For I will surely rescue you so that you do not fall by the sword. Because you have trusted in Me, you will escape with your life like a spoil of war, declares the LORD.’”
Parallel translations
- WEB For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life shall be for a prey to you; because you have put your trust in me,’ says Yahweh.”
- KJV 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.
- NKJV For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”
- NASB For I will assuredly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as plunder, because you have trusted in Me,” declares the Lord.’ ”
- NLT Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”
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
God will spare Ebedmelech's life because he trusted in the LORD. Faith, not nationality, is the ground of his deliverance.
Overview
The reason given for Ebedmelech's rescue is explicit: 'because you have put your trust in me.' His life will be granted to him 'for a prey,' a vivid idiom for escaping with one's life intact. This anticipates the gospel truth that the righteous are saved by faith (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17), and that God's salvation reaches beyond Israel to all who believe.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Ps 34:22The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
- Jer 38:2“This is what the LORD says: Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war, and he will live.
- Jer 21:9Whoever 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.
- Eph 1:12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
- Ps 84:12O LORD of Hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You!
- Ps 147:11The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.
- 1 Chr 5:20And because they cried out to God in battle, they were helped against their enemies, and the Hagrites and all their allies were delivered into their hands. Because they put their trust in God, He answered their prayers.
- Ps 33:18Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His loving devotion
- Ps 37:39–40The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble.
- Ps 37:3Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
- Ps 146:3–6Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save.
- 1 Pet 1:21Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.
- Ps 2:12Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
- Jer 17:7–8But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.
- Jer 45:4–5Thus Jeremiah was to say to Baruch: “This is what the LORD says: Throughout the land I will demolish what I have built and uproot what I have planted.
- Isa 26:3You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- Rom 2:12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
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 39:18 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.