Jeremiah 38:4

Then the officials said to the king, “This man ought to die, for he is discouraging the warriors who remain in this city, as well as all the people, by speaking such words to them; this man is not seeking the well-being of these people, but their ruin.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The officials address King Zedekiah immediately after Jeremiah pronounces Jerusalem's imminent capture by Babylon. They demand the king execute Jeremiah for undermining the morale of the remaining soldiers and citizens.

The words — The Hebrew verb י֣וּמַת (Yu.mat) literally means "let him be put to death," framing the demand as a direct execution order. The officials pair this with אֶת\־ הָ/אִ֣ישׁ (et- ha./'Ish), "the man," reducing a prophetic figure to a mere object of state security.

The thread — This charge of deserving death for prophetic warning appears in Jeremiah 26:11, where priests and leaders make identical accusations. A parallel structure surfaces in Acts 16:20, where accusers bring charges before civil authorities to halt a disruptive message.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to recognize how institutional leaders weaponize fear to silence inconvenient truth. It demands a clear assessment of whether one prioritizes political stability over accountability to a warning.

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

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּva/i.yo.me.Ruand/ they said הַשָּׂרִ֜יםha./sa.Rimthe/ officials אֶל־'el-to הַמֶּ֗לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ king י֣וּמַתYu.matlet him be put to death נָא֮na'please אֶת־'et-<obj.>הָאִ֣ישׁha./'Ishthe/ man הַזֶּה֒ha./Zeh<the>/ this כִּֽי־ki-for עַל־'al-since כֵּ֡ןken<thus>הֽוּא־hu'-he מְרַפֵּ֡אme.ra.Pe'[is] making drop אֶת־'et-<obj.>יְדֵי֩ye.Dei[the] hands of אַנְשֵׁ֨י'an.Shei[the] men of הַמִּלְחָמָ֜הha./mil.cha.Mah<the>/ war הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים׀ha./nish.'a.Rimwho/ remain בָּעִ֣ירba./'Irin the/ city הַזֹּ֗אתha./Zot<the>/ this וְאֵת֙ve./'Etand/ <obj.>יְדֵ֣יye.Dei[the] hands of כָל־khol-all הָעָ֔םha./'Amthe/ people לְדַבֵּ֣רle./da.Berby/ speaking אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם'a.lei./Hemto/ them כַּדְּבָרִ֖יםka./de.va.Rimaccording to the/ words הָאֵ֑לֶּהha./'E.leh<the>/ these כִּ֣י׀kithat הָאִ֣ישׁha./'Ishthe/ man הַזֶּ֗הha./Zeh<the>/ this אֵינֶ֨נּוּ'ei.Ne./nunot/ he דֹרֵ֧שׁdo.Resh[is] seeking לְשָׁל֛וֹםle./sha.Lomfor/ welfare לָעָ֥םla./'Amfor the/ people הַזֶּ֖הha./Zeh<the>/ this כִּ֥יkithat אִם־'im-except לְרָעָֽה׃le./ra.'Ahfor/ harm

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 26:11 Then the priests and prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man is worthy of death, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears!”
Acts 16:20 They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil
Exodus 5:4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!”
1 Kings 18:17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
1 Kings 21:20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
Nehemiah 6:9 For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.
Jeremiah 29:7 Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you as exiles. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
Amos 7:10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words,
2 Chronicles 24:21 But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.
Ezra 4:12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring its walls and repairing its foundations.