Jeremiah 21:1The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, when king Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying,
The setting
Jerusalem, ~588 BC. The city is under siege by Babylon. King Zedekiah secretly sends messengers to Jeremiah, hoping for a miracle prophecy. The palace is in chaos. Modern-day East Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: recording with heavy heart knowing what message will come
The original word
Pashchur (פַּשְׁחוּר) — 'liberation' or 'cleaving asunder,' ironically named given the message he'll receive
Why it matters
This is the same Pashhur family that had beaten Jeremiah earlier — now they're desperately seeking his help
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 21:1
Zedekiah sent the SAME family that had persecuted Jeremiah — showing how desperate the situation had become
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows Zedekiah's faith, but he only sought God when facing disaster — and ignored the answer he received.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 21:1
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 21:1 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 21:1 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is starting, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine revelation, royal consultation, prophetic ministry. Notable phrases: word which came to Jeremiah; king Zedekiah sent.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same starting
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
— Genesis 1:1
“God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.”
— Genesis 1:3
“I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
— Philippians 4:13
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and t…”
— Acts 1:8
“Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receiv…”
— Acts 2:38
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 21:1 mean to you, today?
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