Jeremiah 38:19 But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me."

Bible > Jeremiah > Chapter 38 > Verse 19

◄ Jeremiah 38:19 ►

New International Version
King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have gone over to the Babylonians, for the Babylonians may hand me over to them and they will mistreat me.”

New Living Translation
“But I am afraid to surrender,” the king said, “for the Babylonians may hand me over to the Judeans who have defected to them. And who knows what they will do to me!”

English Standard Version
King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me.”

Berean Standard Bible
But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me.”

King James Bible
And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

New King James Version
And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they abuse me.”

New American Standard Bible
Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am in fear of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for they may hand me over to them, and they will abuse me.”

NASB 1995
Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I dread the Jews who have gone over to the Chaldeans, for they may give me over into their hand and they will abuse me.”

NASB 1977
Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I dread the Jews who have gone over to the Chaldeans, lest they give me over into their hand and they abuse me.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am anxious because of the Jews who have gone over to the Chaldeans, lest they give me over into their hand and they deal severely with me.”

Amplified Bible
Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews [my former subjects] who have deserted to join the Chaldeans, for the enemy may put me into their hand and they will mock me and abuse me.”

Christian Standard Bible
But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am worried about the Judeans who have defected to the Chaldeans. They may hand me over to the Judeans to abuse me.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am worried about the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans. They may hand me over to the Judeans to abuse me.”

American Standard Version
And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen away to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

Contemporary English Version
Zedekiah answered, "I can't surrender to the Babylonians. I'm too afraid of the people of Judah who have already joined them. The Babylonians might hand me over to them, and they would torture me."

English Revised Version
And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen away to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
King Zedekiah answered Jeremiah, "I'm afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Babylonians. The Babylonians may hand me over to them, and they will torture me."

Good News Translation
But the king answered, "I am afraid of our own people who have deserted to the Babylonians. I may be handed over to them and tortured."

International Standard Version
Then King Zedekiah told Jeremiah, "I'm afraid of the Judeans who have gone over to the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans may turn me over to them, and they may treat me harshly."

Majority Standard Bible
But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me.”

NET Bible
Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Babylonians. The Babylonians might hand me over to them and they will torture me."

New Heart English Bible
Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Jews who are fallen away to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that have fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

World English Bible
Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And King Zedekiah says to Jeremiah, “I am fearing the Jews who have fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they give me into their hand, and they have insulted me.”

Young's Literal Translation
And the king Zedekiah saith unto Jeremiah, 'I am fearing the Jews who have fallen unto the Chaldeans, lest they give me into their hand, and they have insulted me.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And king Zedekiah will say to Jeremiah, I fear the Jews who fell to the Chaldeans, lest they shall give me into their hand and they illtreated me.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And king Sedecias said to Jeremias: I am afraid because of the Jews that are fled over to the Chaldeans: lest I should be delivered into their hands, and they should abuse me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And king Zedekiah said to Jeremiah: “I am anxious, because of the Jews who have crossed over to the Chaldeans, lest perhaps I may be delivered into their hands, and they may abuse me.”

New American Bible
King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judahites who have deserted to the Chaldeans; I could be handed over to them, and they will mistreat me.”

New Revised Standard Version
King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for I might be handed over to them and they would abuse me.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, I am afraid, because of the Jews, to go forth to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hands and they mock me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And King Tsedeqia said to Jeremiah: “I am afraid of the Hebrews to go to the Chaldeans, lest they will hand me over into their hands and they will molest me”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah: 'I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen away to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king said to Jeremias, I consider the Jews that have gone over to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hands, and they mock me.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jeremiah Rescued
…18But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’ ” 19But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me.” 20“They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the voice of the LORD in what I am telling you, that it may go well with you and you may live.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Jeremiah 37:17
Later, King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah and received him in his palace, where he asked him privately, “Is there a word from the LORD?” “There is,” Jeremiah replied. “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”

Jeremiah 39:9
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away to Babylon the remnant of the people who had remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to him.

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.

Jeremiah 52:15
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the craftsmen.

2 Kings 25:11
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the population.

2 Kings 25:4-7
Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah, / but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and his whole army deserted him. / The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they pronounced judgment on him. ...

Lamentations 1:3
Judah has gone into exile under affliction and harsh slavery; she dwells among the nations but finds no place to rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress.

Lamentations 4:17
All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us.

Ezekiel 12:13
But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die.

Ezekiel 17:20-21
I will spread My net over him and catch him in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there for the treason he committed against Me. / All his choice troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.’

Isaiah 36:16-17
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and his own fig tree, and drink water from his own cistern, / until I come and take you away to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

Isaiah 39:6-7
The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. / And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

2 Chronicles 36:17-20
So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, / who carried off everything to Babylon—all the articles of the house of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king and his officials. / Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value. ...

Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 16:25
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Treasury of Scripture

And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

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.

1 Samuel 15:24
And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

Job 31:34
Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

mock.

Jeremiah 38:22
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.

Judges 9:54
Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

Judges 16:25
And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

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Jeremiah 38

1. Jeremiah, by a false suggestion, is put into the dungeon of Malchiah.
7. Ebed-Melech, by suit, gets him some enlargement.
14. Upon secret conference, he counsels the king by yielding to save his life.
24. By the king's instructions he conceals the conference from the princes.

Berean Study Bible

But King Zedekiah
King Zedekiah was the last king of Judah before the Babylonian conquest. His reign was marked by political instability and spiritual decline. The name "Zedekiah" means "Yahweh is righteousness," yet his actions often contradicted this meaning. Historically, Zedekiah was appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, which placed him in a precarious position between loyalty to Babylon and the desires of his own people. His fear and indecision are central to this verse, reflecting the broader theme of leadership under divine judgment.

said to Jeremiah
Jeremiah, known as the "weeping prophet," was called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to Judah. His relationship with Zedekiah was complex; Jeremiah was both a spiritual advisor and a political thorn. The Hebrew root for "said" (אָמַר, 'amar) implies a declaration or proclamation, indicating the seriousness of Zedekiah's inquiry. Jeremiah's role as a prophet was to speak truth, regardless of the personal cost, embodying the courage and faithfulness expected of God's messengers.

I am afraid
Fear is a recurring theme in the Bible, often juxtaposed with faith. Zedekiah's fear highlights his lack of trust in God's sovereignty and protection. The Hebrew word for "afraid" (יָרֵא, yare) can also mean reverence or awe, but here it underscores Zedekiah's anxiety and lack of faith. This fear contrasts with the biblical call to "fear not," a reminder that trust in God should overcome worldly fears.

of the Jews who have gone over to the Chaldeans
This phrase refers to the Judeans who defected to the Babylonians, seeking safety or favor. Historically, this was a time of great division and betrayal within Judah. The Chaldeans, synonymous with the Babylonians, were seen as both oppressors and instruments of God's judgment. Zedekiah's fear of his own people reflects the internal strife and mistrust that plagued Judah, a nation under divine discipline for its disobedience.

for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands
Zedekiah's concern about being handed over to his own people by the Chaldeans reveals his deep-seated insecurity and the political intrigue of the time. The Chaldeans, as conquerors, held the power to decide the fate of their vassal kings. This fear of betrayal and retribution underscores the consequences of Zedekiah's rebellion against Babylon and his failure to heed God's warnings through Jeremiah.

to abuse me
The potential abuse Zedekiah feared could include humiliation, torture, or execution. The Hebrew root for "abuse" (עָלַל, 'alal) suggests maltreatment or mockery. This fear of physical and psychological harm reflects the brutal realities of ancient Near Eastern warfare and politics. Spiritually, it symbolizes the ultimate consequence of turning away from God's protection and guidance, a fate that Zedekiah sought to avoid but could not escape due to his lack of faith and obedience.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) I am afraid of the Jews . . .--The special form of fear was characteristic of the weak and vacillating king. It was not enough to know that his life would be safe. Would he also be saved from the insults of his own subjects, who had already deserted to the enemy? These were, in the nature of the case, friends and followers of the prophet, and had acted on his advice (Jeremiah 21:9). The king, who had shrunk from Jeremiah's taunts (Jeremiah 37:19), could not, for very shame, expose himself to the derision of others. Perhaps even he feared more than mere derision--outrage, death, mutilation, such as Saul feared at the hands of the Philistines (1Samuel 31:4).

(20?22) Obey, I beseech thee. . . .--The king's misgiving is met in part by an earnest entreaty to obey the voice of the Lord, in part by the assurance that thus it "shall be well with him" (literally, there shall be peace to thee); in part also by bringing before him the mockery which is certain to await him if he persists in his defiance. The women of the harem, the surviving wives and concubines of former kings, as well as his own, should become the spoil of the Chaldaean princes, and should take up their taunting proverbs against him. "Thy friends" (literally, the men of thy peace, as in Jeremiah 20:10; the men who promised peace and safety), "they set thee on, and having dragged thee into the mire of shame, have left thee there." The imagery of the taunt seems drawn from the prophet's recent experience (Jeremiah 38:6). The king was plunging into a worse "slough of despond" than that into which Jeremiah had sunk in the dungeon of Malchiah. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But King
הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

Zedekiah
צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ (ṣiḏ·qî·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6667: Zedekiah -- 'Yah is righteousness', six Israelites

said
וַיֹּ֛אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶֽל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Jeremiah,
יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ (yir·mə·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3414: Jeremiah -- 'Yah loosens', the name of a number of Israelites

“I
אֲנִ֧י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am afraid
דֹאֵ֣ג (ḏō·’êḡ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1672: To be anxious or concerned, to fear

of the Jews
הַיְּהוּדִ֗ים (hay·yə·hū·ḏîm)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3064: Jews -- Jewish

who
אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

have deserted
נָֽפְלוּ֙ (nā·p̄ə·lū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

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

for [the Chaldeans]
פֶּֽן־ (pen-)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest

may hand me over to
יִתְּנ֥וּ (yit·tə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

them
בְּיָדָ֖ם (bə·yā·ḏām)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3027: A hand

to abuse me.”
וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־ (wə·hiṯ·‘al·lə·lū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5953: To effect thoroughly, to glean, to overdo, maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose

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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 38:19 Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah (Jer.)