"Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go fo…" — Jeremiah 38:17

Jeremiah 38:17 · KJV

“Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:”

— Jeremiah 38:17

Verse 16

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.

Verse 18

But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

Jeremiah 38 — Context

Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare {it} unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

Cross References

Jeremiah 27:12

I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.

Jeremiah 27:17

Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?

Jeremiah 38:2

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.

Jeremiah 21:8-10

And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

Jeremiah 39:3

And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, {even} Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.

Jeremiah 7:6-7

{If} ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:

2 Kings 24:12

And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. {officers: or, eunuchs} {his reign: Nebuchadnezzar's eighth year}

1 Chronicles 17:24

Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts {is} the God of Israel, {even} a God to Israel: and {let} the house of David thy servant {be} established before thee.