· Translation: KJV

Jeremiah 21:3Then Jeremiah said to them, You shall tell Zedekiah:

The setting

Jerusalem, Israel, 588 BC. Jeremiah's house or the temple court. The prophet receives royal messengers asking for good news. He knows what God has shown him. This will not end well...

The emotion here: steeled for delivering unwelcome truth

The original word

amar (אָמַר) — to speak decisively, declare with authority, not suggest

Why it matters

Jeremiah had been prophesying Jerusalem's fall for over 20 years by this point

Read with care

What most readers miss in Jeremiah 21:3

Jeremiah doesn't hesitate or soften the message — he's learned to speak God's words exactly

Common misconceptionPeople think prophets enjoyed delivering bad news. Jeremiah was called 'the weeping prophet' — he hated being the bearer of judgment but couldn't stay silent.

Bible Genome reading

Jeremiah 21:3 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerJeremiah
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotionstarting
Literary typeteaching
MarkCommand

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability20%
Memorability20%
Crisis relevance60%
Standalone20%
Themes:prophetic instructiondivine messageroyal communication

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Jeremiah 21

Jeremiah 21:3 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Jeremiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is starting, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the teaching genre of biblical literature. Key themes include prophetic instruction, divine message, royal communication. Notable phrases: you shall tell Zedekiah. This verse contains a command.

Your reflection

What does Jeremiah 21:3 mean to you, today?

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