Jeremiah 39:16
in Jeremiah 39“Go and tell Ebed-melech the Cushite that this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to fulfill My words against this city for harm and not for good, and on that day they will be fulfilled before your eyes.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Go, and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished before thee in that day.
KJV
Go and speak to Ebed–melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.
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This verse in Jeremiah 39
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThat God took notice of the fear he had of the judgments coming. Though he was bravely bold in the service of God, yet he was afraid of the rod of God. The enemies were men of whom he was afraid, Note, God knows how to adapt and accommodate his comforts to the fears and griefs of his people, for he knows their souls in adversity.
This site's exposition
while Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard
on Jeremiah 39:15-18
Ebed-melech is told, “you will not be delivered into the hands of the men whom you fear.” The reason is given: “Because you have trusted in Me.” The promise that he will escape “like a spoil of war” repeats the promise to those who surrender in 21:9 and 38:2.
This site's exposition
Go and tell Ebed-melech the Cushite
The oracle for Ebed-melech came while Jeremiah was still confined, and Albert Barnes dates it after the interview of 38:14. It stands here, after the fall, where the two rescues of the prophet can be read together. Matthew Henry notes that the comfort fits his fear.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
5 But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopians,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Belonging to the time when the city was not yet taken, and when Jeremiah was still in the court of the prison (Jer 38:13). This passage is inserted here because it was now that Ebed-melech's good act (Jer 38:7-12;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Go and speak to Ebed-melech - The king’s servant, the Cushite.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
and they shall be before you on that day And the words shall be before you, for you shall see them fulfilled.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
26 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הָל֣וֹךְ | halokh | go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ | veamarta | and you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְעֶבֶד־ | leeved- | to Ebed | H5663 → | 12 times |
| מֶ֨לֶךְ | melekh | Melech | H5663 → | 12 times |
| הַכּוּשִׁ֜י | hakushi | the Cushite | H3569 → | 26 times |
| לֵאמֹ֗ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֞ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֤ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָאוֹת֙ | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֣י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| הִנְנִי֩ | hini | here I | H2005 → | 316 times |
| מֵבִ֨יא | mevi' | [am] about to bring | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דְּבָרַ֜י | devarai | words my | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | against | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָעִ֥יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הַזֹּ֛את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| לְרָעָ֖ה | leraah | for harm | H7451 → | 662 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| לְטוֹבָ֑ה | letovah | for good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| וְהָי֥וּ | vehayu | and they will happen | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְפָנֶ֖יךָ | lefaneikha | <to> before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| בַּיּ֥וֹם | baiyom | on the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַהֽוּא׃ | hahu' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
הָל֣וֹךְgo
halokhH1980 →1546 times
וְאָמַרְתָּ֡and you will say
veamartaH559 →5305 times
לְעֶבֶד־to Ebed
leeved-H5663 →12 times
מֶ֨לֶךְMelech
melekhH5663 →12 times
הַכּוּשִׁ֜יthe Cushite
hakushiH3569 →26 times
לֵאמֹ֗ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַ֞רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֤הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָאוֹת֙of hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
אֱלֹהֵ֣י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
הִנְנִי֩here I
hiniH2005 →316 times
מֵבִ֨יא[am] about to bring
mevi'H935 →2568 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
דְּבָרַ֜יwords my
devaraiH1697 →1440 times
אֶל־against
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָעִ֥ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
הַזֹּ֛את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
לְרָעָ֖הfor harm
leraahH7451 →662 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
לְטוֹבָ֑הfor good
letovahH2896 →538 times
וְהָי֥וּand they will happen
vehayuH1961 →3559 times
לְפָנֶ֖יךָ<to> before you
lefaneikhaH6440 →2123 times
בַּיּ֥וֹםon the day
baiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַהֽוּא׃<the> that
hahu'H1931 →1879 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 1:6But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? They repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Hosts purposed to do to us according…
it leads to
- Lamentations 2:17
The LORD has done what He planned; He has accomplished His decree, which He ordained in days of old; He has overthrown you without pity. He has let the enemy gloat over you and…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 12:25–28
because I, the LORD, will speak whatever word I speak, and it will be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass,…
- Deuteronomy 28:15
If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
- Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
- Lamentations 2:17
Through
Jeremiah 26:18“Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and told all the people of Judah that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Zion will be plowed like a…
it leads to
- Zechariah 8:3
This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of Hosts will be…
- Micah 1:1
This is the word of the LORD that came to Micah the Moreshite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem:
- Nehemiah 4:2
before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can…
- Zechariah 8:3
Through
Daniel 9:12You have carried out the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us a great disaster. For under all of heaven, nothing has ever been done like what has been…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 5:9
Because of all your abominations, I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again.
- Ezekiel 5:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.