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.
Anyone who stays in this city will die by war, hunger, or disease. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are surrounding you will live, and they will escape with their life.
God is warning that staying in Jerusalem means death, but surrendering to the Babylonian army means survival.
📚 Historical Context
This prophecy was given during the final siege of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army around 588-586 BC. Jeremiah was delivering God's unpopular message that resistance was futile and that surrender was the only path to survival. The phrase 'life shall be unto him for a prey' was a common expression meaning to escape with one's life as if it were valuable treasure snatched from danger.
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