For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.
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Commentary for Jeremiah 38:3
Jeremiah 38:3 is a verse set within the broader context of the prophetic book of Jeremiah, which details the prophecies and experiences of Jeremiah during the last days of the Kingdom of Judah. This verse reflects a period of intense political and spiritual upheaval, as the Babylonian Empire is threatening Jerusalem and the sovereignty of Judah.
In this specific verse, the prophet Jeremiah delivers a divine message from the Lord, stating unequivocally that the city of Jerusalem will fall to the king of Babylon's army. This prophecy is part of a larger narrative where Jeremiah is called by God to warn the people of Judah and their leaders about the impending consequences of their disobedience and idolatry. The verse encapsulates the themes of divine judgment, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the reality of historical events that are presented throughout the book of Jeremiah.
Historically, this verse speaks to the period leading up to the siege of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar's forces in 587 BCE. Despite Jeremiah's warnings, the leaders and people of Judah had largely ignored the prophet's messages, leading to a catastrophic outcome. The fall of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile to Babylon were significant events in Jewish history, profoundly impacting the religious and cultural identity of the Israelites. Jeremiah 38:3 is a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the reliability of divine prophecy, even when it foretells calamity and suffering.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
Strong's Number: H559 There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אָמַר Transliteration: ʼâmar Pronunciation: aw-mar' Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
Strong's Number: H3068 There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יְהֹוָה Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw' Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
Strong's Number: H5892 There are 937 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: עִיר Transliteration: ʻîyr Pronunciation: eer Description: or (in the plural) עָר; or עָיַר; (Judges 10:4), from עוּר; a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post); Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
Strong's Number: H5414 There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: נָתַן Transliteration: nâthan Pronunciation: naw-than' Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
Strong's Number: H3027 There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יָד Transliteration: yâd Pronunciation: yawd Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
Strong's Number: H4428 There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: מֶלֶךְ Transliteration: melek Pronunciation: meh'-lek Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal.
Strong's Number: H894 There are 233 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: בָּבֶל Transliteration: Bâbel Pronunciation: baw-bel' Description: from בָּלַל; confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire; Babel, Babylon.
Strong's Number: H2428 There are 228 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: חַיִל Transliteration: chayil Pronunciation: khah'-yil Description: from חוּל; probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength; able, activity, ([phrase]) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, ([phrase]) valiant(-ly), valour, virtuous(-ly), war, worthy(-ily).
Strong's Number: H3920 There are 112 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: לָכַד Transliteration: lâkad Pronunciation: law-kad' Description: a primitive root; to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere; [idiom] at all, catch (self), be frozen, be holden, stick together, take.