The Book of Jeremiah

Jer 37:1 And king Zed-e-ki´-ah the son of Jo-si´-ah reigned instead of Coni´-ah the son of Je-hoi´-a-kim, whom Neb-u-chad-rez´-zar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.

Jer 37:2 But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the Lord, which he spake by the prophet Jer-e-mi´-ah.

Jer 37:3 And Zed-e-ki´-ah the king sent Je-hu´-cal the son of Shel-e-mi´-ah and Zeph-a-ni´-ah the son of Ma-a-se´-iah the priest to the prophet Jer-e-mi´-ah, saying, Pray now unto the Lord our God for us.

Jer 37:4 Now Jer-e-mi´-ah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.

Jer 37:5 Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chal-de´-ans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.

Jer 37:6 Then came the word of the Lord unto the prophet Jer-e-mi´-ah, saying,

Jer 37:7 Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto Me to enquire of Me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.

Jer 37:8 And the Chal-de´-ans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.

Jer 37:9 Thus saith the Lord; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chal-de´-ans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.

Jer 37:10 For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chal-de´-ans 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.

Jer 37:11 And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chal-de´-ans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,

Jer 37:12 Then Jer-e-mi´-ah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.

Jer 37:13 And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was I-ri´-jah, the son of Shel-e-mi´-ah, the son of Hana-ni´-ah; and he took Jer-e-mi´-ah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chal-de´-ans.

Jer 37:14 Then said Jer-e-mi´-ah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chal-de´ans. But he hearkened not to him: so I-ri´-jah took Jer-e-mi´-ah, and brought him to the princes.

Jer 37:15 Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jer-e-mi´-ah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.

Jer 37:16 When Jer-e-mi´-ah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jer-e-mi´-ah had remained there many days;

Jer 37:17 Then Zed-e-ki´-ah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the Lord? And Jer-e-mi´-ah said, There is: for, said He, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.

Jer 37:18 Moreover Jer-e-mi´-ah said unto king Zed-e-ki´-ah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

Jer 37:19 Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?

Jer 37:20 Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

Jer 37:21 Then Zed-e-ki´-ah the king commanded that they should commit Jere-mi´-ah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jer-e-mi´-ah remained in the court of the prison.