Jeremiah 38:24

24 Zedekiah replied, "Don't let anyone know about this conversation, and your life will not be in danger.

Jeremiah 38:24 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 38:24

Then said Zedekiah to Jeremiah
Not a word signifying his approbation of the counsel given him, or that he intended to take it; his silence showed the reverse: let no man know of these words:
that had passed between them; of the conference and conversation they had had together, at least not the particulars of it; the thing itself was known, as appears by what follows, that the king and prophet had been discoursing together; but what they talked of, he desires might be concealed, pretending the prophet's good, though it was his own honour and safety he sought: and thou shall not die;
as he had promised he should not, and had sworn to it; but suggests by this, that if he disclosed the conversation, he should took upon himself free from his word and oath; so that this carried something menacing in it: or it may be rendered "that thou die not" F3; intimating, that if the princes should come to the knowledge of what he had said, of the advice he had given, they would surely put him to death; and therefore, for his own safety, he desires the whole may be kept a secret.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 (twmt alw) "ne moriaris", Gataker, Schmidt; "ut non moriaris", Piscator.

Jeremiah 38:24 In-Context

22 In it I saw all the women left in Judah's royal palace being led out to the king of Babylonia's officers. Listen to what they were saying as they went: "The king's best friends misled him, they overruled him. And now that his feet have sunk in the mud, his friends have left him.' "
23 Then I added, "All your women and children will be taken out to the Babylonians, and you yourself will not escape from them. You will be taken prisoner by the king of Babylonia, and this city will be burned to the ground."
24 Zedekiah replied, "Don't let anyone know about this conversation, and your life will not be in danger.
25 If the officials hear that I have talked with you, they will come and ask you what we said. They will promise not to put you to death if you tell them everything.
26 Just tell them you were begging me not to send you back to prison to die there."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.