Then Shephatiah the son
of Mattan
, and Gedaliah
the son
of Pashur
, and Jucal
the son
of Shelemiah
, and Pashur
the son
of Malchiah
, heard
the words
that Jeremiah
had spoken
unto all the people
, saying
,
Thus saith the LORD
, He that remaineth
in this city
shall die
by the sword
, by the famine
, and by the pestilence
: but he that goeth forth
to the Chaldeans
shall live
; for he shall have his life
for a prey
, and shall live
.
Thus saith the LORD
, This city
shall surely
be given
into the hand
of the king
of Babylon's
army
, which shall take
it.
Therefore the princes said
unto the king
, We beseech thee, let this man
be put to death
: for thus
he weakeneth
the hands
of the men
of war
that remain
in this city
, and the hands
of all the people
, in speaking
such words
unto them: for this man
seeketh
not the welfare
of this people
, but the hurt
.
Then Zedekiah the king
said
, Behold, he is in your hand
: for the king
is not he that can
do any thing
against you.
Then took they Jeremiah
, and cast
him into the dungeon
of Malchiah
the son
of Hammelech
, that was in the court
of the prison
: and they let down
Jeremiah
with cords
. And in the dungeon
there was no water
, but mire
: so Jeremiah
sunk
in the mire
.
Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian
, one
of the eunuchs
which was in the king's
house
, heard
that they had put
Jeremiah
in the dungeon
; the king
then sitting
in the gate
of Benjamin
;
Ebedmelech went forth
out of the king's
house
, and spake
to the king
, saying
,
My lord the king
, these men
have done evil
in all that they have done
to Jeremiah
the prophet
, whom they have cast
into the dungeon
; and he is like to die
for
hunger
in the place
where he is: for there is no more bread
in the city
.
Then the king commanded
Ebedmelech
the Ethiopian
, saying
, Take
from hence thirty
men
with thee
, and take up
Jeremiah
the prophet
out of the dungeon
, before he die
.
So Ebedmelech took
the men
with him
, and went
into the house
of the king
under the treasury
, and took
thence old
cast clouts
and old
rotten rags
, and let them down
by cords
into the dungeon
to Jeremiah
.
And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian
said
unto Jeremiah
, Put
now these old
cast clouts
and rotten rags
under thine armholes
under the cords
. And Jeremiah
did
so.
So they drew up Jeremiah
with cords
, and took him up
out of the dungeon
: and Jeremiah
remained
in the court
of the prison
.
Then Zedekiah the king
sent
, and took
Jeremiah
the prophet
unto him into the third
entry
that is in the house
of the LORD
: and the king
said
unto Jeremiah
, I will ask
thee a thing
; hide
nothing from me.
Then Jeremiah said
unto Zedekiah
, If I declare
it unto thee, wilt thou not surely
put me to death
? and if I give thee counsel
, wilt thou not hearken
unto me?
So Zedekiah the king
sware
secretly
unto Jeremiah
, saying
, As the LORD
liveth
, that made
us this soul
, I will not put thee to death
, neither will I give
thee into the hand
of these men
that seek
thy life
.
Then said Jeremiah
unto Zedekiah
, Thus saith
the LORD
, the God
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
; If thou wilt assuredly
go forth
unto the king
of Babylon's
princes
, then thy soul
shall live
, and this city
shall not be burned
with fire
; and thou shalt live
, and thine house
:
But if thou wilt not go forth to the king
of Babylon's
princes
, then shall this city
be given
into the hand
of the Chaldeans
, and they shall burn
it with fire
, and thou shalt not escape out
of their hand
.
And Zedekiah the king
said
unto Jeremiah
, I am afraid
of the Jews
that are fallen
to the Chaldeans
, lest they deliver
me into their hand
, and they mock
me.
But Jeremiah said
, They shall not deliver
thee . Obey
, I beseech thee, the voice
of the LORD
, which I speak
unto thee: so it shall be well
unto thee, and thy soul
shall live
.
But if thou refuse to go forth
, this is the word
that the LORD
hath shewed
me:
And, behold, all the women that are left
in the king
of Judah's
house
shall be brought forth
to the king
of Babylon's
princes
, and those women shall say
, Thy friends
have set thee on
, and have prevailed
against thee: thy feet
are sunk
in the mire
, and they are turned away
back
.
So they shall bring out all thy wives
and thy children
to the Chaldeans
: and thou shalt not escape out
of their hand
, but shalt be taken
by the hand
of the king
of Babylon
: and thou shalt cause this city
to be burned
with fire
.
Then said Zedekiah
unto Jeremiah
, Let no man
know
of these words
, and thou shalt not die
.
But if the princes hear
that I have talked
with thee, and they come
unto thee, and say
unto thee, Declare
unto us now what thou hast said
unto the king
, hide
it not from us, and we will not put thee to death
; also what the king
said
unto thee:
Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented
my supplication
before
the king
, that he would not cause me to return
to Jonathan's
house
, to die
there.
Then came all the princes
unto Jeremiah
, and asked
him: and he told
them according to all these words
that the king
had commanded
. So they left off speaking
with him; for the matter
was not perceived
.
So Jeremiah abode
in the court
of the prison
until the day
that Jerusalem
was taken
: and he was there when Jerusalem
was taken
.