Jeremiah 38:2

2 Thus saith Jehovah, He that abideth 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, and his life shall be unto him for a prey, and he shall live.

Jeremiah 38:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 38:2

Thus saith the Lord, he that remaineth in this city
Of Jerusalem; that does not go out of it, and surrender himself to the Chaldeans; but continues in it fighting against them: shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence;
that is, by one or other of these: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live:
that goes out of the city, throws down his arms, delivers up himself to the Chaldean army, and submits to their mercy, shall have quarters given him, and his life shall be spared: for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live;
or, "his soul, and it shall live" F14; comfortably and in safety; he shall escape with his life, and that shall be preserved from the sword, famine, and pestilence; and whereas it was, as it were, lost, it shall be recovered out of the jaws of death, out of the above calamities it was exposed to; and so be like a prey taken out of the hands of the mighty, and be quite safe.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 (yxw llvl wvpn wl htyhw) "et erit illi anima ejus in praedam et vivet", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Schmidt.

Jeremiah 38:2 In-Context

1 And Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah, heard the words that Jeremiah spake unto all the people, saying,
2 Thus saith Jehovah, He that abideth 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, and his life shall be unto him for a prey, and he shall live.
3 Thus saith Jehovah, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it.
4 Then the princes said unto the king, Let this man, we pray thee, be put to death; forasmuch as he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.
5 And Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand; for the king is not he that can do anything against you.
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.