The Book of Jeremiah

Jer 38:1 Then Sheph-a-ti´-ah the son of Mat´-tan, and Ged-a-li´-ah the son of Pash´-ur, and Ju´-cal the son of Shel-e-mi´-ah, and Pash´-ur the son of Mal-chi´-ah, heard the words that Jer-e-mi´-ah had spoken unto all the people, saying,

Jer 38:2 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 Chal-de´-ans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.

Jer 38:3 Thus saith the Lord, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.

Jer 38:4 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.

Jer 38:5 Then Zed-e-ki´-ah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.

Jer 38:6 Then took they Jer-e-mi´-ah, and cast him into the dungeon of Mal-chi´ah the son of Ham´-me-lech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jer-e-mi´-ah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jer-e-mi´-ah sunk in the mire.

Jer 38:7 Now when E´-bed–me´-lech the E-thi-o´-pi-an, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jer-e-mi´-ah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;

Jer 38:8 E´-bed–me´-lech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king, saying,

Jer 38:9 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jer-e-mi´-ah 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.

Jer 38:10 Then the king commanded E´-bed–me´-lech the E-thi-o´-pi-an, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jer-e-mi´-ah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.

Jer 38:11 So E´-bed–me´-lech 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 Jer-e-mi´-ah.

Jer 38:12 And E´-bed–me´-lech the E-thio´-pi-an said unto Jer-e-mi´-ah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jer-e-mi´-ah did so.

Jer 38:13 So they drew up Jer-e-mi´-ah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jer-e-mi´-ah remained in the court of the prison.

Jer 38:14 Then Zed-e-ki´-ah the king sent, and took Jer-e-mi´-ah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the Lord: and the king said unto Jer-e-mi´-ah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.

Jer 38:15 Then Jer-e-mi´-ah said unto Zed-e-ki´-ah, 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?

Jer 38:16 So Zed-e-ki´-ah the king sware secretly unto Jer-e-mi´-ah, 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.

Jer 38:17 Then said Jer-e-mi´-ah unto Zed-e-ki´-ah, 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:

Jer 38:18 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 Chal-de´-ans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

Jer 38:19 And Zed-e-ki´-ah the king said unto Jer-e-mi´-ah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chal-de´ans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

Jer 38:20 But Jer-e-mi´-ah 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.

Jer 38:21 But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me:

Jer 38:22 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.

Jer 38:23 So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chalde´-ans: 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.

Jer 38:24 Then said Zed-e-ki´-ah unto Jer-e-mi´-ah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.

Jer 38:25 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:

Jer 38:26 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.

Jer 38:27 Then came all the princes unto Jer-e-mi´-ah, 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.

Jer 38:28 So Jer-e-mi´-ah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.