“Take him, look after him, and do not let any harm come to him; do for him whatever he says.”
Parallel translations
- WEB “Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do to him even as he shall tell you.”
- KJV Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.
- NKJV “Take him and look after him, and do him no harm; but do to him just as he says to you.”
- NASB “Take him and look after him, and do not do anything harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.”
- NLT “See that he isn’t hurt,” he said. “Look after him well, and give him anything he wants.”
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 is to be treated kindly and given freedom of choice. The prophet who proclaimed surrender is now vindicated and cared for.
Overview
Nebuchadnezzar's instruction to do Jeremiah no harm and to grant his requests reverses the abuse he had endured from Judah's leaders. The man imprisoned and thrown into a cistern by his own countrymen is honored by his nation's conquerors. This is God's quiet vindication of His servant, recalling that those who are persecuted for righteousness are ultimately kept by God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Prov 16:7When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.
- Jer 40:4But now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains that were on your wrists. If it pleases you to come with me to Babylon, then come, and I will take care of you. But if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, go no farther. Look, the whole land is before you. Wherever it seems good and right to you, go there.”
- Ps 105:14–15He let no man oppress them; He rebuked kings on their behalf:
- Prov 21:1The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
- Jer 24:6I will keep My eyes on them for good and will return them to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.
- 1 Pet 3:12–13For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
- Prov 23:5When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
- Amos 9:4Though they are driven by their enemies into captivity, there I will command the sword to slay them. I will fix My eyes upon them for harm and not for good.”
- Acts 7:10and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 39:12 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.