Jeremiah 38:24
Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.
Original Language Analysis
יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ
unto Jeremiah
H3414
יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ
unto Jeremiah
Strong's:
H3414
Word #:
4 of 11
jirmejah, the name of eight or nine israelites
אִ֛ישׁ
Let no man
H376
אִ֛ישׁ
Let no man
Strong's:
H376
Word #:
5 of 11
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)
אַל
H408
אַל
Strong's:
H408
Word #:
6 of 11
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
יֵדַ֥ע
know
H3045
יֵדַ֥ע
know
Strong's:
H3045
Word #:
7 of 11
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o
בַּדְּבָֽרִים
of these words
H1697
בַּדְּבָֽרִים
of these words
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
8 of 11
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
Historical Context
Royal audiences in ancient Near Eastern courts were typically witnessed by officials and scribes. This secret meeting (likely in a private chamber, 38:14) bypassed normal protocol, showing Zedekiah's fear of his own court. His demand for secrecy proved he had already decided to reject Jeremiah's message before even asking for it.
Questions for Reflection
- What does Zedekiah's priority of concealment over obedience reveal about his spiritual condition?
- How do we similarly seek God's guidance while already planning to ignore it if inconvenient?
- Why might Zedekiah think protecting Jeremiah matters if he plans to reject God's word through Jeremiah?
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Analysis & Commentary
Let no man know of these words—After receiving God's explicit command and detailed warning, Zedekiah's first concern was secrecy, not obedience. The verb yada (יָדַע, "to know") emphasizes hiding the truth. This demand for concealment reveals Zedekiah's fundamental problem: he valued his officials' approval over God's will. A righteous king would have publicly proclaimed God's word; Zedekiah suppressed it.
And thou shalt not die—Zedekiah offered Jeremiah protection in exchange for silence, attempting to buy the prophet's complicity in covering up their meeting. The irony is profound: Zedekiah feared his officials enough to hide God's message, yet this very fear guaranteed both men would face worse than death—Jeremiah would witness Jerusalem's destruction, and Zedekiah would lose everything through the very disobedience he was now concealing.