The Bible Says
Jeremiah 38:17-23 Meaning

In Jeremiah 28:17, Jeremiah relays a direct message from the LORD to King Zedekiah, who reigned in Judah from approximately 597 BC to 586 BC: Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, 'If you will indeed go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will survive'" (v. 17). This warning offers a path to preserve not only the king’s life but also the city of Jerusalem. The city, a central location in ancient Israel, faced imminent threat from Babylon, an empire located in Mesopotamia along the Euphrates River, under the leadership of King Nebuchadnezzar (605-562 BC). By instructing Zedekiah to surrender, the LORD promises a way to avoid widespread destruction and to spare the future of those in the king’s household.

Jeremiah’s words underscore the importance of trusting God’s direction even in dire political crisis. Submitting to the Babylonian officers would be an unexpected step for a monarch, yet it aligns with God’s overarching plan for His people. By urging compliance with divine instruction, Jeremiah shows that immediate surrender in the present can lead to long-term preservation, a principle echoed in other passages where obedience brings redemption (2 Kings 24-25).

Here, Jeremiah lays out the dire consequences of refusing God’s warning: "'But if you will not go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be given over to the hand of the Chaldeans; and they will burn it with fire, and you yourself will not escape from their hand'" (v. 18). The Chaldeans, another term used for the Babylonians, serve as instruments to enact divine judgment on disobedient rulers and nations. The grim outcome of a city set aflame and a personal inability to escape captivity underscores the severity of rejecting what God has commanded.

Jeremiah 38:18 shows God’s justice intertwined with His mercy. While there is a clear route toward survival, ignoring the LORD’s direction leads to destruction. Jeremiah’s role as prophet reveals a consistent biblical theme: calamity often follows persistent refusal to yield to God’s guidance (2 Chronicles 36:15-16). Despite the bleak imagery, the underlying invitation remains that obedience is still possible and deliverance stands within reach.

Zedekiah voices a deep personal fear, concerned that defectors from Judah might retaliate against him should he surrender: 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" (v. 19). He envisions humiliation and torment, evidencing a monarch’s anxiety amid shifting political alliances and the powerful shadow of Babylon.

This moment highlights the complexities of leadership in the final days of Judah’s monarchy. Zedekiah’s fear is part of why he resists Jeremiah’s counsel. Rather than trusting the prophetic assurance, he remains entangled in human calculations and the influence of those who have already fled or surrendered. Historically, these tensions contributed to Judah’s downfall, as the king wavered between human fear and faith in God’s directives (2 Kings 25:1-7). Ultimately, he would have to choose between the pangs of doubt and the promise of deliverance.

In verse 20, Jeremiah, standing firm in his prophetic calling, assures Zedekiah that his fears will not come to pass if he complies with God’s word: But Jeremiah said, "They will not give you over. Please obey the LORD in what I am saying to you, that it may go well with you and you may live" (v. 20). The prophet reiterates the need for surrender as the solitary path to safety. He sets aside the king’s anxieties, directing him instead toward wholehearted obedience.

Here, Jeremiah’s compassion merges with divine purpose. He speaks words meant to save, not condemn. Echoing themes throughout Scripture, obedience to God yields life, whereas resistance paves a road of ruin (Deuteronomy 30:19-20). Jeremiah’s plea shows his desire that the king be spared, reflecting God’s enduring invitation for leaders and individuals alike to follow His guidance and flourish.

At this point, Jeremiah transitions from offering hope to delivering a stern reminder: "But if you keep refusing to go out, this is the word which the LORD has shown me:" (v. 21). Jeremiah is preparing to give Zedekiah a harsh word against his potential disobedience. The language indicates that Jeremiah is not speaking out of personal bias; he has received an unmistakable revelation from God.

This conditional statement reaffirms the LORD’s willingness to give warning in advance. Over and over, biblical prophets present their audiences with choices, clearly detailing blessings for obedience and curses for rebellion. Jeremiah’s repeated commands reveal God’s faithfulness in making His will known long before judgment becomes inevitable (Amos 3:7).

Jeremiah 38:22 begins the description of what God has in store for the king and his people if they do not obey: "'Then behold, all of the women who have been left in the palace of the king of Judah are going to be brought out to the officers of the king of Babylon; and those women will say, "Your close friends Have misled and overpowered you; While your feet were sunk in the mire, They turned back"'" (v. 22). Jeremiah intensifies the vision of what is to come if Zedekiah remains stubborn. He predicts a humiliating end, where even the king’s household-his wives and the women serving within the palace-will be taken. Their lament points out how Zedekiah’s trusted advisors betrayed him and left him to flounder like a person stuck in mud.

This scene paints the heartbreak of a nation’s collapse. It shows the direct consequences for a leader’s refusal to heed godly wisdom. Drawing from the imagery earlier in Jeremiah where the prophet himself was stuck in the mire (Jeremiah 38:6), this verse prophesies that Zedekiah’s refusal to listen leaves him and those around him mired in danger. Despite the tragedy in these verses, the Bible consistently invites readers to grasp the underlying truth: submission to the LORD’s guidance would have spared many from calamity.

The grim portrait concludes in Jeremiah 28:23 by emphasizing the king’s personal capture and the city’s razing: They will also bring out all your wives and your sons to the Chaldeans, and you yourself will not escape from their hand, but will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned with fire (v. 23). The verdict here shows how a single leader’s disobedience affects not only himself but also his entire city. The Babylonians will destroy Jerusalem, further fulfilling what the prophets had forewarned if repentance and submission did not occur.

By specifying the king’s capture, Jeremiah makes clear that no amount of royal status can serve as a shield against God’s declared consequence. The city of Jerusalem, significant throughout Scripture as the center of worship and the seat of Davidic kings, stands on the brink of catastrophic ruin. Yet the hope within these verses is that God gave a choice: Zedekiah could have altered his outcome by trusting the LORD. The same message of choosing life and obeying divine direction rings on into the New Testament, where Jesus beckons people to follow Him for salvation (John 14:6).

Jeremiah 38:17-23 ultimately communicates the stark contrast between trusting in human wisdom and placing faith in God’s instruction. When earthly plans clash with divine decrees, the truest security comes from surrendering to God’s will, not from clinging to personal fears or worldly power.