Jeremiah 38:26
in Jeremiah 38then tell them, ‘I was presenting to the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.
KJV
Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.
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This verse in Jeremiah 38
Commentary
6 notes on this verseI presented my supplication - This was telling the truth, and nothing but the truth, but not the whole truth. The king did not wish him to defile his conscience, nor did he propose any thing that was not consistent with the truth.
This site's exposition
I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans
on Jeremiah 38:19-28
Zedekiah names his fear: “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans.” Jeremiah answers, “They will not hand you over,” and describes the palace women mocking the king: “Your feet sank into the mire.” He remains in the courtyard “until the day Jerusalem was captured.”
This site's exposition
I was presenting to the king my petition
The answer the king supplies is true in part. Jeremiah had asked at 37:20 not to be sent back to the house of Jonathan the scribe. Adam Clarke calls it the truth and nothing but the truth, though short of the whole truth.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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. 6 Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Then thou shalt say unto them,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Compare Ge 20:2, 12; on the other hand, 1Sa 16:2, 5. left off speaking with--Hebrew, "were silent from him," that is, withdrawing from him they left him quiet (1Sa 7:8, Margin).
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ | veamarta | and you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם | ʾaleihem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מַפִּיל־ | mapil- | [was] making fall | H5307 → | 435 times |
| אֲנִ֥י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| תְחִנָּתִ֖י | techinati | supplication my | H8467 → | 25 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| לְבִלְתִּ֧י | levilti | to not | H1115 → | 112 times |
| הֲשִׁיבֵ֛נִי | hashiveni | to send back me | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| בֵּ֥ית | beit | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן | yehonatan | Jonathan | H3083 → | 81 times |
| לָמ֥וּת | lamut | to die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| שָֽׁם׃ פ | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣and you will say
veamartaH559 →5305 times
אֲלֵיהֶ֔םto them
ʾaleihemH413 →5510 times
מַפִּיל־[was] making fall
mapil-H5307 →435 times
אֲנִ֥יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
תְחִנָּתִ֖יsupplication my
techinatiH8467 →25 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
לְבִלְתִּ֧יto not
leviltiH1115 →112 times
הֲשִׁיבֵ֛נִיto send back me
hashiveniH7725 →1056 times
בֵּ֥ית[the] house of
beitH1004 →2046 times
יְהוֹנָתָ֖ןJonathan
yehonatanH3083 →81 times
לָמ֥וּתto die
lamutH4191 →839 times
שָֽׁם׃ פthere
shamH8033 →834 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
Jeremiah 42:2Jeremiah the prophet and said, “May our petition come before you; pray to the LORD your God on behalf of this entire remnant. For few of us remain of the many, as you can…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 36:7
Perhaps they will bring their petition before the LORD, and each one will turn from his wicked way; for great are the anger and fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 26:22
I will send wild animals against you to rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and reduce your numbers, until your roads lie desolate.
- Isaiah 37:4
Perhaps the LORD your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words…
- Jeremiah 37:3
Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, to Jeremiah the prophet with the message, “Please pray to the LORD our God for us!”
- James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
- Jeremiah 36:7
Through
Esther 4:8Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor,…
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 10:4
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
- Job 9:15
For even if I were right, I could not answer. I could only beg my Judge for mercy.
- Esther 3:14–15
A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that they would be ready on that day.
- Ecclesiastes 10:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Jeremiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; 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.