King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 37:7 Mean?

Jeremiah 37:7 in the King James Version says “Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; ...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 37 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.”

Jeremiah 37:7 · KJV

Context

5

Then Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.

6

Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

7

Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.

8

And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.

9

Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart. yourselves: Heb. your souls

Read Jeremiah 37 full chapter

Commentaries4 scholars

KJV Study CommentaryPublic Domain
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel—Jeremiah's message begins with Yahweh's covenant name and His relationship to Israel. The double identification (YHWH Elohei Yisrael, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) emphasizes that despite judgment, God remains Israel's covenant God. He has not abandoned them; rather, His discipline flows from covenant relationship.

Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me—Zedekiah had sent messengers to ask Jeremiah for a favorable word (v. 3). The king wanted prophetic endorsement for trusting Egypt and hoped the siege's lifting vindicated this policy. Instead, God's answer devastates such false hope. Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land—the emphatic hinneh (הִנֵּה, behold) demands attention. Egypt's retreat is certain, declared as accomplished fact.

The irony is bitter: the very alliance Judah trusted would prove worthless. The Hebrew shuv (שׁוּב, return/retreat) indicates Egypt turning back without fighting for Judah. This fulfilled earlier prophecies against trusting Egypt (2:18, 36-37; Isaiah 30:1-7). Genuine security comes only through covenant faithfulness to Yahweh, not political maneuvering or military alliances.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Zedekiah's consultation of Jeremiah reveals his conflicted character. Installed as Babylon's puppet king after his nephew Jehoiachin's deportation (2 Kings 24:17), Zedekiah lacked legitimacy and courage. He privately respected Jeremiah yet publicly sided with officials who opposed the prophet. His trust in Egypt betrayed both Babylon (his overlord) and Yahweh (his God). This double-mindedness led to catastrophe: when Jerusalem fell, Zedekiah fled but was captured, forced to watch his sons' execution, then blinded and taken to Babylon in chains (39:4-7; 52:7-11). Had he obeyed Jeremiah's counsel to submit to Babylon, he would have lived (38:17-18).

Reflection Questions

  1. Why did Zedekiah consult Jeremiah privately while publicly ignoring his message?
  2. How does trusting human alliances and political strategies contradict reliance on God's covenant promises?
  3. What 'Egypts' do we consult for security while refusing to fully trust and obey God's revealed will?

Compare 4 commentaries from different scholars and time periods for a richer understanding.

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 23 words
כֹּֽה1 of 23
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

תֹֽאמְרוּ֙2 of 23

“Thus saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָה֙3 of 23

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹהֵ֣י4 of 23

“the God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל5 of 23

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

כֹּ֚ה6 of 23
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

תֹֽאמְרוּ֙7 of 23

“Thus saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֶל8 of 23
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

מֶ֣לֶךְ9 of 23

“to the king”

H4428

a king

יְהוּדָ֔ה10 of 23

“of Judah”

H3063

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

הַשֹּׁלֵ֧חַ11 of 23

“that sent”

H7971

to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)

אֶתְכֶ֛ם12 of 23
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֵלַ֖י13 of 23
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

לְדָרְשֵׁ֑נִי14 of 23

“you unto me to enquire”

H1875

properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship

הִנֵּ֣ה׀15 of 23
H2009

lo!

חֵ֣יל16 of 23

“army”

H2428

probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength

פַּרְעֹ֗ה17 of 23

“of me Behold Pharaoh's”

H6547

paroh, a general title of egyptian kings

הַיֹּצֵ֤א18 of 23

“which is come forth”

H3318

to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim

לָכֶם֙19 of 23
H0
לְעֶזְרָ֔ה20 of 23

“to help”

H5833

aid

שָׁ֥ב21 of 23

“you shall return”

H7725

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

לְאַרְצ֖וֹ22 of 23

“into their own land”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

מִצְרָֽיִם׃23 of 23

“to Egypt”

H4714

mitsrajim, i.e., upper and lower egypt

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 37:7 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 37:7 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Lamentations 4:17Jeremiah 37:3Jeremiah 21:22 Kings 22:18Ezekiel 17:17Isaiah 31:1-3

Places in This Verse

EgyptRegion · Modern: Ain Shams · 30.13°N, 31.31°E658 verses across 33 books
View all places in Jeremiah 37 →

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