Jeremiah 38:3

3 This is what the Lord says: 'This city will most certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon's army, and he will capture it.' "

Jeremiah 38:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 38:3

Thus saith the Lord, this city shall surely be given into the
hand of the king of Babylon's army
When those found in it should be put to the sword, or carried captive: this the prophet declares with the greatest certainty; and what he had often affirmed for twenty years past, and now stands to it, having had fresh assurances from the Lord that so it would be; and which he faithfully published; though he had received some favours from the court, had his liberty enlarged, and was now eating the king's bread, he was not to be bribed by these things to hold his peace; but the nearer the ruin of the city was, the more confident was he of its destruction: which shall take it;
or, "that it may take it" ^F15; being delivered into its hands by the Lord, without whose permission the Chaldean army could never have taken it: or "and he shall take it" ^F16; that is, the king of Babylon.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (hdklw) "ut capiat eam", Schmidt.
F16 "Et capiet illam", Cocceius; "et capiet eam", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 38:3 In-Context

1 Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchijah heard the words Jeremiah was speaking to all the people:

2 "This is what the Lord says: 'Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine, and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will live. He will keep his life like the spoils [of war] and will live.'

3 This is what the Lord says: 'This city will most certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon's army, and he will capture it.' "

4 The officials then said to the king, "This man ought to die, because he is weakening the morale of the warriors who remain in this city and of all the people by speaking to them in this way. This man is not seeking the well-being of this people, but disaster."

5 King Zedekiah said, "Here he is; he's in your hands since the king can't do anything against you."