Bible Strands
Jeremiah 39:11
Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, saying,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Nebuchadnezzar issues a directive concerning Jeremiah to his captain of the guard, Nebuzaradan, immediately following the destruction of Jerusalem and the redistribution of land to the poor. This command establishes the administrative chain of custody before Nebuzaradan translates it into specific protective instructions for his officers.
The words — The Hebrew verb וַיְצַו (va-yṣav) means "he commanded," marking the formal royal decree. The prepositional phrase בְּ/יַד (bə-yad) translates as "by the hand of," designating Nebuzaradan as the delegated executor of the king's will.
The thread — The text's pattern of deliverance through appointed agency aligns with the promise in Jeremiah 15:21 that God will rescue Jeremiah from the grasp of the ruthless. The administrative guard structure mirrors the centurion's delegated custody in Acts 24:23, where Paul is kept under guard yet permitted freedom.
Why it lands — The passage requires a reader to observe that prophetic preservation operates through concrete political and military channels rather than abstract intervention. It demands attention to how authority is practically delegated to fulfill a stated purpose.
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
King James Version
Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar–adan the captain of the guard, saying,
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 15:21 I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”
- Acts 24:23 He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.
- Job 5:19 He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.
- Jeremiah 15:11 The LORD said: “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will intercede with your enemy in your time of trouble, in your time of distress.
- Jeremiah 37:2 But he and his officers and the people of the land refused to obey the words that the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.