The Meaning of Jeremiah 39:16 Explained

Jeremiah 39:16

KJV: Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.

YLT: 'Go, and thou hast spoken to Ebed-Melech the Cushite, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: Lo, I am bringing in My words unto this city for evil, and not for good, and they have been before thee in that day.

Darby: Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good, and they shall come to pass before thy face in that day.

ASV: Go, and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished before thee in that day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Go  and speak  to Ebedmelech  the Ethiopian,  saying,  Thus saith  the LORD  of hosts,  the God  of Israel;  Behold, I will bring  my words  upon this city  for evil,  and not for good;  and they shall be [accomplished] in that day  before  thee. 

What does Jeremiah 39:16 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 39

1  Jerusalem is taken
4  Zedekiah is made blind and sent to Babylon
8  The city laid in ruins,
9  and the people captivated
11  Nebuchadrezzar's charge for the good usage of Jeremiah
15  God's promise to Ebed Melech

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 39:16 mean?

go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian saying thus says Yahweh of hosts the God of Israel behold I - will bring - My words upon city this for adversity and not for good and they shall be [performed] before you in day that
הָל֣וֹךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ֡ לְעֶבֶד־ מֶ֨לֶךְ‪‬ הַכּוּשִׁ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִי֩ [מבי] (מֵבִ֨יא) אֶת־ דְּבָרַ֜י אֶל־ הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֛את לְרָעָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א לְטוֹבָ֑ה וְהָי֥וּ לְפָנֶ֖יךָ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא

הָל֣וֹךְ  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֡  and  speak 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֶ֨לֶךְ‪‬  Ebed-melech 
Parse: Preposition, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד־מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: an Ethiopian eunuch in the service of king Zedekiah, through whose interference Jeremiah was released from prison.
הַכּוּשִׁ֜י  the  Ethiopian 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כּוּשִׁי  
Sense: one of the descendants of Cush the grandson of Noah through Ham and a member of that nation or people.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֹּֽה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֞ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָאוֹת֙  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הִנְנִי֩  behold  I 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
[מבי]  - 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
(מֵבִ֨יא)  will  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דְּבָרַ֜י  My  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֶל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָעִ֥יר  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַזֹּ֛את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
לְרָעָ֖ה  for  adversity 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
לְטוֹבָ֑ה  for  good 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וְהָי֥וּ  and  they  shall  be  [performed] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְפָנֶ֖יךָ  before  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בַּיּ֥וֹם  in  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַהֽוּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.