Jeremiah 38:25But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don't hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also what the king said to you:
The setting
Jerusalem, 586 BC. Zedekiah explains the deadly political reality: if his war-hawk officials discover he's been discussing surrender with Jeremiah, both men are dead. The king's own cabinet would execute them. Modern-day East Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: frantically explaining the deadly political trap they're both caught in
The original word
śārîm (שָׂרִים) — princes/officials, the nationalist war party who controlled Jerusalem and opposed any peace talks
Why it matters
These officials had already thrown Jeremiah into a muddy cistern to die slowly - they weren't making empty threats
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 38:25
The king of Judah is more afraid of his own officials than of the Babylonian army outside the walls
Common misconceptionThis looks like weakness, but Zedekiah is actually showing Jeremiah the brutal reality of palace politics - these officials have already tried to murder the prophet once.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 38:25
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 38:25 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 38:25 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Exile period. These words are attributed to Zedekiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include political pressure, deception, survival. Notable phrases: if the princes hear; declare to us now.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 38:25 mean to you, today?
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