Jeremiah 37:10
New International Version
Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down.”

New Living Translation
Even if you were to destroy the entire Babylonian army, leaving only a handful of wounded survivors, they would still stagger from their tents and burn this city to the ground!”

English Standard Version
For even if you should defeat the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men, every man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

Berean Standard Bible
Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire army of the Chaldeans that is fighting against you, and only wounded men remained in their tents, they would still get up and burn this city down.”

King James Bible
For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

New King James Version
For though you had defeated the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained only wounded men among them, they would rise up, every man in his tent, and burn the city with fire.’ ”

New American Standard Bible
For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men left among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

NASB 1995
For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men left among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

NASB 1977
‘For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men left among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

Legacy Standard Bible
For even if you had struck down the entire military force of the Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men remaining among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

Amplified Bible
For even if you had defeated the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained only the wounded men among them, yet they would rise up, every man confined in his tent, and burn down this city with fire.’”

Christian Standard Bible
Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire Chaldean army that is fighting with you, and there remained among them only the badly wounded men, each in his tent, they would get up and burn this city.’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire Chaldean army that is fighting with you, and there remained among them only the badly wounded men, each in his tent, they would get up and burn this city down.”

American Standard Version
For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

Contemporary English Version
Even if you could defeat their entire army, their wounded survivors would still be able to leave their tents and set Jerusalem on fire.

English Revised Version
For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Even if you would defeat the entire Babylonian army so that they had only a few badly wounded men left in their tents, they would get up and burn down this city.'"

Good News Translation
Even if you defeat the whole Babylonian army, so that only wounded men are left, lying in their tents, they would still get up and burn this city to the ground."

International Standard Version
Indeed, even if you defeated the entire Chaldean army that is fighting against you, and they had only wounded men left in their tents, they would get up and burn this city with fire.'"'"

Majority Standard Bible
Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire army of the Chaldeans that is fighting against you, and only wounded men remained in their tents, they would still get up and burn this city down.”

NET Bible
For even if you were to defeat all the Babylonian forces fighting against you so badly that only wounded men were left lying in their tents, they would get up and burn this city down."'"

New Heart English Bible
For though you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yes would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire."'"

Webster's Bible Translation
For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

World English Bible
For though you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and only wounded men remained among them, they would each rise up in his tent and burn this city with fire.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for though you had struck all the force of the Chaldeans who are fighting with you, and there were left of them wounded men—they rise, each in his tent, and have burned this city with fire.”

Young's Literal Translation
for though ye had smitten all the force of the Chaldeans who are fighting with you, and there were left of them wounded men -- each in his tent -- they rise, and have burnt this city with fire.'

Smith's Literal Translation
For if ye struck all the army of the Chaldeans warring with you, and men thrust through remained among them, they shall arise a man in his tent and burn this city in fire.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if you should even beat al: the army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there should be left of them some wounded men: they shall rise up, every man from his tent, and burn this city with Are.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But even if you were to strike down the entire army of the Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and if there were left behind from among them only a few wounded men, they would rise up, each one from his tent, and they would burn this city with fire.”

New American Bible
Even if you could defeat the whole Chaldean army that is now attacking you, and only the wounded remained, each in his tent, these would rise up and destroy the city with fire.

New Revised Standard Version
Even if you defeated the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men in their tents, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For even if you should destroy the whole army of Chaldeans that is fighting against you and there remained but wounded men among them, yet they would rise up every man from his tent and burn this city with fire.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because if you destroy all the army of the Chaldeans who fight with you, and men who are wounded shall be left among them, they would arise, each man, from his tent, and would burn this city in fire’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And though ye should smite the whole host of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there should be left a few wounded men, these should rise up each in his place, and burn this city with fire.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah
9This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves by saying, ‘The Chaldeans will go away for good,’ for they will not! 10Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire army of the Chaldeans that is fighting against you, and only wounded men remained in their tents, they would still get up and burn this city down.”

Cross References
2 Kings 19:31-34
For a remnant will go forth from Jerusalem, and survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. / So this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria: ‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow into it. He will not come before it with a shield or build up a siege ramp against it. / He will go back the way he came, and he will not enter this city, declares the LORD. ...

Isaiah 37:33-35
So this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria: ‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow into it. He will not come before it with a shield or build up a siege ramp against it. / He will go back the way he came, and he will not enter this city,’ declares the LORD. / ‘I will defend this city and save it for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”

2 Chronicles 32:21
and the LORD sent an angel who annihilated every mighty man of valor and every leader and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down with the sword.

Isaiah 10:32-34
Yet today they will halt at Nob, shaking a fist at the mount of Daughter Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem. / Behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts will lop off the branches with terrifying power. The tall trees will be cut down, the lofty ones will be felled. / He will clear the forest thickets with an axe, and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.

Zechariah 12:8-9
On that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them. / So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

2 Kings 19:35-37
And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! / So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. / One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.

Isaiah 31:4-5
For this is what the LORD has said to me: “Like a lion roaring or a young lion over its prey—and though a band of shepherds is called out against it, it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their clamor—so the LORD of Hosts will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and its heights. / Like birds hovering overhead, so the LORD of Hosts will protect Jerusalem. He will shield it and deliver it; He will pass over it and preserve it.”

Isaiah 30:31-33
For Assyria will be shattered at the voice of the LORD; He will strike them with His scepter. / And with every stroke of the rod of punishment that the LORD brings down on them, the tambourines and lyres will sound as He battles with weapons brandished. / For Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made ready for the king. Its funeral pyre is deep and wide, with plenty of fire and wood. The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze.

Isaiah 14:24-27
The LORD of Hosts has sworn: “Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand. / I will break Assyria in My land; I will trample him on My mountain. His yoke will be taken off My people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.” / This is the plan devised for the whole earth, and this is the hand stretched out over all the nations. ...

Isaiah 8:9-10
Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered! / Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Revelation 19:19-21
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army. / But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. / And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”


Treasury of Scripture

For though you had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

though.

Jeremiah 21:4-7
Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city…

Jeremiah 49:20
Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them.

Jeremiah 50:45
Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.

wounded men.

Jeremiah 51:4
Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.

Isaiah 13:15
Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

Isaiah 14:19
But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

yet.

Joel 2:11
And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

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Army Burn Chaldeans City Defeated Entire Fight Fighting Fire Rise Smitten Struck Tent Whole Wounded
Jeremiah 37
1. The Egyptians having raised the siege of the Chaldeans,
3. king Zedekiah sends to Jeremiah to pray for the people.
6. Jeremiah prophesies the Chaldeans' certain return and victory.
11. He is taken for a fugitive, beaten, and put in prison.
16. He assures Zedekiah of the captivity.
18. Entreating for his liberty, he obtains some favor.














For even if you were to defeat
This phrase sets the stage for a hypothetical scenario, emphasizing the futility of Judah's efforts against God's declared judgment. The Hebrew root for "defeat" is "נכה" (nakah), which often implies a decisive strike or blow. Historically, this reflects the overconfidence of Judah's leaders, who believed they could overcome Babylonian forces through alliances or military might, ignoring the prophetic warnings given by Jeremiah.

the entire army of the Chaldeans
The "Chaldeans" refers to the Babylonians, a dominant power in the ancient Near East during Jeremiah's time. The Chaldeans were known for their military prowess and strategic conquests. Archaeological findings, such as Babylonian chronicles, confirm their extensive campaigns and dominance. This phrase underscores the formidable nature of the enemy, highlighting the improbability of Judah's success without divine intervention.

who are fighting against you
This phrase indicates the active conflict between Judah and Babylon. The Hebrew verb "לחם" (lacham) means to engage in battle or warfare. The historical context is the siege of Jerusalem, a pivotal event that led to the city's eventual fall. This ongoing struggle serves as a backdrop for Jeremiah's prophecy, illustrating the dire circumstances faced by Judah.

and only wounded men were left in their tents
The imagery of "wounded men" suggests a scenario where even the weakest remnants of the Babylonian army could accomplish God's purpose. The Hebrew word for "wounded" is "חלל" (chalal), often used to describe those who are pierced or fatally injured. This hyperbolic statement emphasizes the certainty of Jerusalem's destruction, regardless of human efforts to prevent it.

they would rise up and burn this city down
The phrase "rise up" implies an unexpected resurgence or empowerment, even from those incapacitated. The Hebrew root "קום" (qum) conveys the idea of standing or establishing. "Burn this city down" is a vivid depiction of total destruction, aligning with the prophetic warnings of Jerusalem's fate. Historically, the burning of Jerusalem in 586 BC by the Babylonians is a well-documented event, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy. This serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of disobedience to God's commands.

Verse 10. - Even if the Jews had defeated the whole Chaldean army, and there remained but a group of sorely wounded men, these in their weakness would be enabled to carry out God's sure purpose. But wounded men hardly brings out the force of the Hebrew; the word rendered "men" is emphatic, and expresses paucity of numbers, and that rendered "wounded" is, literally, pierced through.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Indeed,
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

if
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you were to strike down
הִכִּיתֶ֞ם (hik·kî·ṯem)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5221: To strike

the entire
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

army
חֵ֤יל (ḥêl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2428: A force, an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength

of the Chaldeans
כַּשְׂדִּים֙ (kaś·dîm)
Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3778: Chaldeans -- a region of southern Babylon and its inhab

that is fighting
הַנִּלְחָמִ֣ים (han·nil·ḥā·mîm)
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3898: To feed on, to consume, to battle

against you
אִתְּכֶ֔ם (’it·tə·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

and only wounded
מְדֻקָּרִ֑ים (mə·ḏuq·qā·rîm)
Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 1856: To stab, to starve, to revile

men
אֲנָשִׁ֖ים (’ă·nā·šîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

remained
וְנִ֨שְׁאֲרוּ (wə·niš·’ă·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7604: To swell up, be, redundant

in their tents,
בְּאָהֳלוֹ֙ (bə·’ā·ho·lōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 168: A tent

they would still get up
יָק֔וּמוּ (yā·qū·mū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

and burn this
הַזֹּ֖את (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

city
הָעִ֥יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

down.”
וְשָֽׂרְפ֛וּ (wə·śā·rə·p̄ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8313: To be, on fire


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 37:10 For though you had struck the whole (Jer.)
Jeremiah 37:9
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