Jeremiah 38:4Then the princes said to the king, "Please let this man be put to death; because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them: for this man doesn't seek the welfare of this people, but the hurt."
The setting
Royal court in Jerusalem, 588 BC. Government officials demand Jeremiah's execution for 'treason.' Same location as modern Israeli Knesset area...
The emotion here: desperate rage at losing control of the narrative they've built
The original word
rāpâ (רָפָה) — to make weak, to cause hands to drop in discouragement
Why it matters
These same princes had been ignoring Jeremiah's warnings for over two decades
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 38:4
They're not angry about lies — they're furious because Jeremiah is telling the truth
Common misconceptionPeople think the princes were protecting morale, but they were protecting their own power. Truth-tellers threaten those who profit from lies.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 38:4
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 38:4 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 38:4 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to princes. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include persecution, political pressure. Notable phrases: let this man be put to death; weakens the hands. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 38:4 mean to you, today?
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