Jeremiah 42:1-12

1Then all the commanders of the forces, Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, approached

2and said to the prophet Jeremiah, “Please, let our petition be presented before you, and pray to Adonai your God on our behalf, for all this remnant—for we who are left are but a few out of many, as you are seeing with your own eyes—

3that Adonai your God may tell us the way we should go and what we should do.”

4Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them: “I have heard you. Agreed: I will pray to Adonai your God according to your words, and it will be that every word Adonai will answer you, I will declare it to you—I will not keep a word from you.”

5Then they said to Jeremiah: “Let Adonai be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accord with every word that Adonai your God sends you to us.

6Whether it be good or evil, we will obey the voice of Adonai our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us, when we obey the voice of Adonai our God.”

7Now it was at the end of ten days that the word of Adonai came to Jeremiah.

8Then he called Johanan son of Kareah, and all the commanders of the forces that were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest,

9and said to them, “Thus says Adonai, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your supplication before Him:

10‘If you will still stay in this land, then will I build you up and not tear you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you. For I will relent concerning the calamity that I have done to you.

11Do not be not afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you dread—do not be afraid of him”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“for I am with you to save you, and deliver you from his hand.

12I will also show you compassion and he will have compassion on you, and restore you to your own soil.