Jeremiah 38:21-23 · Bible study
Jeremiah 38:21-23 Commentary: A Final Warning
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine Jeremiah's conditional prophecy of judgment, the mockery from palace women, and the king's responsibility for Jerusalem's fall.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A final conditional warning: refusal to surrender leads to certain judgment, mockery, and personal responsibility for the city’s destruction.
- Key words: “Refuse” (ma'en), stubborn defiance; “friends” (anshei shlomekha), literally “men of your peace,” those trusted advisors; “sunk in the mire” (bots), a rare word for deep mud, echoing Jeremiah’s own experience.
- Main debate: Whether the women who sing the taunt are collaborators or victims, and whether “you will cause this city to be burned” means literal arson or moral responsibility.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty and human responsibility, God’s word is unshakable, yet the king’s choice determines his fate and the city’s.
- Best use: A warning against trusting human counsel over God’s word, and a call to repent while there is still time.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
21But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:
22All the women who remain in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon, and those women will say: ‘They misled you and overcame you— those trusted friends of yours. Your feet sank into the mire, and they deserted you.’
23All your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans. And you yourself will not escape their grasp, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
21But if you refuse to go out, this is the word that Yahweh has shown me:
22‘Behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah’s house will be brought out to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women will say, “Your familiar friends have turned on you, and have prevailed over you. Your feet are sunk in the mire, they have turned away from you.”
23They will bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans. You won’t escape out of their hand, but will be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon. You will cause this city to be burned with fire.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
21But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me:
22And, 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.
23So 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
21But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that Jehovah hath showed me:
22Behold, 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 familiar friends have set thee on, and have prevailed over thee: now that thy feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back.
23And 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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
21`And if thou art refusing to go forth, this is the thing that Jehovah hath shewn me:
22That, lo, all the women who have been left in the house of the king of Judah are brought forth unto the heads of the king of Babylon, and lo, they are saying: Persuaded thee, and prevailed against thee, Have thine allies, Sunk into mire have thy feet, They have been turned backward.
23`And all thy wives, and thy sons, are brought forth unto the Chaldeans, and thou dost not escape from their hand, for by the hand of the king of Babylon thou art caught, and this city is burnt with fire.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
21But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word which Jehovah hath shewn me:
22Behold, 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 they shall say, Thy familiar friends have set thee on, and have prevailed over thee; thy feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back.
23And they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand; for thou shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon, and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
21But if thou wilt not go forth, this is the word which the Lord hath shewn me:
22Behold all the women that are left in the house of the king of Juda, shall be brought out to the princes of the king of Babylon: and they shall say: Thy men of peace have deceived thee, and have prevailed against thee, they have plunged thy feet in the mire, and in a slippery place and they have departed from thee.
23And all thy wives, and thy children shall be brought out to the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape their hands, but thou shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and he shall burn this city with fire.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 38:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Jeremiah 38:21-23 functions as a final divine appeal wrapped in a certain judgment. The conditional opening, "if you refuse to go out", echoes the earlier offer of surrender in verses 17-18. As Calvin notes, Jeremiah declares that Zedekiah "kicked against the goad" and could not escape. The women who remain in the palace (concubines and attendants of former kings, according to Keil and Delitzsch) will be brought out to the Babylonian commanders and sing a taunt song. That song, identified by Barnes as a satirical distich (compare Obadiah 1:7), mocks the king for trusting his "friends" (literally "men of your peace") who misled him and then abandoned him when his feet sank in the mire. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown point out the irony: the very mockery Zedekiah feared from Jewish deserters will come from his own household. The final line, "you will cause this city to be burned with fire," is understood as attributing ultimate responsibility to the king, as Barnes states, "It shall be thy own act as completely as if done with thine own hand." The passage thus holds together both the genuineness of the offer and the certainty of consequence.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Women as collaborators: Adam Clarke argues the women voluntarily went to the Chaldeans and their taunt reflects their new alliance; this explains why they would ridicule their own king.
- Women as victims forced to mock: Barnes, Keil, and Calvin see the women as part of the spoil—they are brought out against their will, and their song is a forced public performance that compounds the king's humiliation.
What is clear: The passage is a final warning from God through Jeremiah, and the judgment on Zedekiah—including humiliation, loss of family, and the burning of Jerusalem—is certain if he refuses to surrender.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Role of the women in the taunt song | The women (royal harem left in the palace) will be brought out to the Babylonian princes and sing a taunt against Zedekiah, exposing his misplaced trust. | Adam Clarke suggests these women had already gone out voluntarily to the Chaldeans and were cooperating. Most other commentators (Barnes, Keil, Calvin) see them as victims who are forced out and made to sing, highlighting the king's humiliation. |
| Meaning of 'you will cause this city to be burned' | Zedekiah bears direct responsibility for the burning of Jerusalem. | Some (Barnes, Calvin) take it as a causative sense: his refusal is equivalent to setting the fire. Others (Matthew Henry, Gill) see it as the outcome of his disobedience, without implying literal arson. |
| Identity of the 'friends' (men of peace) | They are Zedekiah's trusted advisors and false prophets who urged rebellion against Babylon. | Whether specific individuals are meant (e.g., the princes named in 38:1) or a general category is not resolved. Keil and Delitzsch leave it generic; Poole mentions the false prophets specifically. |
| Conditionality vs. certainty of the prophecy | God's warning is genuine and the outcome is sure if the condition is met. | Calvin emphasizes the unchangeable decree, Zedekiah cannot escape. Others (Cambridge, Matthew Henry) highlight the real choice offered to Zedekiah, showing God's patience even when the outcome is foreknown. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This passage sits in the final weeks of Jerusalem's existence. The Babylonian army has surrounded the city, and King Zedekiah faces an impossible choice. Earlier in chapter 38, Jeremiah advised surrender (vv. 17-18), promising the king's life and the city's survival. Zedekiah confessed to the prophet that he feared being handed over to the Jews who had already defected to the Chaldeans, they would mock him (v. 19). Now Jeremiah presses harder: if the king refuses, he will face not the mockery of deserters but the taunts of the women from his own palace.
The expression "women who are left in the king's house" likely refers to the harem women, concubines and servants belonging to previous kings, as well as those who survived famine and war. In ancient Near Eastern courts, these women were part of the king's household and would be taken as spoil. The taunt song they sing is a recognized literary form, a satire often used in prophetic announcements of judgment. The Hebrew phrase anshei shlomekha ("men of your peace") describes those who had pledged loyalty, the king's advisors, officials, and false prophets who urged rebellion against Babylon. The image of feet sinking in mire (Hebrew bots, a rare word) would have struck a powerful chord: it recalls Jeremiah's own suffering when he was sunk in the mud of the cistern (Jer 38:6), a cruel irony that the king's fate mirrors the prophet's treatment.
Cross-references to Numbers 23:19-20 and Job 23:13 reinforce the theme: God's word will not be reversed. The offer was genuine, but once rejected, the judgment becomes inescapable.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The condition is not revoked. God extends one final offer through Jeremiah, showing His patience even in the last hours. The choice is real: surrender and live, or refuse and die.
- The consequences include public humiliation. The king who feared mockery from deserters will be mocked by his own women. The taunt song exposes misplaced trust, the friends who misled him have abandoned him.
- The king bears responsibility. “You will cause this city to be burned” does not mean Zedekiah personally sets the fire. It means his refusal to submit is the direct cause. His pride and fear brought ruin on everyone.
Five-point outline
- The messenger stands firm. Jeremiah speaks “the word that Yahweh has shown me.” Even facing danger, he does not soften the message.
- The king’s fear is reversed. What Zedekiah feared (mockery) comes, but from unimagined sources: the women of his own house.
- The “friends” are exposed. The king’s counselors, false prophets, and allies proved worthless. Trust in human promises over God’s word leads to ruin.
- The imagery is visceral. “Your feet are sunk in the mire” pictures a person stuck, unable to escape. This is the feel of judgment: helplessness, abandonment.
- The city burns. Jerusalem’s destruction is laid at the king’s feet. Leadership matters; one person’s disobedience can bring catastrophe on many.
Illustration hooks
- A captain ignoring the coastguard. A ship captain refuses the coastguard’s evacuation order because he fears looking weak. The crew stays, and the ship sinks. The captain’s pride cost lives, not his own hands, but his decision.
- Friends who cheer bad decisions. A person listens to friends who encourage risky financial choices. When the crash comes, those friends are gone. The one left stuck wonders why he listened.
- The final phone call. A loved one calls, offering help and a way out. The call is refused. After that, no more opportunities come.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is God really offering me a way out, or is it too late?
- How do I know which friends are truly trustworthy and which are leading me into the mire?
- Does my personal disobedience actually affect the people around me?
Leading a Discussion
These verses bring us to the brink. Zedekiah has heard God's offer and now hears the alternative. The passage holds together two threads: God's genuine appeal and the certainty of judgment if it is refused. In small groups, consider how this tension affects our view of repentance, leadership, and trust in God's word.
Discussion questions
- Read Jeremiah 38:17-18 again. How does the offer in verse 17 shape the meaning of the threat in verses 21-23?
- Why does Jeremiah include the taunt song from the women? What does it reveal about Zedekiah's choices?
- The phrase “men of your peace” (Hebrew anshei shlomekha) describes close associates. Who are the “men of peace” in your life? How can you discern if they are leading you toward or away from God?
- Verse 22 says the women will say, “Your feet are sunk in the mire, they have turned away from you.” What does this image suggest about the outcome of trusting the wrong voices?
- Verse 23 ends with “you will cause this city to be burned with fire.” In what ways can one person’s refusal to obey God bring suffering on others?
- Zedekiah feared mockery from humans more than judgment from God. What fears can keep us from making the hard, right decision?
- Where do you see the balance between God's patient offer and His unshakable justice in your own life?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 10:3 | Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. |
| Exodus 10:4 | Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, |
| Exodus 16:28 | Yahweh said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? |
| Numbers 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good? |
| Numbers 23:20 | Behold, I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can’t reverse it. |
| Numbers 24:13 | ‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond Yahweh’s word, to do either good or bad from my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says’? |
| Job 23:13 | But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? What his soul desires, even that he does. |
| Job 34:33 | Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws a distinction between two groups of women in the harem. The secondary wives or concubines had already gone out privately to the Chaldean officers, since they were young and childless. The chief wives, who had borne the king's children, stayed behind and were forcibly taken out.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the bitter irony that the very friends who pushed Zedekiah into a hopeless war against Babylon left him stuck in the mud when trouble came. He also reads the prophecy of the city's burning as being so completely Zedekiah's responsibility that it counts as if he set the fire himself.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes that Jeremiah piles up specific horrors beyond Zedekiah's own death, such as women being dragged from the palace and his wives and children handed over, precisely to jolt the king from stubborn apathy. The prophet's aim is to make the shame so unbearable that Zedekiah would rather submit than see his family disgraced.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible presents this as a structured negotiation between the king and the prophet. Jeremiah offers clear terms: surrender spares the city and the king's life, refusal means destruction. Zedekiah's concern about personal danger from defectors is met with a renewed, detailed warning, including the image of palace women led out in lamentation.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the humiliation Zedekiah will suffer if he refuses to surrender: even the women of his own court will mock him, saying his false friends set him up and left him stuck in trouble. Though not burned by his own hand, the city's destruction will be laid to his account because his obstinacy caused it.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the bitter irony: the very disaster Zedekiah tried to escape by disobeying will strike him worst. His own palace women will mock him, his trusted advisers will abandon him, and his wives and children will be taken before he is captured. This ascending calamity is just retribution for how Zedekiah treated Jeremiah.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight the sharp irony in Jeremiah's warning: if Zedekiah refuses to surrender, it will not be the deserters who mock him, but the women of his own harem who sing a taunting song comparing his trusted counselors to friends who led him into a bog and then abandoned him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights Zedekiah's tragic inconsistency: he swears a solemn oath to protect Jeremiah and earnestly seeks God's word, yet he refuses to obey that word because he fears what defectors will say about him. The king's dread of mockery outweighs his trust in God's promise.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points out the ironic reversal: the one who dreaded being insulted by men will instead suffer mockery from women. He also traces this downfall to the priests and false prophets, who caused friends to abandon him, each looking out for himself.