative *lōʾ* - you will not escape
• *yādām*: feminine singular noun with 3rd masculine plural suffix and preposition *min* - from their hand

Word Meanings

• *tēṣēʾ*: go out/surrender/go forth
• *śārê*: princes/officials/commanders
• *melek*: king/ruler
• *bābel*: Babylon (proper name)
• *nittĕnāh*: will be given/will be handed over
• *ʿîr*: city/town
• *yad*: hand/power/control
• *kaśdîm*: Chaldeans/Babylonians
• *śĕrāpūhā*: they will burn it/they will set it on fire
• *ʾēš*: fire/flame
• *timmālēṭ*: escape/be delivered/save yourself
• *yādām*: their hand/their power/their control

Referenced Verses

• Jer 38:3 : 3 They had also heard him say,“The LORD says,‘This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon. They will capture it.’”
• Jer 24:8-9 : 8 “I, the LORD, also solemnly assert:‘King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and the people who remain in Jerusalem or who have gone to live in Egypt are like those bad figs. I consider them to be just like those bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 9 I will bring such disaster on them that all the kingdoms of the earth will be horrified. I will make them an object of reproach, a proverbial example of disaster. I will make them an object of ridicule, an example to be used in curses. That is how they will be remembered wherever I banish them. 10 I will bring war, starvation, and disease on them until they are completely destroyed from the land I gave them and their ancestors.’”
• Jer 32:3-5 : 3 For King Zedekiah had confined Jeremiah there after he had reproved him for prophesying as he did. He had asked Jeremiah,“Why do you keep prophesying these things? Why do you keep saying that the LORD says,‘I will hand this city over to the king of Babylon? I will let him capture it. 4 King Zedekiah of Judah will not escape from the Babylonians. He will certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon. He must answer personally to the king of Babylon and confront him face to face. 5 Zedekiah will be carried off to Babylon and will remain there until I have fully dealt with him. I, the LORD, affirm it! Even if you continue to fight against the Babylonians, you cannot win.’”
• 2 Kgs 25:4-9 : 4 The enemy broke through the city walls, and all the soldiers tried to escape. They left the city during the night. They went through the gate between the two walls that is near the king’s garden.(The Babylonians were all around the city.) Then they headed for the rift valley. 5 But the Babylonian army chased after the king. They caught up with him in the rift valley plains of Jericho, and his entire army deserted him. 6 They captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where he passed sentence on him. 7 Zedekiah’s sons were executed while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon then had Zedekiah’s eyes put out, bound him in bronze chains, and carried him off to Babylon. 8 Nebuchadnezzar Destroys Jerusalem On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard who served the king of Babylon, arrived in Jerusalem. 9 He burned down the LORD’s temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem, including every large house. 10 The whole Babylonian army that came with the captain of the royal guard tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem.
• 2 Kgs 25:27-30 : 27 Jehoiachin in Babylon In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month, King Evil-Merodach of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, pardoned King Jehoiachin of Judah and released him from prison. 28 He spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prestigious position than the other kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 Jehoiachin took off his prison clothes and ate daily in the king’s presence for the rest of his life. 30 He was given daily provisions by the king for the rest of his life until the day he died.
• 2 Kgs 24:12 : 12 King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, his servants, his officials, and his eunuchs surrendered to the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon, in the eighth year of his reign, took Jehoiachin prisoner.
• Jer 34:2-3 : 2 This is what the LORD God of Israel told Jeremiah,“Go, speak to King Zedekiah of Judah. Tell him,‘This is what the LORD has said,“Take note. I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon and he will burn it down. 3 You yourself will not escape his clutches, but will certainly be captured and handed over to him. You must confront the king of Babylon face to face and answer to him personally. Then you must go to Babylon.”’”
• Jer 34:19-22 : 19 I will punish the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the other people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf. 20 I will hand them over to their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals. 21 I will also hand King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials over to their enemies who want to kill them. I will hand them over to the army of the king of Babylon, even though they have temporarily withdrawn from attacking you. 22 For I, the LORD, affirm that I will soon give the order and bring them back to this city. They will fight against it and capture it and burn it down. I will also make the towns of Judah desolate so that there will be no one living in them.”’”
• Jer 37:8 : 8 Then the Babylonian forces will return. They will attack the city and will capture it and burn it down.
• Jer 38:23 : 23 “All your wives and your children will be turned over to the Babylonians. You yourself will not escape from them but will be captured by the king of Babylon. This city will be burned down.”
• Jer 39:3 : 3 Then Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim, who was a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer, who was a high official, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon came and set up quarters in the Middle Gate.
• Jer 39:5-7 : 5 But the Babylonian army chased after them. They caught up with Zedekiah in the rift valley plains of Jericho and captured him. They took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon at Riblah in the territory of Hamath and Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him there. 6 There at Riblah the king of Babylon had Zedekiah’s sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. The king of Babylon also had all the nobles of Judah put to death. 7 Then he had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and had him bound in chains to be led off to Babylon.
• Jer 52:7-9 : 7 They broke through the city walls, and all the soldiers tried to escape. They left the city during the night. They went through the gate between the two walls that is near the king’s garden.(The Babylonians had the city surrounded.) Then they headed for the rift valley. 8 But the Babylonian army chased after the king. They caught up with Zedekiah in the rift valley plains of Jericho, and his entire army deserted him. 9 They captured him and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the territory of Hamath and he passed sentence on him there. 10 The king of Babylon had Zedekiah’s sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. He also had all the nobles of Judah put to death there at Riblah. 11 He had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and had him bound in chains. Then the king of Babylon had him led off to Babylon and he was imprisoned there until the day he died.
• Ezek 12:13 : 13 But I will throw my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans(but he will not see it), and there he will die.
• Ezek 17:20-21 : 20 I will throw my net over him and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylon and judge him there because of the unfaithfulness he committed against me. 21 All the choice men among his troops will die by the sword and the survivors will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken!
• Ezek 21:25-27 : 25 “‘As for you, profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, the time of final punishment, 26 this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Tear off the turban, take off the crown! Things must change! Exalt the lowly, bring down the proud! 27 A total ruin I will make it! It will come to an end when the one arrives to whom I have assigned judgment.’