And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.
JEREMIAH 38:22KJVWhat does Jeremiah 38:22 mean?
Jeremiah 38:22 describes a scene where the women remaining in the royal household of Judah will be handed over to the Babylonian officials, and these women will declare that the king’s trusted friends have betrayed him, leaving him helpless and abandoned. The verse uses the image of the king’s feet being stuck in the mud to show his defeat and isolation.
In this verse, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to King Zedekiah of Judah during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. Jeremiah warns that if the king does not surrender, the remaining women in his palace will be taken by Babylon’s princes, and they will openly say that his allies have deceived and deserted him. The verse paints a vivid picture of humiliation and betrayal, emphasizing the complete collapse of the king’s support.
The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 38:22
- The word for "women" is אִשָּׁה (ishah, H802), which here refers specifically to the royal women left in the palace—likely family members and attendants—emphasizing the personal cost of the king’s downfall.
- The phrase "thy friends" uses two words: אִישׁ (ish, H582, meaning "man" or "friend") and שָׁלוֹם (shalom, H7965, meaning "peace" or "well-being"). Together, they point to those the king trusted for safety, highlighting the irony that these supposed friends have become his undoing.
- "Feet" is רֶגֶל (regel, H7272), and "sunk" is טָבַע (tava, H2883), with "mire" being טִיט (tit, H1206). This phrase gives a strong image of helplessness, as if the king is trapped and unable to escape, deepening the sense of despair.
- The phrase "turned away back" uses סוּג (sug, H5472) and אָחוֹר (achor, H268), meaning to retreat or turn away, showing that those who once stood with the king have now abandoned him.
Why Jeremiah 38:22 matters
- Jeremiah 38:22 clarifies that the king’s downfall is not just due to outside enemies but also because of betrayal by those he trusted most, making his defeat more personal and painful.
- The verse highlights the humiliation that will come upon the royal family, especially the women, showing the total collapse of the king’s household and the consequences of ignoring prophetic warnings.
- This verse connects to the wider message of Jeremiah, where trusting in unreliable allies and refusing to heed God’s word leads to disaster, reinforcing the prophet’s warnings to Zedekiah and Jerusalem.