Jeremiah 21 · Verse 9

Jeremiah 21:9

He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
Jeremiah 21:9, King James Version

Jeremiah 21:9 in other translations

BSBWhoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who besiege you will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war.
WEBHe who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, but he who goes out and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he will live, and he will escape with his life.
ASVHe that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth out, and passeth over to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
YLTWhoso is abiding in this city--dieth, By sword, and by famine, and by pestilence, And whoso is going forth, And hath fallen unto the Chaldeans, Who are laying siege against you--liveth, And his life hath been to him for a spoil.
DARBYHe that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth out, and deserteth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
BBEHe who keeps in this town will come to his death by the sword and through need of food and through disease; but he who goes out and gives himself up to the Chaldaeans who are shutting you in, will go on living, and will keep his life safe.
WebsterHe that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be to him for a prey.

What does Jeremiah 21:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. (Jr 38:2, 17, 18). falleth to--deserts to. life ... a prey--proverbial, to make one's escape with life, like a valuable spoil or prey that one carries off; the narrowness of the escape, and the joy felt at it, are included in the idea (Jr 39:18).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 21:1-10

The only way of deliverance is to be surrendering to the Babylonians. (Jr 21:1-10) The wickedness of the king and his household. (Jr 21:11-14) Verses 1-10 When the siege had begun, Zedekiah sent to ask of Jeremiah respecting the event. In times of distress and danger, men often seek those to counsel and pray for them, whom, at other times, they despise and oppose; but they only seek deliverance from punishment. When…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 21:1-10 →

Jeremiah 21:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הַיֹּשֵׁב֙hai.yo.Shevthe [one who] remainsH3427
בָּעִ֣ירba.'Irin the cityH5892
הַזֹּ֔אתha.Zot<the> thisH2063
יָמ֕וּתya.Muthe will dieH4191
בַּחֶ֖רֶבba.Che.revby the swordH2719
וּבָרָעָ֣בu.va.ra.'Avand by <the> famineH7458
וּבַדָּ֑בֶרu.va.Da.verand by <the> pestilenceH1698
וְהַיּוֹצֵא֩ve.hai.yo.Tze'and the [one who] goes outH3318
וְנָפַ֨לve.na.Faland he will fallH5307
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הַכַּשְׂדִּ֜יםha.kas.Dimthe ChaldeansH3778
הַצָּרִ֤יםha.tza.Rimwho are laying siegeH6696
עֲלֵיכֶם֙'a.lei.Khemon youH5921
וְחָיָ֔הve.cha.yahand he will liveH2421
וְהָֽיְתָה\־ve.ha.ye.tah-and it will belongH1961
לּ֥וֹloto <the> him
נַפְשׁ֖וֹnaf.Sholife hisH5315
לְשָׁלָֽל\׃le.sha.Lalto plunderH7998

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 21:9

  • Jeremiah 38:2

    Thus saith the Lord, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.

  • Jeremiah 45:5

    And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.

  • Jeremiah 39:18

    For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 14:12

    When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

  • Jeremiah 38:17-23

    Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house: But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand. And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the Lord, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live. …

  • Jeremiah 21:7

    And afterward, saith the Lord, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.

  • Jeremiah 27:13

    Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that abideth.
7; 27:13; 38:2,17-23
and his.
38:2; 39:18; 45:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 21:8

    And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

  • Jeremiah 21:9

    He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.

  • Jeremiah 21:10

    For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

Read all of Jeremiah 21

Jeremiah 21:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El que se quedare en esta ciudad, morirá á cuchillo, ó de hambre, ó pestilencia: mas el que saliere, y se pasare á los Caldeos que os tienen cercados, vivirá, y su vida le será por despojo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Celui qui demeurera dans cette ville mourra par l’épée, et par la famine, et par la peste; et celui qui en sortira et se rendra aux Chaldéens qui vous assiègent vivra et aura sa vie pour butin.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wer in dieser Stadt bleibt, wird sterben durch das Schwert und durch den Hunger und durch die Pest; wer aber hinausgeht und zu den Chaldäern überläuft, die euch belagern, wird leben, und seine Seele wird ihm zur Beute sein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui habitaverit in urbe hac morietur gladio, et fame, et peste: qui autem egressus fuerit, et transfugerit ad Chaldæos qui obsident vos, vivet, et erit ei anima sua quasi spolium.