Jeremiah 38

1Now ShephatiahH8203 sonH1121 of MattanH4977, GedaliahH1436 sonH1121 of PashhurH6583, JucalH31161 sonH1121 of ShelemiahH8018, and PashhurH6583 sonH1121 of MalchijahH4441 heardH8085 thatH834 JeremiahH3414 had been tellingH1696H413 allH3605 the peopleH5971: 2“This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: Whoever staysH3427 in thisH2063 cityH5892 will dieH4191 by swordH2719 and famineH7458 and plagueH1698, but whoever surrendersH3318 toH413 the ChaldeansH37782 will liveH2421; he will retainH1961 his lifeH5315 like a spoil of warH7998, and he will liveH2421. 3This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ThisH2063 cityH5892 will surely be deliveredH5414 into the handsH3027 of the armyH2428 of the kingH4428 of BabylonH894, and he will capture itH3920.”

4Then the officialsH8269 saidH559 toH413 the kingH4428, “ThisH2088 manH376 ought to dieH4191H4994, forH3588H5921H3651 heH1931 is discouragingH7503 the warriorsH582H4421 who remainH7604 in thisH2063 cityH5892, as well as allH3605 the peopleH5971, by speakingH1696 suchH428 wordsH1697 to themH413; thisH2088 manH376 is notH369 seekingH1875 the well-beingH7965 of theseH2088 peopleH5971, butH3588H518 their ruinH7451.”

5“HereH2009 he isH1931,” repliedH559 KingH4428 ZedekiahH6667. “He is in your handsH3027, sinceH3588 the kingH4428 can do nothingH369H3201 to stop youH1697.”

6So they tookH3947 JeremiahH3414 and droppedH7993 himH853 intoH413 the cisternH953 of MalchiahH4441, the king’sH4428 sonH1121, whichH834 was in the courtyardH2691 of the guardH4307. They loweredH7971 JeremiahH3414 with ropesH2256 into the cisternH953, which had noH369 waterH4325 but onlyH3588H518 mudH2916, and JeremiahH3414 sank downH2883 into the mudH2916. 7Now Ebed-melechH5663 the CushiteH3569H376,3 a court officialH5631H19314 in the royalH4428H3588 palaceH1004, heardH8085 that JeremiahH3414 had been putH5414 intoH413 the cisternH953. While the kingH4428 was sittingH3427 at the GateH8179 of BenjaminH1144, 8Ebed-melechH5663 went outH3318 from the king’sH4428 palaceH1004 and saidH1696 toH413 the kingH4428H559, 9“My lordH113 the kingH4428, theseH428 menH582 have acted wickedlyH7489 in allH3605 thatH834 they have doneH6213 to JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030. They have dropped himH7993 intoH413 the cisternH953, whereH8478 he will starve to deathH4191H6440H7458, forH3588 there is noH369 moreH5750 breadH3899 in the cityH5892.”

10So the kingH4428 commandedH6680 Ebed-melechH5663 the CushiteH3569H559, “TakeH3947 thirtyH7970 menH582 fromH4480 hereH2088 with youH3027 and pullH5927 JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030 out of the cisternH953 beforeH2962 he diesH4191.”

11Then Ebed-melechH5663 tookH3947 the menH582 with himH3027 and wentH935 to the king’sH4428 palaceH1004, toH413 a place belowH8478 the storehouseH214. From thereH8033 he tookH3947 oldH1094 ragsH5499 and worn-outH1094 clothesH4418 and lowered themH7971 with ropesH2256 toH413 JeremiahH3414 inH413 the cisternH953.

12Ebed-melechH5663 the CushiteH3569 cried outH559 toH413 JeremiahH3414, “PutH7760H4994 these worn-outH1094 ragsH5499 and clothesH4418H8478 under your armsH679H3027H8478 to pad the ropesH2256.” JeremiahH3414 didH6213 soH3651, 13and they pulled himH3414 upH4900 with the ropesH2256 and liftedH5927 himH853 out ofH4480 the cisternH953. And JeremiahH3414 remainedH3427 in the courtyardH2691 of the guardH4307.

14Then KingH4428 ZedekiahH6667 sent forH7971 JeremiahH3414 the prophetH5030 and receivedH3947 himH853 atH413 the thirdH7992 entranceH3996 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068. “IH589 am going to askH7592 you somethingH1697,” saidH559 the kingH4428 toH413 JeremiahH3414. “Do notH408 hideH3582 anythingH1697 from meH4480.”

15“IfH3588 I tell youH5046,” JeremiahH3414 repliedH559, “you will surely put me to deathH4191. And even ifH3588 I give you adviceH3289, you will notH3808 listenH8085 to meH413.”

16But KingH4428 ZedekiahH6667 sworeH7650 secretlyH5643 toH413 JeremiahH3414, “As surely as the LORDH3068 livesH2416, whoH834 has givenH6213 us thisH2063 lifeH5315, I will notH518 kill youH4191, norH518 will I deliver youH5414 into the handsH3027 of theseH428 menH582 whoH834 are seekingH1245 your lifeH5315.”

17Then JeremiahH3414 saidH559 toH413 ZedekiahH6667, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 GodH430 of HostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559: ‘IfH518 you indeed surrenderH3318 toH413 the officersH8269 of the kingH4428 of BabylonH894, then youH5315 will liveH2421, thisH2063 cityH5892 will notH3808 be burned downH8313H784, and youH859 and your householdH1004 will surviveH2421. 18But ifH518 you do notH3808 surrenderH3318 toH413 the officersH8269 of the kingH4428 of BabylonH894, then thisH2063 cityH5892 will be deliveredH5414 into the handsH3027 of the ChaldeansH3778. They will burn it downH8313H784, and youH859 yourself will notH3808 escapeH4422 their graspH3027.’”

19But KingH4428 ZedekiahH6667 saidH559 toH413 JeremiahH3414, “IH589 am afraidH1672 of the JewsH3064 whoH834 have desertedH5307 toH413 the ChaldeansH3778, forH6435 the Chaldeans may deliverH5414 meH853 into their handsH3027 to abuseH5953 me.”

20“They will notH3808 hand you overH5414,” JeremiahH3414 repliedH559. “ObeyH8085H4994 the voiceH6963 of the LORDH3068 in whatH834 IH589 am telling youH1696H413, that it may go wellH3190 with you and youH5315 may liveH2421. 21But ifH518 youH859 refuseH3986 to surrenderH3318, thisH2088 is the wordH1697 thatH834 the LORDH3068 has shown meH7200: 22AllH3605 the womenH802 whoH834 remainH7604 in the palaceH1004 of the kingH4428 of JudahH3063 will be brought outH3318 toH413 the officialsH8269 of the kingH4428 of BabylonH894, and thoseH2007 women will sayH559:

23

AllH3605 your wivesH802 andH853 childrenH1121 will be brought outH3318 toH413 the ChaldeansH3778. And youH859 yourself will notH3808 escapeH4422 their graspH3027, forH3588 you will be seizedH8610 byH3027 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894, and thisH2063 cityH5892 will be burned downH8313H784.”

24Then ZedekiahH6667H413 warnedH559 JeremiahH3414, “Do notH408 let anyoneH376 knowH3045 about thisH428 conversationH1697, orH3808 you will dieH4191. 25IfH3588 the officialsH8269 hearH8085 thatH3588 I have spokenH1696 with youH854, and they comeH935 and demandH559 of youH413, ‘TellH5046H4994 us whatH4100 you saidH1696 toH413 the kingH4428 and whatH4100 he saidH1696 to youH413; do notH408 hide itH3582 from usH4480, or we will kill youH4191,’ 26then tell themH559H413, ‘IH589 was presentingH5307 toH6440 the kingH4428 my petitionH8467 that he notH1115 return meH7725 to the houseH1004 of JonathanH3083 to dieH4191 thereH8033.’”

27When allH3605 the officialsH8269 cameH935 toH413 JeremiahH3414 and questioned himH7592, he relayedH5046 to them the exactH3605 wordsH1697H428 the kingH4428 had commandedH6680 him to say. So they said no moreH2790 to himH4480, forH3588 no oneH3808 had overheardH8085 the conversationH1697. 28And JeremiahH3414 remainedH3427 in the courtyardH2691 of the guardH4307 untilH5704 the dayH3117 JerusalemH3389 was capturedH3920.