Jeremiah 21:9

21:9 Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians who are besieging it will live. They will escape with their lives. ¹ 

Jeremiah 27:17

27:17 Do not listen to them. Be subject to the king of Babylon. Then you ²  will continue to live. Why should this city be made a pile of rubble?’” ³ 

Jeremiah 38:20

38:20 Then Jeremiah answered, “You will not be handed over to them. Please obey the Lord by doing what I have been telling you. ⁴  Then all will go well with you and your life will be spared. ⁵ 

[21:9]  ¹ tn Heb “his life will be to him for spoil.”

[27:17]  ² tn The imperative with vav (ו) here and in v. 12 after another imperative are a good example of the use of the imperative to introduce a consequence. (See GKC 324-25 §110.f and see Gen 42:18. This is a common verb in this idiom.)

[27:17]  ³ tn According to E. W. Bullinger (Figures of Speech, 954) both this question and the one in v. 13 are examples of rhetorical questions of prohibition / “don’t let this city be made a pile of rubble.”

[38:20]  ³ tn Heb “Please listen to the voice of the Lord with regard to what I have been telling you.” For the idiom “listen to the voice” = “obey” see BDB 1034 s.v. שָׁמַע 1.m. Obedience here is expressed by following the advice in the qualifying clause, i.e., what I have been telling you.

[38:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “your life [or you yourself] will live.” Compare v. 17 and the translator’s note there for the idiom.