Jeremiah 38:24

24 Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Don't let anyone know of this conversation, if you know what's good for you.

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 Picture this in your mind - all the women still left in the palace of the king of Judah, led out to the officers of the king of Babylon, and as they're led out they are saying: "'They lied to you and did you in, those so-called friends of yours; And now you're stuck, about knee-deep in mud, and your "friends," where are they now?'
23 "They'll take all your wives and children and give them to the Chaldeans. And you, don't think you'll get out of this - the king of Babylon will seize you and then burn this city to the ground."
24 Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Don't let anyone know of this conversation, if you know what's good for you.
25 If the government officials get wind that I've been talking with you, they may come and say, 'Tell us what went on between you and the king, what you said and what he said. Hold nothing back and we won't kill you.'
26 If this happens, tell them, 'I presented my case to the king so that he wouldn't send me back to the dungeon of Jonathan to die there.'"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.