Jeremiah 38:25

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:

But if the princes {H8269} hear {H8085} that I have talked {H1696} with thee, and they come {H935} unto thee, and say {H559} unto thee, Declare {H5046} unto us now what thou hast said {H1696} unto the king {H4428}, hide {H3582} it not from us, and we will not put thee to death {H4191}; also what the king {H4428} said {H1696} unto thee:

If the officials hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you and say, 'Tell us now what you said to the king; don't hide it from us, or we will put you to death, and also what the king said to you,'

If the officials hear that I have spoken with you, and they come and demand of you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what he said to you; do not hide it from us, or we will kill you,’

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:

Commentary

Jeremiah 38:25 captures a tense and revealing moment between King Zedekiah and the prophet Jeremiah during the final days of Jerusalem before its fall to Babylon. This verse is part of a secret conversation where the king, deeply afraid of his own officials, instructs Jeremiah on how to deal with potential interrogation by the princes.

Context of Jeremiah 38:25

By this point in Jeremiah's ministry, Jerusalem was under siege by the Babylonian army. Jeremiah had consistently prophesied that the city would fall and urged King Zedekiah to surrender to Babylon, a message that was highly unpopular with the city's officials and military leaders. For these prophecies, Jeremiah had been unjustly imprisoned, even thrown into a mire, only to be rescued by Ebed-melech the Ethiopian (Jeremiah 38:13). King Zedekiah, though weak and indecisive, secretly sought Jeremiah's counsel, hoping for a different word from the Lord. However, Jeremiah reiterated God's command to surrender for the city's survival. Fearing the wrath of his princes, Zedekiah then makes Jeremiah promise to keep their conversation a secret, outlining the specific deceptive response found in verse 25.

Understanding the Verse

This verse directly quotes King Zedekiah's instruction to Jeremiah. The king anticipates that his princes will hear about their secret meeting and will question Jeremiah. To protect himself from the princes' anger and maintain his fragile authority, Zedekiah devises a partial truth for Jeremiah to tell them. Jeremiah is to claim that their discussion was solely about his plea not to be returned to the house of Jonathan the scribe, where he had suffered greatly (Jeremiah 37:15). The king even promises Jeremiah safety ("we will not put thee to death") if he complies with this strategic concealment of the true, politically sensitive message about surrender. This reveals Zedekiah's profound weakness and his prioritization of personal safety and political expediency over God's clear directive.

Key Themes

  • Fear and Political Pressure: Zedekiah's actions are driven by his deep apprehension of the powerful princes, who had previously sought Jeremiah's death (Jeremiah 38:4). This illustrates how fear can lead to compromise and flawed leadership.
  • Compromise and Deception: The king, instead of embracing God's truth and acting decisively, proposes a calculated concealment of the full conversation. He asks Jeremiah to participate in a lie of omission, which undermines integrity and trust.
  • The Prophet's Dilemma: Jeremiah is placed in an incredibly difficult position, caught between a divine mandate to speak truth and the demands of a fearful king. While the text doesn't explicitly state Jeremiah lied, it shows him following Zedekiah's specific instructions, which allowed the king to save face while the divine message remained largely unheard by the populace.

Linguistic Insight

The phrase "hide it not from us" uses the Hebrew root kāḥad (כחד), which means to conceal, withhold, or keep secret. Ironically, Zedekiah uses this very term while instructing Jeremiah to conceal the most crucial part of their discussion—God's message regarding surrender to Babylon. This highlights the king's desperate attempt to manipulate information for political survival rather than facing the truth.

Practical Application

This passage offers valuable insights into human nature and leadership, applicable even today:

  • Integrity Under Pressure: It challenges us to consider how we respond when faced with pressure to compromise truth for personal gain, social acceptance, or political expediency. Like Jeremiah, believers are called to prioritize God's truth, even when it is unpopular or dangerous.
  • Consequences of Fear-Driven Decisions: Zedekiah's fear-driven decisions ultimately led to his capture, the blinding of his eyes, and the destruction of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 39:7). This serves as a stark reminder that relying on human schemes over divine wisdom often leads to disastrous outcomes.
  • The Nature of Truth: The narrative underscores that partial truths or deceptions, even when intended to mitigate immediate danger, can have far-reaching negative consequences and impede the fulfillment of God's will.
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Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 38:27 (3 votes)

    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.

  • Jeremiah 38:4 (3 votes)

    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.

  • Jeremiah 38:6 (3 votes)

    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.