Jeremias 38:4
And the princes said to the king: We beseech thee that this man may be put to death: for on purpose he weakeneth the hands of the men of war, that remain in this city, and the hands of the people, speaking to them according to these words: for this man seeketh not peace to this people, but evil.
Open Jeremias 38:4 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Et dixerunt principes regi : Rogamus ut occidatur homo iste : de industria enim dissolvit manus virorum bellantium qui remanserunt in civitate hac, et manus universi populi, loquens ad eos juxta verba hæc : siquidem homo iste non quærit pacem populo huic, sed malum.
- Septuagint (Swete) shown from Jeremias 45:4
- καὶ εἶπαν τῷ βασιλεῖ Ἀναιρεθήτω δὴ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος, ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐκλύει τὰς χεῖρας τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν πολεμούντων τῶν καταλειπομένων ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ τὰς χεῖρας παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, λαλῶν πρὸς αὐτοὺς κατὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους, ὅτι ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος οὐ χρησιμολογεῖ εἰρήνην τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ ἀλλ᾽ ἢ πονηρά.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ הַשָּׂרִ֜ים אֶל הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ י֣וּמַת נָא֮ אֶת הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּה֒ כִּֽי עַל כֵּ֡ן הֽוּא מְרַפֵּ֡א אֶת יְדֵי֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֣ים בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֗את וְאֵת֙ יְדֵ֣י כָל הָעָ֔ם לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֣י הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֗ה אֵינֶ֨נּוּ דֹרֵ֧שׁ לְשָׁל֛וֹם לָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה כִּ֥י אִם לְרָעָֽה
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and Ephesians, Ephesians 5:5,6
There were, it is likely, in the time of our forefathers also, some who “weakened the hands of the people” ( Jer. xxxviii. 4 .), and brought into practice that which is mentioned by Ezekiel, or rather who did the works of the false prophets, who “profaned God among His people for handfuls of barley” ( Ezek. xiii. 19 .); a thing, by the way, done methinks by some even at this day. When, for example, we say that he who calleth his brother a fool shall depart into hell-fire, others say, “What? Is he that calls his brother a fool to depart into hell-fire? Impossible,” say they. And again, when we say that “the covetous man is an idolater,” in this too again they make abatements, and say the expression is hyperbolical. And in this manner they underrate and explain away all the commandments. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
Are these too but threatening words? Are these but the sound of words? For to me indeed the former things were not incredible, but things not seen were equally credible with things that were seen. But even to the unbeliever these are sufficient to produce faith. If any one disbelieves hell, let him consider Sodom, let him reflect upon Gomorrah, the vengeance that has been inflicted, and which yet remains. This is a proof of the eternity of punishment. Are these things grievous? And is it not grievous, when you say that there is no hell, but that God has merely threatened it? when you slack the hands of the people? It is thou who disbelievest that compellest me to say these things; it is thou that hast drawn me out into these words. If thou believedst the words of Christ I should not be compelled to bring forward facts to induce belief. …