Focused Passage

Jeremiah 21:8-10

The Last Hope of Zedekiah and the Unavoidable Judgment of Jerusalem

The chapter moves from desperate royal inquiry, to divine refusal of false hope, to the life-or-death choice placed before Jerusalem, to a final indictment of Davidic leadership.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8 Furthermore, you are to tell this people that this is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

9 Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who besiege you will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war.

10 For I have set My face against this city to bring disaster and not good, declares the LORD. It will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, who will destroy it with fire.’

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 30:19 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 30:15 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 11:26 Classic cross-references Isaiah 1:19 Classic cross-references Proverbs 6:23 Classic cross-references

Original words

Furthermore, you are to tell תֹּאמַ֔ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition this הַזֶּה֙ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people הָעָ֤ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular that this is what כֹּ֖ה H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Behold הִנְנִ֤י H2005 Interjection | first person common singular I set נֹתֵן֙ H5414 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular before לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural you אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the way דֶּ֥רֶךְ H1870 Noun - common singular construct of life הַחַיִּ֖ים H2416 Article | Noun - masculine plural - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and the way דֶּ֥רֶךְ H1870 Noun - common singular construct of death הַמָּֽוֶת׃ H4194 Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 9

Cross-references

Jeremiah 39:18 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 45:5 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 38:2 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 5:12 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 14:12 Classic cross-references

Original words

Whoever stays הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ H3427 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular in this הַזֹּ֔את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular city בָּעִ֣יר H5892 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular will die יָמ֕וּת H4191 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular by sword בַּחֶ֖רֶב H2719 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular and famine וּבָרָעָ֣ב H7458 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and plague וּבַדָּ֑בֶר H1698 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular but whoever goes out וְהַיּוֹצֵא֩ H3318 Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular and surrenders וְנָפַ֨ל H5307 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to עַל־ H5921 Preposition the Chaldeans הַכַּשְׂדִּ֜ים H3778 Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural who besiege הַצָּרִ֤ים H6696 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural you עֲלֵיכֶם֙ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine plural will live יִחְיֶה H2421 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular he will retain וְהָֽיְתָה־ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular his לּ֥וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular life נַפְשׁ֖וֹ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular like a spoil of war לְשָׁלָֽל׃ H7998 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 10

Cross-references

Jeremiah 44:11 Classic cross-references Amos 9:4 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 44:27 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 3:12 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 15:7 Classic cross-references

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction I have set שַׂ֣מְתִּי H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular My face פָ֠נַי H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular against this הַזֹּ֧את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular city בָּעִ֨יר H5892 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular to bring disaster לְרָעָ֛ה H7451 Preposition-l | Adjective - feminine singular and not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle good לְטוֹבָ֖ה H2896 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular It will be delivered תִּנָּתֵ֔ן H5414 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular into the hand בְּיַד־ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of the king מֶ֤לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Babylon בָּבֶל֙ H894 Noun - proper - feminine singular who will destroy it וּשְׂרָפָ֖הּ H8313 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular with fire בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ס H784 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular

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