King James Version
What Does Jeremiah 38:24 Mean?
“Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.”
Jeremiah 38:24 · KJV
Context
22
And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back. Thy friends: Heb. Men of thy peace
23
So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire. thou shalt cause: Heb. thou shalt burn, etc
24
Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.
25
But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee:
26
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.
Commentary
KJV Study CommentaryLet no man know of these words—After receiving God's explicit command and detailed warning, Zedekiah's first concern was secrecy, not obedience. The verb yada (יָדַע, "to know") emphasizes hiding the truth. This demand for concealment reveals Zedekiah's fundamental problem: he valued his officials' approval over God's will. A righteous king would have publicly proclaimed God's word; Zedekiah suppressed it.
And thou shalt not die—Zedekiah offered Jeremiah protection in exchange for silence, attempting to buy the prophet's complicity in covering up their meeting. The irony is profound: Zedekiah feared his officials enough to hide God's message, yet this very fear guaranteed both men would face worse than death—Jeremiah would witness Jerusalem's destruction, and Zedekiah would lose everything through the very disobedience he was now concealing.
And thou shalt not die—Zedekiah offered Jeremiah protection in exchange for silence, attempting to buy the prophet's complicity in covering up their meeting. The irony is profound: Zedekiah feared his officials enough to hide God's message, yet this very fear guaranteed both men would face worse than death—Jeremiah would witness Jerusalem's destruction, and Zedekiah would lose everything through the very disobedience he was now concealing.
KJV Study — Public Domain
Historical & Cultural Context
Royal audiences in ancient Near Eastern courts were typically witnessed by officials and scribes. This secret meeting (likely in a private chamber, 38:14) bypassed normal protocol, showing Zedekiah's fear of his own court. His demand for secrecy proved he had already decided to reject Jeremiah's message before even asking for it.
Reflection Questions
- What does Zedekiah's priority of concealment over obedience reveal about his spiritual condition?
- How do we similarly seek God's guidance while already planning to ignore it if inconvenient?
- Why might Zedekiah think protecting Jeremiah matters if he plans to reject God's word through Jeremiah?
Original Language Analysis
Hebrew · 11 wordsאִ֛ישׁ5 of 11
“Let no man”
H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
אַל6 of 11
H408not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
יֵדַ֥ע7 of 11
“know”
H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o
בַּדְּבָֽרִים8 of 11
“of these words”
H1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
וְלֹ֥א10 of 11
H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
תָמֽוּת׃11 of 11
“and thou shalt not die”
H4191to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
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 38:24 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.