So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.
JEREMIAH 38:23KJVWhat does Jeremiah 38:23 mean?
Jeremiah 38:23 predicts that all of King Zedekiah’s wives and children will be handed over to the Chaldeans (Babylonians), and that Zedekiah himself will not escape but will be captured by the king of Babylon, resulting in Jerusalem being burned. The verse is a warning of personal and national disaster as a consequence of ignoring God’s message.
The prophet Jeremiah is speaking to King Zedekiah during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. Jeremiah warns Zedekiah that if he refuses to surrender, his family will be taken by the enemy, he will be captured, and the city will be destroyed by fire. This is part of Jeremiah’s larger message urging the king to submit to Babylon to avoid even greater suffering.
The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 38:23
- "Out" (יָצָא, yatsa'): This word means "to bring out" or "to lead out." Here, it emphasizes that Zedekiah’s family will be forcibly removed from safety and delivered to the enemy, not simply left behind.
- "Chaldeans" (כַּשְׂדִּים, Kasdim): This term refers specifically to the Babylonians, highlighting that the threat is from a powerful and well-known foreign empire.
- "Hand" (יָד, yad): Used twice in this verse, "hand" often symbolizes power or control. The verse stresses that Zedekiah will be firmly under the power of the Babylonian king, unable to escape by his own strength.
- "Burned" (שָׂרַף, saraph) and "fire" (אֵשׁ, esh): These words together make clear that the destruction of the city will be total and violent, not just a takeover but a burning.
Why Jeremiah 38:23 matters
- This verse clears up any hope that Zedekiah could escape the consequences of his choices; it is a direct and personal warning, not just a general prophecy about the city.
- The verse highlights the seriousness of ignoring God’s warnings through His prophet, showing that both the royal family and the city itself will suffer.
- Jeremiah 38:23 connects to the larger story of Jerusalem’s fall, making clear that the disaster is not random but a result of specific decisions and actions by the king.