Jeremiah 38:25

25 If the officers find out I talked to you, they will come to you and say, 'Tell us what you said to King Zedekiah and what he said to you. Don't keep any secrets from us. If you don't tell us everything, we will kill you.'

Jeremiah 38:25 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 38:25

But if the princes hear that I have talked to thee
Which the king suspected they would; and could hardly think but somebody or other would see him and the prophet talking together; who would be officious enough to go and acquaint the princes with it, though he had endeavoured to be as private as possible; however, to provide against the worst, he instructs Jeremiah what to say to them, should they hear of their being together: and they come unto thee:
as he did not doubt but they would, as soon as ever they had notice of it: and say unto thee, declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the
king; hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what
the king said unto thee:
the king knew how inquisitive they would be, and sift the prophet to the bottom, to know both what the prophet said to the king, about the state of affairs respecting the Chaldeans, and the surrender of the city to them, which they supposed to be the subject of the discourse; and what were the king's thoughts about it, and his determinations concerning it; and in order to make the prophet easy, and more free and open to tell the whole matter, he suggests they would promise him his life should not be taken away.

Jeremiah 38:25 In-Context

23 "All your wives and children will be brought out and given to the Babylonian army. You yourself will not even escape from them. You will be taken prisoner by the king of Babylon, and Jerusalem will be burned down."

24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Do not tell anyone that I have been talking to you, or you will die.

25 If the officers find out I talked to you, they will come to you and say, 'Tell us what you said to King Zedekiah and what he said to you. Don't keep any secrets from us. If you don't tell us everything, we will kill you.'

26 If they ask you, tell them, 'I was begging the king not to send me back to Jonathan's house to die.'"

27 All the officers did come to question Jeremiah. So he told them everything the king had ordered him to say. Then the officers said no more to Jeremiah, because no one had heard what Jeremiah and the king had discussed.