Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

JEREMIAH 38:17KJV
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Jeremiah 38:17 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 38:17 mean?

Jeremiah 38:17 records the prophet Jeremiah telling King Zedekiah that if he willingly surrenders to the officials of the king of Babylon, both his life and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from destruction by fire, and his family will survive. The verse presents a clear choice: surrender leads to life and safety, while resistance will bring disaster.

Jeremiah is speaking directly to Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. The situation is tense—Babylon’s army surrounds the city, and Jeremiah delivers a message from God (the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel) offering a way to avoid catastrophe. This is a pivotal moment, as Jeremiah’s words give Zedekiah a chance to save himself, his family, and the city, but only if he obeys God’s instruction to surrender.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 38:17

  • "Assuredly go forth" comes from the Hebrew יָצָא (yatsa’), which is repeated for emphasis in the original. This stresses that Zedekiah must truly and willingly leave the city to the Babylonian officials, not just consider it.
  • "Soul" is נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), which often means "life" or "self" in Hebrew. Here, it highlights that Zedekiah’s very life is at stake, not just his position or comfort.
  • "Burned with fire" uses the Hebrew שָׂרַף (saraph) for "burned" and אֵשׁ (esh) for "fire." The language is vivid, emphasizing the real and total destruction that will come if Zedekiah refuses to surrender.

Why Jeremiah 38:17 matters

  • Jeremiah 38:17 clarifies that God’s offer of mercy is still open, even at the last moment, if Zedekiah will humble himself and surrender.
  • The verse shows that the fate of the city and the king’s family hinges on a single decision, underlining personal responsibility in a national crisis.
  • This moment connects to the broader story of Jerusalem’s fall, showing that the destruction was not inevitable—there was a real chance for rescue if the king had listened.

Where else these words appear

“Zedekiah” Hebrew H6667 · used in 62 verses

  • 1 Kings 22:11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
  • Jeremiah 27:12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.
  • Jeremiah 38:5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.

“burned” Hebrew H8313 · used in 107 verses

  • Genesis 11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
  • Joshua 7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
  • Nehemiah 4:2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

“Jeremiah” Hebrew H3414 · used in 133 verses

  • 2 Kings 23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
  • Jeremiah 28:15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
  • Jeremiah 38:7 Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;