^37:8Then the Babylonian forces¹⁵ will return. They will attack the city and will capture it and burn it down. ^37:9Moreover, I, the Lord, warn you not to deceive yourselves into thinking that the Babylonian forces¹⁶ will go away and leave you alone. For they will not go away.¹⁷^37:10For even if you were to defeat all the Babylonian forces¹⁸ fighting against you so badly that only wounded men were left lying in their tents, they would get up and burn this city down.” ’ ”¹⁹

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Footnotes

15 Heb “the Chaldeans.” See the study note on for the rendering “Babylonian.” The word “forces” is supplied in the translation here for the sake of clarity.
16 Heb “the Chaldeans.” See the study note on for the rendering “Babylonian.” The word “forces” is supplied in the translation here for the sake of clarity.
17 Heb “Thus says the Lord, ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from against us” because they will not go away.’ ” The first person “I, the Lord,” has been used because the whole of vv. 7–8 has been a quote from the Lord and it would be confusing to go back and start a separate quote. The indirect quote has been used instead of the direct quote to avoid the proliferation of quote marks at the end and the possible confusion that creates.
18 Heb “all the army of the Chaldeans.” For the rendering “Babylonian” in place of Chaldean see the study note on .
19 The length and complexity of this English sentence violates the more simple style that has been used to conform such sentences to contemporary English style. However, there does not seem to be any alternative that would enable a simpler style and still retain the causal and conditional connections that give this sentence the rhetorical force that it has in the original. The condition is, of course, purely hypothetical and the consequence a poetic exaggeration. The intent is to assure Zedekiah that there is absolutely no hope of the city being spared.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And the Chaldeans shall come back and fight against this city. They shall capture it and burn it with fire. Thus says the Lord, Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go away. For even if you should defeat the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men, every man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’ ”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then the Babylonians will return and attack this city; they will capture it and burn it down.’

“This is what the Lord says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, ‘The Babylonians will surely leave us.’ They will not! Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The Chaldeans will then return and fight against this city. They will capture it and burn it. This is what the Lord says: Don’t deceive yourselves by saying, “The Chaldeans will leave us for good,” for they will not leave. Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire Chaldean army that is fighting with you, and there remained among them only the badly wounded men, each in his tent, they would get up and burn this city.’ ”

NLTNew Living Translation

Then the Babylonians will come back and capture this city and burn it to the ground.’

“This is what the Lord says: Do not fool yourselves into thinking that the Babylonians are gone for good. They aren’t! Even if you were to destroy the entire Babylonian army, leaving only a handful of wounded survivors, they would still stagger from their tents and burn this city to the ground!”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And the Chaldeans will return, and they will fight against this city, and they will capture it, and they will burn it with fire.” ’ Thus says Yahweh: ‘You must not deceive yourselves, saying, “Surely the Chaldeans will go from us,” for they will not go. For even if you struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and only men pierced through remained among them, each one in his tent, they would rise up and they would burn this city with fire.’ ”

KJV 1900King James Version

And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire. Thus saith the Lord; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart. For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

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