Jeremiah prophesieth JEREMIAH, the Chaldeans' victory. went out among the people: for [to king Zedekiah, What have I they had not put him into prison. 5 Then Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem. 6 Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying, offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison? 19 Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land? 20 Therefore hear now, I pray 7 Thus saith the LORD, the God thee, O my lord the king: let my of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the supplication, I pray thee, be acking of Judah, that sent you unto cepted before thee; that thou cause me to inquire of me; Behold, Pha-me not to return to the house of raoh's army, which is come forth Jonathan the scribe, lest I die to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land. 8 And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire. 9 Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart. 10 For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans 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. 11 T And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army, there. 21 Then Zedekiah the king com manded that they should commit Jeremiah 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 Je remiah remained in the court of the prison. CHAP. XXXVII. Jeremiah cast into the Dungeon THEN Shephatiada lah 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, 2 Thus saith the LORD, He that 12 Then Jeremiah went forth out remaineth in this city shall die by of Jerusalem to go into the land of the sword, by the famme, and by Benjamin, to separate himself the pestilence: but he that goeth thence in the midst of the people. forth to the Chaldeans shall live; 13 And when he was in the gate for he shall have his life for a prey, of Benjamin, a captain of the ward and shall live. was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans. 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. 4 Therefore the princes said unto 14 Then said Jeremiah, It is the king, We beseech thee, let this false; I fall not away to the Chal-man be put to death: for thus he deans. But he hearkened not to weakeneth the hands of the men him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and of war that remain in this city, brought him to the princes. 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. 15 Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison. 16 When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days; 5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you. 6 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. 17 Then Zedekiah 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 Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the 7 Now when Ebed-melech the king of Babylon. Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs 18 Moreover, Jeremiah said un-which was in the king's house. 604 to king Zedekiah thou shalt not escape out of their hand. Jeremiah's secret advice CHAP. XXXIX. 8 Ebed-melech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying, 9 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. 19 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. 20 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. 21 But if thou refuse to go forth, 10 Then the king commanded this is the word that the LORD hath Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, say-shewed me: ing, Take from hence thirty men 92 And behold, all the women with thee, and take up Jeremiah that are left in the king of Judah's the prophet out of the dungeon, be-house shall be brought forth to the fore he die. 11 So Ebed-melech 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. 12 And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine arm-holes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. 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. 23 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. 13 So they drew up Jeremiah 24 Then said Zedekiah unto with cords, and took him up out Jeremiah, Let no man know of of the dungeon: and Jeremiah re- these words, and thou shalt not mained in the court of the pri- die. son. 14 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. 15 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? 16 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. 17 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 thy house: 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 Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and 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: 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. 27 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 speak ing with him; for the matter was not perceived. 28 So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken. CHAP. XXXIX. Jerusalem besieged and taken. N the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it. 2 And in the eleventh year of 695 Jerusalem is taken. JEREMIAH, Jeremiah, &c. Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the carry him home: so he dwelt ninth day of the month, the city among the people. was broken up. 15 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 3 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-sa- 16 Go and speak to Ebed-melech ris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith with all the residue of the princes the LORD of hosts, the God of of the king of Babylon. Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall_be accomplished in that day before thee. 4 And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain. 17 But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. 5 But the Chaldeans' army pur- 18 For I will surely deliver thee. sued after them, and overtook and thou shalt not fall by the Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: sword, but thy life shall be for and when they had taken him, a prey unto thee: because thou they brought him up to Nebu- hast put thy trust in me, saith the chadnezzar king of Babylon to LORD. Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him. CHAP. XL. 6 Then the king of Babylon slew THE word which came to Jere miah from the LORD, after the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah that Nebuzar-adan the captain of before his eyes: also the king of the guard had let him go from Babylon slew all the nobles of Ramah, when he had taken him Judah. being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon. 7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon. 8¶ And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained. 2 And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place. 3 Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, therefore this thing is come upon you. 10 But Nebuzar-adan the captain 4 And now, behold, I loose thee of the guard left of the poor of the this day from the chains which people, which had nothing, in the were upon thy hand. If it seem land of Judah, and gave them vine- good unto thee to come with me yards and fields at the same time. into Babylon, come; and I will 11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king look well unto thee: but if it seem of Babylon gave charge concern-ill unto thee to come with me into ing Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying, 12 Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee. 13 So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebu shasban, Rab-saris, and Nergalsharezer, Rab-mag, and all the king of Babylon's princes; 14 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the sou of Shaphan, that he should Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go. 5 Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go. 6 Then went Jeremiah unto Ishmael slayeth Gedaliah. should be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish? resort to Gedaliah. CHAP. XLI. 7 Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon; 16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael. CHAP. XLI. Ishmael slayeth Gedaliah, &c. NOW it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah. 8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and 2 Then arose Ishmael the son of the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, Nethaniah, and the ten men that and Jezaniah the son of a Maacha-were with him, and smote Gedathite, they and their men. 9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to serve the Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken. 11 Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan; 12 Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much. 13 Moreover, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, 14 And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahíkam believed them not. liah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. 3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war. 4 And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it, 5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, hav ing their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD. 6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along aa he went and it came to pass, as he met them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. 7 And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him. 8 But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren. 15 Then Johanan the son of Ka- 9 Now the pit wherein Ishmael reah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah had cast all the dead bodies of the secretly, saying, Let me go, I pray men, whom he had slain because thee, and I will slay Ishmael the of Gedaliah, was it which Asa the son of Nethaniah, and no man king had made for fear of Baasha shall know it: wherefore should king of Israel: and Ishmael the he slay thee, that all the Jews son of Nethaniah filled it with which are gathered unto thee them that were slain. 2 G 30 697 The captives recovered. JEREMIAH, Johanan's request 10 Then Ishmael carried away supplication be accepted before captive all the residue of the peo- thee, and pray for us unto the ple that were in Mizpah, even the LORD thy God, even for all this king's daughters, and all the peo- remnant; (for we are left but a few ple that remained in Mizpah, of many, as thine eyes do behold whom Nebuzar-adan the captain us:) of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites. 11 1 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, 12 Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon. 13 Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad. 14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites. 3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do. 4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you. 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us. 6 Whether it be good, or whe ther it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, te whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God. 7 And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah. 8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, 16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, all 9 And said unto them. Thus saith the remnant of the people whom the LORD, the God of Israel, unto he had recovered from Ishmael the whom ye sent me to present your son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, supplication before him; after that he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from Gibeon: 17 And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt, 18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land. CHAP. XLII. Johanan, &c. promise Obedience. THEN all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our 16 If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you. 11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you, to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. 12 And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. 13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, 14 Saying, No: but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread: and there will we dwell: 15 And now therefore hear the |