What Does Jeremiah 22:30 Mean in the King James?
Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse defines this man’s “childlessness” by a blocked royal future: his seed does not advance to David’s throne.
THE MEANING
The verdict marks this line as unable to advance into David’s throne: no descendant from this man’s seed succeeds as a seated ruler or rules Judah again. The sentence measures the line’s future by royal succession.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Royal descent guarantees its heirs a place on the throne. This verse declares that descent alone cannot secure that future.
THE ROOT
יִצְלַח
yitslaḥ
GROWS FROM
צ־ל־ח
ṣ-l-ḥ
To advance, push through, or succeed.
The English “prosper” can sound like general well-being, but צלח carries the sense of advancing toward an outcome. Here the outcome is explicit: no descendant advances to the throne.
ALSO GROWS
tsālaḥ: Come mightily upon; rush upon.
צָלַח
The same root can describe a force surging upon someone, revealing movement and arrival beneath the idea of prosperity.
vehitzliaḥ: And he shall prosper or succeed.
וְהִצְלִיחַ
Jeremiah 23:5 uses this form for a king from David who reigns and prospers, making a striking turn within the book.
מִזַּרְעוֹ
mizzar‘o
GROWS FROM
ז־ר־ע
z-r-ʿ
To sow; seed or offspring.
The word for descendants shares its root with the act of sowing: a lineage carries the image of something planted toward a future. The verse separates that continuation from rule, the seed alone does not ensure a place on the throne.
ALSO GROWS
zāraʿ: To sow.
זָרַע
The verb pictures a lineage as what is planted and carried forward.
zeraʿ: Seed; offspring.
זֶרַע
This noun names the descendants whose advance to David’s throne is denied in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Biblical prosperity is forward movement toward an outcome, whether a life’s fruit, a journey, or a throne.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.THE THREAD
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.Jeremiah 22:30 says no seed of this man will יִצְלַח (yitslaḥ, advance or prosper) on David’s throne; Jeremiah 23:5 uses the same root, צלח (ṣ-l-ḥ, advance or prosper), for the king who shall reign and prosper. The repeated root makes the turn visible: this line’s royal future closes, while the promise of a prospering ruler from David remains.
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