Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 21:9
He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
9. for a prey ] something snatched up hurriedly and borne away with him rather than his secure possession. For the phrase cp. Jer 38:2, Jer 39:18, Jer 45:5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He that … falleth to the Chaldeans – This was to counsel desertion, and would have been treason in an ordinary man: but the prophets Spoke with an authority above that even of the king, and constantly interfered in political matters with summary decisiveness. Compare Mat 24:16-18.
A prey – Something not a mans own, upon which he seizes in the midst of danger, and hurries away with it. So must the Jews hurry away with their lives as something more than they had a right to, and place them in the Chaldaean camp as in a place of safety.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
But certainly, if ever any man spake high treason, this prophet now did it, when there was an enemy besieging them, telling them, that if they would save their lives, they must revolt from their king, and join with their enemies. All that can be said in excuse for the prophet is, that this was a Divine revelation to him, and a message sent to the king himself.
His life shall be given him for a prey, appeareth to have been a proverbial expression, either signifying.
1. A mans possession of his life, as a prey or booty recovered from death, or the hand of the enemy; or,
2. A mans rejoicing in the saving of his life, as if he had got some notable booty.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. (Jer 38:2;Jer 38:17; Jer 38:18).
falleth todeserts to.
life . . . a preyproverbial,to make one’s escape with life, like a valuable spoil or prey thatone carries off; the narrowness of the escape, and the joy felt atit, are included in the idea (Jer39:18).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He that abideth in this city,…. Imagining himself safe there; not fearing its being taken by the king of Babylon; though it was so often foretold by the prophet of the Lord that it should:
shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: by the first of these, in sallying out against the enemy; and by the other two, which raged within the city:
but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you,
he shall live; not fall upon them, as the words may be literally rendered; so it would describe such that went out of the city and sallied upon them; whereas it designs such who should go out of the city, and surrender themselves unto the Chaldeans; submit to them, so as to obey them, as the Targum adds; such shall have their lives spared:
and his life shall be unto him for a prey; it shall be like a spoil or booty taken out of an enemy’s hands; it shall be with difficulty obtained, and with joy possessed, as a prey or spoil is.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Thou shalt say to this people, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold I set before you the way of life and the way of death. Which was the way of death? Whosoever, he says, abides in this city, shall die by the sword, or by famine, or by pestilence This was incredible to the Jews, and they were no doubt inflamed with rage when they heard that they were to perish in the holy city which God protected; for there he had his sanctuary, and there his rest was. But the Prophet had already dissipated all these delusions; he could, therefore, boldly threaten them, though they still alleged their vain pretences: he had shewed reasons enough why they could hope for nothing less than exile from God, for they had so many times, and so obstinately, and in such various ways provoked him. This, then, he says, is the way of death, it is by remaining in the city. And he mentions several kinds of evils, and shews that God was armed not only with a hostile sword, but would also employ famine and pestilence, so that he would kill some with the sword, consume some with famine, and destroy some with pestilence. Hence he shews that they would be so assailed on every side, that it would be in vain to attempt to escape; for when they shunned the sword, pestilence would meet them; and when they were preserved from the pestilence, the famine would consume them.
He then adds, But he who went out to the Chaldeans, who besieged the city, etc., that is, who willingly surrendered himself; for it was a sign of obedience when the Jews with a resigned mind received correction; and it was also an evidence of repentance, for they thus confessed that they were worthy of the heaviest punishment. This is the reason why the Prophet represents it as the way of life to go out willingly, and to make a surrender of themselves of their own accord to their enemies. And by saying, who besiege you, הצרים עליכם , etserim olicam, he wished to anticipate objections which any one of the people might have alleged, — “How can I dare thus to expose myself? for the Chaldeans besiege us, and it will be all over with me as to my life if I go forth as a suppliant to them.” By no means, says the Prophet, for though they carry on a deadly war with the city, yet every one who of his own accord goes forth to them shall be safe, and shall find them ready to shew mercy. God would not have promised this had he not the Chaldeans in his own power, so that he could turn their minds as he pleased.
As to the verb נפל, nuphel, it means strictly to fall; but I consider that it signifies here to dwell, as in Gen 25:27 , where it is said that Ishmael dwelt in the sight of, or over against his brethren. They who render it “died” touch neither heaven nor earth. Some read, “his lot fell among his brethren;” but this is an unnatural rendering. There is, then, no doubt but that the verb means often to lie down, and hence to dwell; and yet I allow that the Prophet alludes to subjection; for we must remember what must have been their condition when they went over to the Chaldeans; they must have been subjected to great reproach. It was then no small humiliation; but yet we may properly render the verb to dwell. He, then, who went out to the Chaldeans and dwelt with them, (24) that is, who suffered himself to be led into exile, or who migrated according to their will from his own country to a foreign land — he, he says, shall live, and his life shall be for a prey, that is, he shall save his life, as when any one finds a prey and takes it as his own by stealth; for prey is to be taken here as an accidental gain. Whosoever, then, he says, shall not deem it too grievous a thing to submit to the Chaldeans, shall at least save his life.
In short, God intimates that the wickedness of the people had advanced so far, that it was not right to forgive them. What, then, was to be done by them? to submit with resignation and humility to a temporal punishment, and thus to cease to shut up the door of God’s mercy. He, however, teaches them at the same time that no salvation could be hoped for by them until they were chastised. And hence we may learn a useful doctrine, and that is, that whenever we provoke God’s wrath by our perverseness, we cannot be exempt from all punishment; and that we ought not to be impatient, especially when he punishes us moderately; and that provided we obtain eternal mercy, we ought submissively to bear paternal corrections. It follows, —
(24) “Shall go to,” is the Sept.; “shall fly to,” the Vulg.; “shall obey,” the Targ.; it is omitted in Syr. Blayney is, “surrendereth himself.” The verb, followed by על, as here, means to fall away to, or to join. See 2Kg 25:11. “But he who goeth out and joins the Chaldeans, who besiege you, shall live,” etc. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) And falleth to the Chaldeans.The words must have seemed to the messengers to counsel treachery and desertion, and were remembered against the prophet in the taunt of Jer. 37:13. They were, however, acted on by not a few (Jer. 39:9; Jer. 52:15).
His life shall be unto him for a prey.The phrase is characteristic of Jeremiah, and forcibly illustrates the misery of the time. Life itself was not a secure possession, but as the spoil which a man seizes on the field of battle, and with which he hastens away, lest another should deprive him of it. It occurs again in Jer. 39:18; Jer. 45:5.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Falleth to the Chaldeans That is, goes over to them. This apparently most treasonable intimation is but another way of saying that all resistance is useless. The city is doomed. Inevitable defeat is before them.
Life shall be unto him for a prey The ingenious note of Dean Smith on this phrase is hardly warranted: “A prey is something not a man’s own, upon which he seizes in the midst of danger, and hurries away with it. So must the Jews hurry away with their lives, as something more than they had a right to, and place them in the Chaldean camp as a place of safety.” The simple idea is, he shall preserve this most precious of all his treasures from the rapacious ruin.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 21:9 He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
Ver. 9. His life shall be unto him for a prey. ] And lawful prey or booty is counted good purchase. Isa 49:24 He shall save his life, though he lose his goods. And it should not be grievous to any man to sacrifice his estate to the service of his life. Why else did Solomon make so many hundreds of targets and shields of gold?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he that goeth out, &c. Many acted on this promise (Jer 39:9; Jer 52:15).
falleth = shall fall.
he shall live. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read “then (or so) shall he live”.
be unto him for a prey: i.e. he shall save his life, but it will be dearly bought. Compare Jer 38:2; Jer 39:18; Jer 45:6. The phrase occurs only in Jeremiah.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
that abideth: Jer 21:7, Jer 27:13, Jer 38:2, Jer 38:17-23
and his: Jer 38:2, Jer 39:18, Jer 45:5
Reciprocal: Isa 3:25 – Thy men Jer 27:11 – those Jer 37:13 – Thou Jer 44:13 – General Jer 52:6 – the famine Eze 5:12 – third part of Eze 14:19 – if I Mic 6:16 – that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 21:9. This verse goes into more details as to the terms life and death mentioned in the preceding verse. The prediction of sword, famine and pestilence is commented upon at eh. 14: 12 which the reader should see.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
21:9 He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be to him for a {e} prize.
(e) As a thing recovered from extreme danger, Jer 37:2; Jer 39:18; Jer 45:5 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
If the residents of Jerusalem stayed in the city and resisted the enemy, they would die. But if they surrendered to the Babylonians, they would live.