Jeremiah 38 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Jeremiah 38 (WEBP)

[1] Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard the words that Jeremiah spoke to all the people, saying,
[2] “Yahweh says, ‘He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live. He will escape with his life and he will live.’
[3] Yahweh says, ‘This city will surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will take it.’”
[4] Then the princes said to the king, “Please let this man be put to death, because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them; for this man doesn’t seek the welfare of this people, but harm.”
[5] Zedekiah the king said, “Behold, he is in your hand; for the king can’t do anything to oppose you.”
[6] Then they took Jeremiah and threw him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king’s son, that was in the court of the guard. They let down Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.
[7] Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king was then sitting in Benjamin’s gate),
[8] Ebedmelech went out of the king’s house, and spoke to the king, saying,
[9] “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon. He is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.”
[10] Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.”
[11] So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
[12] Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these rags and worn-out garments under your armpits under the cords.” Jeremiah did so.
[13] So they lifted Jeremiah up with the cords, and took him up out of the dungeon; and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
[14] Then Zedekiah the king sent and took Jeremiah the prophet to himself into the third entry that is in Yahweh’s house. Then the king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me.”
[15] Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? If I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”
[16] So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “As Yahweh lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”
[17] Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Yahweh, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you will go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul will live, and this city will not be burned with fire. You will live, along with your house.
[18] But if you will not go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire, and you won’t escape out of their hand.’”
[19] Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.”
[20] But Jeremiah said, “They won’t deliver you. Obey, I beg you, Yahweh’s voice, in that which I speak to you; so it will be well with you, and your soul will live.
[21] But if you refuse to go out, this is the word that Yahweh has shown me:
[22] ‘Behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah’s house will be brought out to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women will say, “Your familiar friends have turned on you, and have prevailed over you. Your feet are sunk in the mire, they have turned away from you.”
[23] They will bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans. You won’t escape out of their hand, but will be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon. You will cause this city to be burned with fire.’”
[24] Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no man know of these words, and you won’t die.
[25] But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, ‘Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don’t hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also tell us what the king said to you;’
[26] then you shall tell them, ‘I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.’”
[27] Then all the princes came to Jeremiah, and asked him; and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they stopped speaking with him, for the matter was not perceived.
[28] So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Jeremiah 38 (KJVS)

[1] Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,
[2] Thus saith the Lord, He that remaineth 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; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.
[3] Thus saith the Lord, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.
[4] Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus 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] Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.
[6] Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.
[7] Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;
[8] Ebed-melech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king, saying,
[9] My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.
[10] Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
[11] So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
[12] And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.
[13] So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
[14] Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the Lord: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.
[15] Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?
[16] So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the Lord liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.
[17] Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:
[18] but if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.
[19] And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.
[20] But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.
[21] But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me:
[22] and, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.
[23] So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.
[24] Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.
[25] But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, 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:
[26] then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.
[27] Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.
[28] So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.

Jeremiah 38:4 Heb. peace
Jeremiah 38:6 Or, of the king
Jeremiah 38:9 Heb. he will die
Jeremiah 38:10 Heb. in thine hand
Jeremiah 38:14 Or, principal
Jeremiah 38:22 Heb. men of thy peace
Jeremiah 38:27 Heb. they were silent from him

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Jeremiah 38 (BYZ)

[1] Καὶ () ἤκουσεν () Σαφατιας υἱὸς () Μαθαν καὶ () Γοδολιας υἱὸς () Πασχωρ καὶ () Ιωαχαλ υἱὸς () Σελεμιου τοὺς () λόγους, () οὓς () ἐλάλει () Ιερεμιας () ἐπὶ () τὸν () λαὸν () λέγων ()
[2] Οὕτως () εἶπεν () κύριος () Ὁ () κατοικῶν () ἐν () τῇ () πόλει () ταύτῃ () ἀποθανεῖται () ἐν () ῥομφαίᾳ () καὶ () ἐν () λιμῷ, () καὶ () ὁ () ἐκπορευόμενος () πρὸς () τοὺς () Χαλδαίους () ζήσεται, () καὶ () ἔσται () ἡ () ψυχὴ () αὐτοῦ () εἰς () εὕρεμα, καὶ () ζήσεται· ()
[3] ὅτι () οὕτως () εἶπεν () κύριος () Παραδιδομένη () παραδοθήσεται () ἡ () πόλις () αὕτη () εἰς () χεῖρας () δυνάμεως () βασιλέως () Βαβυλῶνος, () καὶ () συλλήμψεται () αὐτήν. ()
[4] Καὶ () εἶπαν () τῷ () βασιλεῖ () Ἀναιρεθήτω () δὴ () ὁ () ἄνθρωπος () ἐκεῖνος, () ὅτι () αὐτὸς () ἐκλύει () τὰς () χεῖρας () τῶν () ἀνθρώπων () τῶν () πολεμούντων () τῶν () καταλειπομένων () ἐν () τῇ () πόλει () καὶ () τὰς () χεῖρας () παντὸς () τοῦ () λαοῦ () λαλῶν () πρὸς () αὐτοὺς () κατὰ () τοὺς () λόγους () τούτους, () ὅτι () ὁ () ἄνθρωπος () οὗτος () οὐ () χρησμολογεῖ εἰρήνην () τῷ () λαῷ () τούτῳ () ἀλλ’ () ἢ () πονηρά. ()
[5] Καὶ () εἶπεν () ὁ () βασιλεύς () Ἰδοὺ () αὐτὸς () ἐν () χερσὶν () ὑμῶν· () ὅτι () οὐκ () ἠδύνατο () ὁ () βασιλεὺς () πρὸς () αὐτούς. ()
[6] Καὶ () ἔρριψαν () αὐτὸν () εἰς () τὸν () λάκκον Μελχιου υἱοῦ () τοῦ () βασιλέως, () ὃς () ἦν () ἐν () τῇ () αὐλῇ () τῆς () φυλακῆς, () καὶ () ἐχάλασαν () αὐτὸν () εἰς () τὸν () λάκκον, καὶ () ἐν () τῷ () λάκκῳ οὐκ () ἦν () ὕδωρ () ἀλλ’ () ἢ () βόρβορος, () καὶ () ἦν () ἐν () τῷ () βορβόρῳ. ()
[7] Καὶ () ἤκουσεν () Αβδεμελεχ ὁ () Αἰθίοψ, () καὶ () αὐτὸς () ἐν () οἰκίᾳ () τοῦ () βασιλέως, () ὅτι () ἔδωκαν () Ιερεμιαν () εἰς () τὸν () λάκκον· καὶ () ὁ () βασιλεὺς () ἦν () ἐν () τῇ () πύλῃ () Βενιαμιν· ()
[8] καὶ () ἐξῆλθεν () πρὸς () αὐτὸν () καὶ () ἐλάλησεν () πρὸς () τὸν () βασιλέα () καὶ () εἶπεν ()
[9] Ἐπονηρεύσω ἃ () ἐποίησας () τοῦ () ἀποκτεῖναι () τὸν () ἄνθρωπον () τοῦτον () ἀπὸ () προσώπου () τοῦ () λιμοῦ, () ὅτι () οὐκ () εἰσὶν () ἔτι () ἄρτοι () ἐν () τῇ () πόλει. ()
[10] Καὶ () ἐνετείλατο () ὁ () βασιλεὺς () τῷ () Αβδεμελεχ λέγων () Λαβὲ () εἰς () τὰς () χεῖράς () σου () ἐντεῦθεν () τριάκοντα () ἀνθρώπους () καὶ () ἀνάγαγε () αὐτὸν () ἐκ () τοῦ () λάκκου, ἵνα () μὴ () ἀποθάνῃ. ()
[11] Καὶ () ἔλαβεν () Αβδεμελεχ τοὺς () ἀνθρώπους () καὶ () εἰσῆλθεν () εἰς () τὴν () οἰκίαν () τοῦ () βασιλέως () τὴν () ὑπόγειον καὶ () ἔλαβεν () ἐκεῖθεν () παλαιὰ () ῥάκη () καὶ () παλαιὰ () σχοινία () καὶ () ἔρριψεν () αὐτὰ () πρὸς () Ιερεμιαν () εἰς () τὸν () λάκκον
[12] καὶ () εἶπεν () Ταῦτα () θὲς () ὑποκάτω () τῶν () σχοινίων· () καὶ () ἐποίησεν () Ιερεμιας () οὕτως. ()
[13] Καὶ () εἵλκυσαν () αὐτὸν () τοῖς () σχοινίοις () καὶ () ἀνήγαγον () αὐτὸν () ἐκ () τοῦ () λάκκου· καὶ () ἐκάθισεν () Ιερεμιας () ἐν () τῇ () αὐλῇ () τῆς () φυλακῆς. ()
[14] Καὶ () ἀπέστειλεν () ὁ () βασιλεὺς () καὶ () ἐκάλεσεν () αὐτὸν () πρὸς () ἑαυτὸν () εἰς () οἰκίαν () ασελισι τὴν () ἐν () οἴκῳ () κυρίου· () καὶ () εἶπεν () αὐτῷ () ὁ () βασιλεύς () Ἐρωτήσω () σε () λόγον, () καὶ () μὴ () δὴ () κρύψῃς () ἀπ’ () ἐμοῦ () ῥῆμα. ()
[15] Καὶ () εἶπεν () Ιερεμιας () τῷ () βασιλεῖ () Ἐὰν () ἀναγγείλω () σοι, () οὐχὶ () θανάτῳ () με () θανατώσεις; () Καὶ () ἐὰν () συμβουλεύσω () σοι, () οὐ () μὴ () ἀκούσῃς () μου. ()
[16] Καὶ () ὤμοσεν () αὐτῷ () ὁ () βασιλεὺς () λέγων () Ζῇ () κύριος, () ὃς () ἐποίησεν () ἡμῖν () τὴν () ψυχὴν () ταύτην, () εἰ () ἀποκτενῶ () σε () καὶ () εἰ () δώσω () σε () εἰς () χεῖρας () τῶν () ἀνθρώπων () τούτων. ()
[17] Καὶ () εἶπεν () αὐτῷ () Ιερεμιας () Οὕτως () εἶπεν () κύριος () Ἐὰν () ἐξελθὼν () ἐξέλθῃς () πρὸς () ἡγεμόνας () βασιλέως () Βαβυλῶνος, () καὶ () ζήσεται () ἡ () ψυχή () σου, () καὶ () ἡ () πόλις () αὕτη () οὐ () μὴ () κατακαυθῇ () ἐν () πυρί, () καὶ () ζήσῃ () σὺ () καὶ () ἡ () οἰκία () σου· ()
[18] καὶ () ἐὰν () μὴ () ἐξέλθῃς, () δοθήσεται () ἡ () πόλις () αὕτη () εἰς () χεῖρας () τῶν () Χαλδαίων, () καὶ () καύσουσιν () αὐτὴν () ἐν () πυρί, () καὶ () σὺ () οὐ () μὴ () σωθῇς. ()
[19] Καὶ () εἶπεν () ὁ () βασιλεὺς () τῷ () Ιερεμια () Ἐγὼ () λόγον () ἔχω () τῶν () Ιουδαίων () τῶν () πεφευγότων () πρὸς () τοὺς () Χαλδαίους, () μὴ () δώσειν () με () εἰς () χεῖρας () αὐτῶν, () καὶ () καταμωκήσονταί μου. ()
[20] Καὶ () εἶπεν () Ιερεμιας () Οὐ () μὴ () παραδῶσίν () σε· () ἄκουσον () τὸν () λόγον () κυρίου, () ὃν () ἐγὼ () λέγω () πρὸς () σέ, () καὶ () βέλτιον () ἔσται () σοι, () καὶ () ζήσεται () ἡ () ψυχή () σου. ()
[21] Καὶ () εἰ () μὴ () θέλεις () σὺ () ἐξελθεῖν, () οὗτος () ὁ () λόγος, () ὃν () ἔδειξέν () μοι () κύριος ()
[22] Καὶ () ἰδοὺ () πᾶσαι () αἱ () γυναῖκες () αἱ () καταλειφθεῖσαι () ἐν () οἰκίᾳ () βασιλέως () Ιουδα ἐξήγοντο () πρὸς () ἄρχοντας () βασιλέως () Βαβυλῶνος, () καὶ () αὗται () ἔλεγον () Ἠπάτησάν () σε () καὶ () δυνήσονταί () σοι () ἄνδρες () εἰρηνικοί () σου () καὶ () καταλύσουσιν () ἐν () ὀλισθήμασιν πόδας () σου, () ἀπέστρεψαν () ἀπὸ () σοῦ. ()
[23] Καὶ () τὰς () γυναῖκάς () σου () καὶ () τὰ () τέκνα () σου () ἐξάξουσιν () πρὸς () τοὺς () Χαλδαίους, () καὶ () σὺ () οὐ () μὴ () σωθῇς, () ὅτι () ἐν () χειρὶ () βασιλέως () Βαβυλῶνος () συλλημφθήσῃ, () καὶ () ἡ () πόλις () αὕτη () κατακαυθήσεται. ()
[24] Καὶ () εἶπεν () αὐτῷ () ὁ () βασιλεύς () Ἄνθρωπος () μὴ () γνώτω () ἐκ () τῶν () λόγων () τούτων, () καὶ () σὺ () οὐ () μὴ () ἀποθάνῃς. ()
[25] Καὶ () ἐὰν () ἀκούσωσιν () οἱ () ἄρχοντες () ὅτι () ἐλάλησά () σοι () καὶ () ἔλθωσιν () πρὸς () σὲ () καὶ () εἴπωσίν () σοι () Ἀνάγγειλον () ἡμῖν () τί () ἐλάλησέν () σοι () ὁ () βασιλεύς· () μὴ () κρύψῃς () ἀφ’ () ἡμῶν, () καὶ () οὐ () μὴ () ἀνέλωμέν () σε· () καὶ () τί () ἐλάλησεν () πρὸς () σὲ () ὁ () βασιλεύς; ()
[26] Καὶ () ἐρεῖς () αὐτοῖς () Ῥίπτω () ἐγὼ () τὸ () ἔλεός () μου () κατ’ () ὀφθαλμοὺς () τοῦ () βασιλέως () πρὸς () τὸ () μὴ () ἀποστρέψαι () με () εἰς () οἰκίαν () Ιωναθαν ἀποθανεῖν () ἐκεῖ. ()
[27] Καὶ () ἤλθοσαν () πάντες () οἱ () ἄρχοντες () πρὸς () Ιερεμιαν () καὶ () ἠρώτησαν () αὐτόν, () καὶ () ἀνήγγειλεν () αὐτοῖς () κατὰ () πάντας () τοὺς () λόγους () τούτους, () οὓς () ἐνετείλατο () αὐτῷ () ὁ () βασιλεύς· () καὶ () ἀπεσιώπησαν, ὅτι () οὐκ () ἠκούσθη () λόγος () κυρίου. ()
[28] Καὶ () ἐκάθισεν () Ιερεμιας () ἐν () τῇ () αὐλῇ () τῆς () φυλακῆς () ἕως () χρόνου () οὗ () συνελήμφθη () Ιερουσαλημ. ()

Jeremiah 38:1 Originally verse 45:1.
Jeremiah 38:2 Originally verse 45:2.
Jeremiah 38:3 Originally verse 45:3.
Jeremiah 38:4 Originally verse 45:4.
Jeremiah 38:5 Originally verse 45:5.
Jeremiah 38:6 Originally verse 45:6.
Jeremiah 38:7 Originally verse 45:7.
Jeremiah 38:8 Originally verse 45:8.
Jeremiah 38:9 Originally verse 45:9.
Jeremiah 38:10 Originally verse 45:10.
Jeremiah 38:11 Originally verse 45:11.
Jeremiah 38:12 Originally verse 45:12.
Jeremiah 38:13 Originally verse 45:13.
Jeremiah 38:14 Originally verse 45:14.
Jeremiah 38:15 Originally verse 45:15.
Jeremiah 38:16 Originally verse 45:16.
Jeremiah 38:17 Originally verse 45:17.
Jeremiah 38:18 Originally verse 45:18.
Jeremiah 38:19 Originally verse 45:19.
Jeremiah 38:20 Originally verse 45:20.
Jeremiah 38:21 Originally verse 45:21.
Jeremiah 38:22 Originally verse 45:22.
Jeremiah 38:23 Originally verse 45:23.
Jeremiah 38:24 Originally verse 45:24.
Jeremiah 38:25 Originally verse 45:25.
Jeremiah 38:26 Originally verse 45:26.
Jeremiah 38:27 Originally verse 45:27.
Jeremiah 38:28 Originally verse 45:28.

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, LLC, Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.