Jeremiah 38 (Yirmeyahu) in Hebrew and English

38:1Then Shefatyah (Shephatiah) the son of Matan (Mattan), and Gedalyahu (Gedaliah) the son of Pashchur (Pashur), and Yuchal (Jucal) the son of Shelemyahu (Shelemiah), and Pashchur the son of Malkiyah (Malchiah), heard the words that Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) had spoken unto all the people, saying,

אוַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע שְׁפַטְיָ֣ה בֶן־מַתָּ֗ן וּגְדַלְיָ֨הוּ֙ בֶּן־פַּשְׁח֔וּר וְיוּכַל֙ בֶּן־שֶׁ֣לֶמְיָ֔הוּ וּפַשְׁח֖וּר בֶּן־מַלְכִּיָּ֑ה אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר יִרְמְיָ֛הוּ מְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃

38:2“Thus says Hashem, ‘He that remains in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goes forth to the Kasdim (Chaldeans) shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.’

בכֹּה֮ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֒ הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את יָמ֕וּת בַּחֶ֖רֶב בָּרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְהַיֹּצֵ֤א אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים֙ וְחָיָ֔ה (כתיב יחיה) וְהָיְתָה־לּ֥וֹ נַפְשׁ֛וֹ לְשָׁלָ֖ל וָחָֽי׃

38:3Thus says Hashem, ‘This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Bavel’s (Babylon’s) army, which shall take it.’”

גכֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה הִנָּתֹ֨ן תִּנָּתֵ֜ן הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֗את בְּיַ֛ד חֵ֥יל מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל וּלְכָדָֽהּ׃

38:4Therefore the princes said unto the king, “We beseech you, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeks not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.”

דוַיֹּאמְר֨וּ הַשָּׂרִ֜ים אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ י֣וּמַת נָא֮ אֶת־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּה֒ כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֡ן הֽוּא־מְרַפֵּ֡א אֶת־יְדֵי֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים ׀ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֗את וְאֵת֙ יְדֵ֣י כָל־הָעָ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֣י ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֗ה אֵינֶ֨נּוּ דֹרֵ֧שׁ לְשָׁל֛וֹם לָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כִּ֥י אִם־לְרָעָֽה׃

38:5Then Tzidkiyahu (Zedekiah) the king said, “Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.”

הוַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ הִנֵּה־ה֖וּא בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יוּכַ֥ל אֶתְכֶ֖ם דָּבָֽר׃

38:6Then took they Yirmeyahu, and cast him into the dungeon of Malkiyahu the son of Hamelech (Hammelech), that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Yirmeyahu with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Yirmeyahu sunk in the mire.

ווַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֨כוּ אֹת֜וֹ אֶל־הַבּ֣וֹר ׀ מַלְכִּיָּ֣הוּ בֶן־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּחֲצַ֣ר הַמַּטָּרָ֔ה וַיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּחֲבָלִ֑ים וּבַבּ֤וֹר אֵֽין־מַ֨יִם֙ כִּ֣י אִם־טִ֔יט וַיִּטְבַּ֥ע יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּטִּֽיט׃

38:7Now when Eved-Melech (Ebed-melech) the Kushi (Ethiopian), one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Yirmeyahu in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Binyamin (Benjamin);

זוַיִּשְׁמַ֡ע עֶֽבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י אִ֣ישׁ סָרִ֗יס וְהוּא֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־נָתְנ֥וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וְהַמֶּ֥לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּשַׁ֥עַר בִּנְיָמִֽן׃

38:8Eved-Melech went forth out of the king’s house, and spoke to the king, saying,

חוַיֵּצֵ֥א עֶֽבֶד־מֶ֖לֶךְ מִבֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹֽר׃

38:9“My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Yirmeyahu the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.”

טאֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הֵרֵ֜עוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵ֨לֶּה֙ אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ לְיִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ אֶל־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיָּ֤מָת תַּחְתָּיו֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָֽרָעָ֔ב כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין הַלֶּ֛חֶם ע֖וֹד בָּעִֽיר׃

38:10Then the king commanded Eved-Melech the Kushi, saying, “Take from hence thirty men with you, and take up Yirmeyahu the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.”

יוַיְצַוֶּ֣ה הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֛ת עֶֽבֶד־מֶ֥לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר קַ֣ח בְּיָדְךָ֤ מִזֶּה֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְֽהַעֲלִ֜יתָ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֧הוּ הַנָּבִ֛יא מִן־הַבּ֖וֹר בְּטֶ֥רֶם יָמֽוּת׃

38:11So Eved-Melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Yirmeyahu.

יאוַיִּקַּ֣ח ׀ עֶֽבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֗וֹ וַיָּבֹ֤א בֵית־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֶל־תַּ֣חַת הָאוֹצָ֔ר וַיִּקַּ֤ח מִשָּׁם֙ בְּלוֹיֵ֣ סְחָב֔וֹת (כתיב הסחבות) וּבְלוֹיֵ֖ מְלָחִ֑ים וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֧ם אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֛הוּ אֶל־הַבּ֖וֹר בַּחֲבָלִֽים׃

38:12And Eved-Melech the Kushi said unto Yirmeyahu, “Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under your armholes under the cords.” And Yirmeyahu did so.

יבוַיֹּ֡אמֶר עֶבֶד־מֶ֨לֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ שִׂ֣ים נָ֠א בְּלוֹאֵ֨י הַסְּחָב֤וֹת וְהַמְּלָחִים֙ תַּ֚חַת אַצִּל֣וֹת יָדֶ֔יךָ מִתַּ֖חַת לַחֲבָלִ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ כֵּֽן׃

38:13So they drew up Yirmeyahu with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Yirmeyahu remained in the court of the prison.

יגוַיִּמְשְׁכ֤וּ אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֨הוּ֙ בַּֽחֲבָלִ֔ים וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ מִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ בַּחֲצַ֖ר הַמַּטָּרָֽה׃

38:14Then Tzidkiyahu the king sent, and took Yirmeyahu the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of Hashem: and the king said unto Yirmeyahu, “I will ask you a thing; hide nothing from me.”

ידוַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֗הוּ וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶֽת־יִרְמְיָ֤הוּ הַנָּבִיא֙ אֵלָ֔יו אֶל־מָבוֹא֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ שֹׁאֵ֨ל אֲנִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ דָּבָ֔ר אַל־תְּכַחֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נִּי דָּבָֽר׃

38:15Then Yirmeyahu said unto Tzidkiyahu, “If I declare it unto you, will you not surely put me to death? and if I give you counsel, will you not hearken unto me?”

טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֨הוּ֙ אֶל־צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ כִּ֚י אַגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔ הֲל֖וֹא הָמֵ֣ת תְּמִיתֵ֑נִי וְכִי֙ אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ לֹ֥א תִשְׁמַ֖ע אֵלָֽי׃

38:16So Tzidkiyahu the king swore secretly unto Yirmeyahu, saying, “As Hashem lives, that made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men that seek your life.”

טזוַיִּשָּׁבַ֞ע הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֛הוּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּסֵּ֣תֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר חַי־יְהוָ֞ה (כתיב את) אֲשֶׁר֩ עָשָׂה־לָ֨נוּ אֶת־הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ הַזֹּאת֙ אִם־אֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְאִם־אֶתֶּנְךָ֗ בְּיַד֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

38:17Then said Yirmeyahu unto Tzidkiyahu, “Thus says Hashem, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; ‘If you will assuredly go forth unto the king of Bavel’s princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house:

יזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ אֶל־צִדְקִיָּ֡הוּ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֩ אֱלֹהֵ֨י צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אִם־יָצֹ֨א תֵצֵ֜א אֶל־שָׂרֵ֤י מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ וְחָיְתָ֣ה נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ וְהָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את לֹ֥א תִשָּׂרֵ֖ף בָּאֵ֑שׁ וְחָיִ֖תָה אַתָּ֥ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃

38:18But if you will not go forth to the king of Bavel’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Kasdim, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape out of their hand.’”

יחוְאִ֣ם לֹֽא־תֵצֵ֗א אֶל־שָׂרֵי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וְנִתְּנָ֞ה הָעִ֤יר הַזֹּאת֙ בְּיַ֣ד הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים וּשְׂרָפ֖וּהָ בָּאֵ֑שׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹֽא־תִמָּלֵ֥ט מִיָּדָֽם׃

38:19And Tzidkiyahu the king said unto Yirmeyahu, “I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Kasdim, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.”

יטוַיֹּ֛אמֶר הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ אֲנִ֧י דֹאֵ֣ג אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽפְלוּ֙ אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים פֶּֽן־יִתְּנ֥וּ אֹתִ֛י בְּיָדָ֖ם וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־בִֽי׃

38:20But Yirmeyahu said, “They shall not deliver you. Obey, I beseech you, the voice of Hashem, which I speak unto you: so it shall be well unto you, and your soul shall live.

כוַיֹּ֥אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ לֹ֣א יִתֵּ֑נוּ שְֽׁמַֽע־נָ֣א ׀ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֗ה לַאֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ דֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיִ֥יטַב לְךָ֖ וּתְחִ֥י נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

38:21But if you refuse to go forth, this is the word that Hashem has showed me:

כאוְאִם־מָאֵ֥ן אַתָּ֖ה לָצֵ֑את זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִרְאַ֖נִי יְהוָֽה׃

38:22And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Yehudah’s (Judah’s) house shall be brought forth to the king of Bavel’s princes, and those women shall say, ‘Your friends have set you on, and have prevailed against you: your feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.’

כבוְהִנֵּ֣ה כָל־הַנָּשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִשְׁאֲרוּ֙ בְּבֵ֣ית מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֔ה מוּצָא֕וֹת אֶל־שָׂרֵ֖י מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל וְהֵ֣נָּה אֹמְר֗וֹת הִסִּית֜וּךָ וְיָכְל֤וּ לְךָ֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י שְׁלֹמֶ֔ךָ הָטְבְּע֥וּ בַבֹּ֛ץ רַגְלֶ֖ךָ נָסֹ֥גוּ אָחֽוֹר׃

38:23So they shall bring out all your wives and your children to the Kasdim: and you shall not escape out of their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Bavel: and you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.”

כגוְאֶת־כָּל־נָשֶׁ֣יךָ וְאֶת־בָּנֶ֗יךָ מֽוֹצִאִים֙ אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹא־תִמָּלֵ֣ט מִיָּדָ֑ם כִּ֣י בְיַ֤ד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ תִּתָּפֵ֔שׂ וְאֶת־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֖את תִּשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃

38:24Then said Tzidkiyahu unto Yirmeyahu, “Let no man know of these words, and you shall not die.

כדוַיֹּ֨אמֶר צִדְקִיָּ֜הוּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ אִ֛ישׁ אַל־יֵדַ֥ע בַּדְּבָֽרִים־הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְלֹ֥א תָמֽוּת׃

38:25But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come unto you, and say unto you, ‘Declare unto us now what you have said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put you to death; also what the king said unto you:’

כהוְכִֽי־יִשְׁמְע֣וּ הַשָּׂרִים֮ כִּֽי־דִבַּ֣רְתִּי אִתָּךְ֒ וּבָ֣אוּ אֵלֶ֣יךָ וְֽאָמְר֪וּ אֵלֶ֟יךָ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֨א לָ֜נוּ מַה־דִּבַּ֧רְתָּ אֶל־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אַל־תְּכַחֵ֥ד מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וְלֹ֣א נְמִיתֶ֑ךָ וּמַה־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

38:26Then you shall say unto them, ‘I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Yehonatan’s (Jonathan’s) house, to die there.’”

כווְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם מַפִּיל־אֲנִ֥י תְחִנָּתִ֖י לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ לְבִלְתִּ֧י הֲשִׁיבֵ֛נִי בֵּ֥ית יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן לָמ֥וּת שָֽׁם׃

38:27Then came all the princes unto Yirmeyahu, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.

כזוַיָּבֹ֨אוּ כָל־הַשָּׂרִ֤ים אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֨הוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁאֲל֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ וַיַּגֵּ֤ד לָהֶם֙ כְּכָל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיַּחֲרִ֣שׁוּ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ כִּ֥י לֹֽא־נִשְׁמַ֖ע הַדָּבָֽר׃

38:28So Yirmeyahu abode in the court of the prison until the day that Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) was taken: and he was there when Yerushalayim was taken.

כחוַיֵּ֤שֶׁב יִרְמְיָ֨הוּ֙ בַּחֲצַ֣ר הַמַּטָּרָ֔ה עַד־י֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־נִלְכְּדָ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם ס וְהָיָ֕ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִלְכְּדָ֖ה יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃