Jeremiah 38:22
And, 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.
Original Language Analysis
כָל
H3605
כָל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
2 of 25
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֲשֶׁ֤ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֤ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
4 of 25
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
נִשְׁאֲרוּ֙
that are left
H7604
נִשְׁאֲרוּ֙
that are left
Strong's:
H7604
Word #:
5 of 25
properly, to swell up, i.e., be (causatively, make) redundant
בְּבֵ֣ית
house
H1004
בְּבֵ֣ית
house
Strong's:
H1004
Word #:
6 of 25
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
יְהוּדָ֔ה
of Judah's
H3063
יְהוּדָ֔ה
of Judah's
Strong's:
H3063
Word #:
8 of 25
jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
מוּצָא֕וֹת
shall be brought forth
H3318
מוּצָא֕וֹת
shall be brought forth
Strong's:
H3318
Word #:
9 of 25
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim
בָּבֶ֑ל
of Babylon's
H894
בָּבֶ֑ל
of Babylon's
Strong's:
H894
Word #:
13 of 25
babel (i.e., babylon), including babylonia and the babylonian empire
וְהֵ֣נָּה
H2007
וְהֵ֣נָּה
Strong's:
H2007
Word #:
14 of 25
themselves (often used emphatic for the copula, also in indirect relation)
אֹמְרֹ֗ת
and those women shall say
H559
אֹמְרֹ֗ת
and those women shall say
Strong's:
H559
Word #:
15 of 25
to say (used with great latitude)
הִסִּית֜וּךָ
have set thee on
H5496
הִסִּית֜וּךָ
have set thee on
Strong's:
H5496
Word #:
16 of 25
properly, to prick, i.e., (figuratively) stimulate; by implication, to seduce
וְיָכְל֤וּ
and have prevailed
H3201
וְיָכְל֤וּ
and have prevailed
Strong's:
H3201
Word #:
17 of 25
to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
אַנְשֵׁ֣י
H376
אַנְשֵׁ֣י
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
19 of 25
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
שְׁלֹמֶ֔ךָ
H7965
שְׁלֹמֶ֔ךָ
Strong's:
H7965
Word #:
20 of 25
safe, i.e., (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e., health, prosperity, peace
רַגְלֶ֖ךָ
against thee thy feet
H7272
רַגְלֶ֖ךָ
against thee thy feet
Strong's:
H7272
Word #:
23 of 25
a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda
Cross References
Jeremiah 43:6Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.Lamentations 5:11They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.Lamentations 1:2She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern victory songs commonly included taunts celebrating the defeated king's bad decisions. That Zedekiah's own women would sing such a song magnified the shame. The imagery of feet stuck in mud may reference military disaster—troops bogged down in impossible terrain, a metaphor for Zedekiah's politically impossible position created by bad advice.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the "mire" imagery connect Zedekiah's treatment of Jeremiah to his own eventual fate?
- What warning does this verse give about choosing advisors who tell us what we want to hear rather than God's truth?
- How might heeding Jeremiah have spared Zedekiah this prophesied humiliation?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
All the women that are left in the king of Judah's house—These royal women (likely concubines and court ladies) would survive the conquest only to become spoils of war, led to Babylonian princes. Their prophesied taunt song demonstrates the complete reversal of Zedekiah's fortunes: even his own household would mock his foolish choices.
Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee—The Hebrew sut (סוּת, "to incite/instigate") and yakol (יָכֹל, "to prevail/overcome") indict Zedekiah's advisors (particularly the anti-surrender princes). Thy feet are sunk in the mire (batsa, בָּצָא)—Bitter irony! The same word describes the muddy cistern where these officials had left Jeremiah to die (38:6). Now Zedekiah himself would be hopelessly stuck, betrayed by the very counselors he trusted over God's prophet. They promised deliverance but delivered disaster.