But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the Lord has revealed to me:
Parallel translations
- WEB But if you refuse to go out, this is the word that Yahweh has shown me:
- KJV But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:
- BSB But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:
- NKJV But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the Lord has shown me:
- NASB But if you keep refusing to surrender, this is the word which the Lord has shown me:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jeremiah warns that if the king refuses, God has shown him the grim outcome to follow.
Overview
The prophet introduces a vision of disaster awaiting Zedekiah's refusal. The solemn preface presses the weight of God's revelation upon the king. It is a final, pointed appeal to heed the word before the door of mercy closes.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Ezek 2:4–5The children are impudent and stiff-hearted. I am sending you to them, and you shall tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh.’
- Ezek 2:7You shall speak my words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear; for they are most rebellious.
- Exod 10:3–4Moses 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.
- Exod 16:28Yahweh said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
- Jer 15:19–21Therefore Yahweh says, “If you return, then I will bring you again, that you may stand before me; and if you take out the precious from the vile, you shall be as my mouth. They shall return to you, but you shall not return to them.
- Jer 5:3O Yahweh, don’t your eyes look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock. They have refused to return.
- Jer 26:15Only know for certain that, if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on its inhabitants; for in truth Yahweh has sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”
- Prov 1:24–31Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
- Isa 1:19–20If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
- Job 34:33Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.
- Job 23:13But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? What his soul desires, even that he does.
- Ezek 3:17–19“Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the word from my mouth, and warn them from me.
- Acts 18:6When they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!”
- Acts 20:26–27Therefore I testify to you today that I am clean from the blood of all men,
- Num 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 of my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says’?
- Heb 12:25See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,
- Num 23:19–20God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 38:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.