1 Then Shephatiah|strong="H8203" the son|strong="H1121" of Mattan|strong="H4977", and Gedaliah|strong="H1436" the son|strong="H1121" of Pashur|strong="H6583", and Jucal|strong="H3116" the son|strong="H1121" of Shelemiah|strong="H8018", and Pashur|strong="H6583" the son|strong="H1121" of Malchiah|strong="H4441", heard|strong="H8085" the words|strong="H1697" that Jeremiah|strong="H3414" had spoken|strong="H1696" unto all the people|strong="H5971", saying|strong="H0559",
2 Thus saith|strong="H0559" the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, He that remaineth|strong="H3427" in this city|strong="H5892" shall die|strong="H4191" by the sword|strong="H2719", by the famine|strong="H7458", and by the pestilence|strong="H1698": but he that goeth forth|strong="H3318" to the Chaldeans|strong="H3778" shall live|strong="H2421"; for he shall have his life|strong="H5315" for a prey|strong="H7998", and shall live|strong="H2421".
3 Thus saith|strong="H0559" the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, This city|strong="H5892" shall surely|strong="H5414" be given|strong="H5414" into the hand|strong="H3027" of the king|strong="H4428" of Babylon’s|strong="H0894" army|strong="H2428", which shall take|strong="H3920" it.
4 Therefore the princes|strong="H8269" said|strong="H0559" unto the king|strong="H4428", We beseech thee, let this man|strong="H0376" be put to death|strong="H4191": for thus|strong="H3651" he weakeneth|strong="H7503" the hands|strong="H3027" of the men|strong="H0582" of war|strong="H4421" that remain|strong="H7604" in this city|strong="H5892", and the hands|strong="H3027" of all the people|strong="H5971", in speaking|strong="H1696" such words|strong="H1697" unto them: for this man|strong="H0376" seeketh|strong="H1875" not the welfare|strong="H7965" of this people|strong="H5971", but the hurt|strong="H7451".
5 Then Zedekiah|strong="H6667" the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559", Behold, he is in your hand|strong="H3027": for the king|strong="H4428" is not he that can|strong="H3201" do any thing|strong="H1697" against you.
6 Then took|strong="H3947" they Jeremiah|strong="H3414", and cast|strong="H7993" him into the dungeon|strong="H0953" of Malchiah|strong="H4441" the son|strong="H1121" of Hammelech|strong="H4428", that was in the court|strong="H2691" of the prison|strong="H4307": and they let down|strong="H7971" Jeremiah|strong="H3414" with cords|strong="H2256". And in the dungeon|strong="H0953" there was no water|strong="H4325", but mire|strong="H2916": so Jeremiah|strong="H3414" sunk|strong="H2883" in the mire|strong="H2916".
7 Now when Ebed-melech|strong="H5663" the Ethiopian|strong="H3569", one|strong="H0376" of the eunuchs|strong="H5631" which was in the king’s|strong="H4428" house|strong="H1004", heard|strong="H8085" that they had put|strong="H5414" Jeremiah|strong="H3414" in the dungeon|strong="H0953"; the king|strong="H4428" then sitting|strong="H3427" in the gate|strong="H8179" of Benjamin|strong="H1144";
8 Ebed-melech|strong="H5663" went forth|strong="H3318" out of the king’s|strong="H4428" house|strong="H1004", and spake|strong="H1696" to the king|strong="H4428", saying|strong="H0559",
9 My lord|strong="H0113" the king|strong="H4428", these men|strong="H0582" have done evil|strong="H7489" in all that they have done|strong="H6213" to Jeremiah|strong="H3414" the prophet|strong="H5030", whom they have cast|strong="H7993" into the dungeon|strong="H0953"; and he is like to die|strong="H4191" for|strong="H6440" hunger|strong="H7458" in the place|strong="H8478" where he is: for there is no more bread|strong="H3899" in the city|strong="H5892".
10 Then the king|strong="H4428" commanded|strong="H6680" Ebed-melech|strong="H5663" the Ethiopian|strong="H3569", saying|strong="H0559", Take|strong="H3947" from hence thirty|strong="H7970" men|strong="H0582" with thee|strong="H3027", and take up|strong="H5927" Jeremiah|strong="H3414" the prophet|strong="H5030" out of the dungeon|strong="H0953", before he die|strong="H4191".
11 So Ebed-melech|strong="H5663" took|strong="H3947" the men|strong="H0582" with him|strong="H3027", and went|strong="H0935" into the house|strong="H1004" of the king|strong="H4428" under the treasury|strong="H0214", and took|strong="H3947" thence old|strong="H1094" cast clouts|strong="H5499" and old|strong="H1094" rotten rags|strong="H4418", and let them down|strong="H7971" by cords|strong="H2256" into the dungeon|strong="H0953" to Jeremiah|strong="H3414".
12 And Ebed-melech|strong="H5663" the Ethiopian|strong="H3569" said|strong="H0559" unto Jeremiah|strong="H3414", Put|strong="H7760" now these old|strong="H1094" cast clouts|strong="H5499" and rotten rags|strong="H4418" under thine armholes|strong="H0679" under the cords|strong="H2256". And Jeremiah|strong="H3414" did|strong="H6213" so.
13 So they drew up|strong="H4900" Jeremiah|strong="H3414" with cords|strong="H2256", and took him up|strong="H5927" out of the dungeon|strong="H0953": and Jeremiah|strong="H3414" remained|strong="H3427" in the court|strong="H2691" of the prison|strong="H4307".
14 Then Zedekiah|strong="H6667" the king|strong="H4428" sent|strong="H7971", and took|strong="H3947" Jeremiah|strong="H3414" the prophet|strong="H5030" unto him into the third|strong="H7992" entry|strong="H3996" that is in the house|strong="H1004" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*: and the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" unto Jeremiah|strong="H3414", I will ask|strong="H7592" thee a thing|strong="H1697"; hide|strong="H3582" nothing from me.
15 Then Jeremiah|strong="H3414" said|strong="H0559" unto Zedekiah|strong="H6667", If I declare|strong="H5046" it unto thee, wilt thou not surely|strong="H4191" put me to death|strong="H4191"? and if I give thee counsel|strong="H3289", wilt thou not hearken|strong="H8085" unto me?
16 So Zedekiah|strong="H6667" the king|strong="H4428" sware|strong="H7650" secretly|strong="H5643" unto Jeremiah|strong="H3414", saying|strong="H0559", As the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* liveth|strong="H2416", that made|strong="H6213" us this soul|strong="H5315", I will not put thee to death|strong="H4191", neither will I give|strong="H5414" thee into the hand|strong="H3027" of these men|strong="H0582" that seek|strong="H1245" thy life|strong="H5315".
17 Then said|strong="H0559" Jeremiah|strong="H3414" unto Zedekiah|strong="H6667", Thus saith|strong="H0559" the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, the God|strong="H0430" of hosts|strong="H6635", the God|strong="H0430" of Israel|strong="H3478"; If thou wilt assuredly|strong="H3318" go forth|strong="H3318" unto the king|strong="H4428" of Babylon’s|strong="H0894" princes|strong="H8269", then thy soul|strong="H5315" shall live|strong="H2421", and this city|strong="H5892" shall not be burned|strong="H8313" with fire|strong="H0784"; and thou shalt live|strong="H2421", and thine house|strong="H1004":
18 But if thou wilt not go forth|strong="H3318" to the king|strong="H4428" of Babylon’s|strong="H0894" princes|strong="H8269", then shall this city|strong="H5892" be given|strong="H5414" into the hand|strong="H3027" of the Chaldeans|strong="H3778", and they shall burn|strong="H8313" it with fire|strong="H0784", and thou shalt not escape out|strong="H4422" of their hand|strong="H3027".
19 And Zedekiah|strong="H6667" the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" unto Jeremiah|strong="H3414", I am afraid|strong="H1672" of the Jews|strong="H3064" that are fallen|strong="H5307" to the Chaldeans|strong="H3778", lest they deliver|strong="H5414" me into their hand|strong="H3027", and they mock|strong="H5953" me.
20 But Jeremiah|strong="H3414" said|strong="H0559", They shall not deliver|strong="H5414" thee. Obey|strong="H8085", I beseech thee, the voice|strong="H6963" of the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w*, which I speak|strong="H1696" unto thee: so it shall be well|strong="H3190" unto thee, and thy soul|strong="H5315" shall live|strong="H2421".
21 But if thou refuse|strong="H3986" to go forth|strong="H3318", this is the word|strong="H1697" that the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* hath shewed|strong="H7200" me:
22 And, behold, all the women|strong="H0802" that are left|strong="H7604" in the king|strong="H4428" of Judah’s|strong="H3063" house|strong="H1004" shall be brought forth|strong="H3318" to the king|strong="H4428" of Babylon’s|strong="H0894" princes|strong="H8269", and those women shall say|strong="H0559", Thy friends|strong="H0582" have set thee on|strong="H5496", and have prevailed|strong="H3201" against thee: thy feet|strong="H7272" are sunk|strong="H2883" in the mire|strong="H1206", and they are turned away|strong="H5472" back|strong="H0268".
23 So they shall bring out|strong="H3318" all thy wives|strong="H0802" and thy children|strong="H1121" to the Chaldeans|strong="H3778": and thou shalt not escape out|strong="H4422" of their hand|strong="H3027", but shalt be taken|strong="H8610" by the hand|strong="H3027" of the king|strong="H4428" of Babylon|strong="H0894": and thou shalt cause this city|strong="H5892" to be burned|strong="H8313" with fire|strong="H0784".
24 Then said|strong="H0559" Zedekiah|strong="H6667" unto Jeremiah|strong="H3414", Let no man|strong="H0376" know|strong="H3045" of these words|strong="H1697", and thou shalt not die|strong="H4191".
25 But if the princes|strong="H8269" hear|strong="H8085" that I have talked|strong="H1696" with thee, and they come|strong="H0935" unto thee, and say|strong="H0559" unto thee, Declare|strong="H5046" unto us now what thou hast said|strong="H1696" unto the king|strong="H4428", hide|strong="H3582" it not from us, and we will not put thee to death|strong="H4191"; also what the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H1696" unto thee:
26 Then thou shalt say|strong="H0559" unto them, I presented|strong="H5307" my supplication|strong="H8467" before|strong="H6440" the king|strong="H4428", that he would not cause me to return|strong="H7725" to Jonathan’s|strong="H3083" house|strong="H1004", to die|strong="H4191" there.
27 Then came|strong="H0935" all the princes|strong="H8269" unto Jeremiah|strong="H3414", and asked|strong="H7592" him: and he told|strong="H5046" them according to all these words|strong="H1697" that the king|strong="H4428" had commanded|strong="H6680". So they left off speaking|strong="H2790" with him; for the matter|strong="H1697" was not perceived|strong="H8085".
28 So Jeremiah|strong="H3414" abode|strong="H3427" in the court|strong="H2691" of the prison|strong="H4307" until the day|strong="H3117" that Jerusalem|strong="H3389" was taken|strong="H3920": and he was there when Jerusalem|strong="H3389" was taken|strong="H3920".