Jeremiah 21:9

Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who besiege you will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jeremiah relays a divine declaration to Jerusalem’s inhabitants during the Babylonian siege. He presents the situation as a binary choice between the way of life and the way of death.

The words — יָמ֕וּת (ya.Mut) translates literally as “he will die,” establishing the fixed outcome of resistance. וְ/הַ/יּוֹצֵא (ve./hai./yo.Tze') means “and the [one who] goes out,” specifying the exact physical action required for preservation.

The thread — This warning repeats in Jeremiah 38:2, which mirrors the identical threat of sword, famine, and plague. The contrast between divine judgment on the city and rescue for those who trust God connects to Jeremiah 39:18 and Jeremiah 45:5.

Why it lands — The text demands a practical decision to abandon defensive postures and submit to the besieging force. It requires readers to recognize that survival depends on obeying the stated condition rather than relying on human strategy.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הַיֹּשֵׁב֙hai./yo.Shevthe/ [one who] remains בָּעִ֣ירba./'Irin the/ city הַזֹּ֔אתha./Zot<the>/ this יָמ֕וּתya.Muthe will die בַּחֶ֖רֶבba./Che.revby the/ sword וּבָרָעָ֣בu./va./ra.'Avand/ by <the>/ famine וּבַדָּ֑בֶרu./va./Da.verand/ by <the>/ pestilence וְהַיּוֹצֵא֩ve./hai./yo.Tze'and/ the/ [one who] goes out וְנָפַ֨לve./na.Faland/ he will fall עַל־'al-on הַכַּשְׂדִּ֜יםha./kas.Dimthe/ Chaldeans הַצָּרִ֤יםha./tza.Rimwho/ are laying siege עֲלֵיכֶם֙'a.lei./Khemon/ you וְחָיָ֔הve./cha.yahand/ he will live וְהָֽיְתָה־ve./ha.ye.tah-and/ it will belongלּ֥וֹl/oto <the>/ himנַפְשׁ֖וֹnaf.Sh/olife/ his לְשָׁלָֽל׃le./sha.Lalto/ plunder

King James Version

He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 38:2 “This is what the LORD says: Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war, and he will live.
Jeremiah 39:18 For I will surely rescue you so that you do not fall by the sword. Because you have trusted in Me, you will escape with your life like a spoil of war, declares the LORD.’”
Jeremiah 45:5 But as for you, do you seek great things for yourself? Stop seeking! For I will bring disaster on every living creature, declares the LORD, but wherever you go, I will grant your life as a spoil of war.”
Jeremiah 14:12 Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
Jeremiah 38:17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive.
Jeremiah 21:7 ‘After that,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officers, and the people in this city who survive the plague and sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will not spare them or show pity or compassion.’
Jeremiah 27:13 Why should you and your people die by sword and famine and plague, as the LORD has decreed against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon?