Jeremiah 38:23They shall bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans; and you shall not escape out of their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.
The setting
Jerusalem, 587 BC. Jeremiah prophesies the exact fate: Zedekiah's family dragged to Babylon, the king captured, Jerusalem burned. One year later, every word came true. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: anguished at foreseeing the king's family torn apart by his pride
The original word
kaśdîm (כַּשְׂדִּים) — Chaldeans, the Neo-Babylonian empire that would rule the known world
Why it matters
Zedekiah was actually blinded after being forced to watch his sons' execution - making this his last sight
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 38:23
The phrase 'cause this city to be burned' means Zedekiah's choice will literally determine whether Jerusalem burns
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about individual sin consequences, but it's about how one leader's pride can cause an entire city to burn and thousands to die.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 38:23
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 38:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 38:23 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Exile period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 5% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include judgment, exile, consequences. Notable phrases: bring out all your wives and children; you shall not escape. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 38:23 mean to you, today?
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