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.’”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Ebed-melech, a Cushite official, during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. The statement follows a warning that remaining in the city guarantees death by sword, famine, or plague.

The words — מַלֵּט (maLet) and אֲמַלֵטְךָ ('amaletkha) carry the literal sense of deliverance and rescue. The text states the speaker will certainly rescue the listener so he does not fall by the sword.

The thread — The promise of preservation for the trusting aligns with Psalms 34:22, which declares that none who take refuge in the LORD will be condemned. It stands in direct contrast to Jeremiah 21:9 and Jeremiah 38:2, which warn that staying in the city brings death while surrendering offers survival.

Why it lands — The verse demands a reader to recognize that survival depends on trusting the speaker rather than relying on human defenses. It establishes that faithfulness yields preservation while defiance yields destruction.

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

כִּ֤יkifor מַלֵּט֙ma.Letcertainly <rescue>אֲמַלֶּטְךָ֔'a.ma.let./KhaI will rescue/ you וּבַחֶ֖רֶבu./va./Che.revand/ by the/ sword לֹ֣אlo'not תִפֹּ֑לti.Polyou will fall וְהָיְתָ֨הve./ha.ye.Tahand/ it will belongלְךָ֤le./Khato <the>/ youנַפְשְׁךָ֙naf.she./Khalife/ your לְשָׁלָ֔לle./sha.Lalto/ plunder כִּֽי־ki-for בָטַ֥חְתָּva.Tach.tayou trustedבִּ֖יb/iin <the>/ meנְאֻם־ne.'um-[the] utterance of יְהוָֽה׃ סYah.wehYahweh

King James Version

For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord.

Cross-references

Psalms 34:22 The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
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 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.
Ephesians 1:12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
Psalms 84:12 O LORD of Hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!
1 Chronicles 5:20 And because they cried out to God in battle, they were helped against their enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were delivered into their hands. Because they put their trust in God, He answered their prayers.
Psalms 147:11 The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.
Psalms 33:18 Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His loving devotion
Psalms 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Psalms 37:39 The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble.