< Jeremiah 38 >
1 And he heard Shephatiah [the] son of Mattan and Gedaliah [the] son of Pashhur and Jucal [the] son of Shelemiah and Pashhur [the] son of Malkijah the words which Jeremiah [was] speaking to all the people saying.
THEN Shephatiah the 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 he says Yahweh the [one who] remains in the city this he will die by the sword by famine and by pestilence and the [one who] goes out to the Chaldeans (and he will live *Q(K)*) and it will belong to him life his to plunder and he will live.
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 Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.
3 Thus he says Yahweh certainly it will be given the city this in [the] hand of [the] army of [the] king of Babylon and he will capture it.
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 And they said the officials to the king let him be put to death please the man this for since he [is] making drop [the] hands of [the] men of war who remain - in the city this and [the] hands of all the people by speaking to them according to the words these that - the man this not he [is] seeking for welfare for the people this that except for harm.
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.
5 And he said the king Zedekiah there! he [is] in hand your for not the king he is able you anything.
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 And they took Jeremiah and they threw him into the cistern of - Malkijah [the] son of the king which [was] in [the] courtyard of the guard and they let down Jeremiah with ropes and in the cistern there not [was] water that except mud and he sank Jeremiah in the mud.
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.
7 And he heard Ebed Melech the Cushite a man a court-official and he [was] in [the] house of the king that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern and the king [was] sitting in [the] gate of Benjamin.
Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;
8 And he went out Ebed Melech from [the] house of the king and he spoke to the king saying.
Ebed-melech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king, saying,
9 O lord my the king they have done evil the men these all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have thrown into the cistern and he died in it because of famine for there not [is] the food yet in the city.
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.
10 And he commanded the king Ebed Melech the Cushite saying take in hand your from here thirty men and you will bring up Jeremiah the prophet from the cistern before he will die.
Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
11 And he took - Ebed Melech the men in hand his and he went [the] house of the king to under the storehouse and he took from there worn out things of (clothes *Q(K)*) and worn out things of rags and he let down them to Jeremiah into the cistern with ropes.
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 he said Ebed Melech the Cushite to Jeremiah put please [the] worn out things of the clothes and the rags under [the] joints of hands your from under to [the] ropes and he did Jeremiah thus.
And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.
13 And they drew out Jeremiah with ropes and they brought up him from the cistern and he remained Jeremiah in [the] courtyard of the guard.
So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
14 And he sent the king Zedekiah and he brought Jeremiah the prophet to him to an entrance third which [was] in [the] house of Yahweh and he said the king to Jeremiah [am] about to ask I you a matter may not you hide from me anything.
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 And he said Jeremiah to Zedekiah if I will tell to you ¿ not certainly will you put to death me and if I will counsel you not you will listen to me.
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 And he swore the king Zedekiah to Jeremiah in secrecy saying [by] [the] life of Yahweh (*Q(K)*) who he has made for us the life this if I will put to death you and if I will give you in [the] hand of the men these who [are] seeking life your.
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 And he said Jeremiah to Zedekiah thus he says Yahweh [the] God of hosts [the] God of Israel certainly [if] you will go out to [the] commanders of [the] king of Babylon and you will live self your and the city this not it will be burned with fire and you will live you and household your.
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 thine house:
18 And if not you will go out to [the] commanders of [the] king of Babylon and it will be given the city this in [the] hand of the Chaldeans and they will burn it with fire and you not you will escape from hand their.
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 thou shalt not escape out of their hand.
19 And he said the king Zedekiah to Jeremiah I [am] dreading the Jews who they have fallen to the Chaldeans lest they should give me in hand their and they will deal wantonly with me.
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 And he said Jeremiah not they will give listen please - to [the] voice of Yahweh to [that] which I [am] speaking to you so it may go well for you so it may live self your.
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 And if [are] refusing you to go out this [is] the thing which he has shown me Yahweh.
But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me:
22 And there! all the women who they are left in [the] house of [the] king of Judah [are] about to be brought out to [the] commanders of [the] king of Babylon and they [will be] saying they misled you and they prevailed to you [the] people of peace your they are sunk in the mire feet your they have turned backwards.
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.
23 And all wives your and children your [people will] bring out to the Chaldeans and you not you will escape from hand their for by [the] hand of [the] king of Babylon you will be captured and the city this it will burn with fire.
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.
24 And he said Zedekiah to Jeremiah anyone may not he know in the words these and not you will die.
Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.
25 And if they will hear the officials that I have spoken with you and they will come to you and they will say to you tell! please to us what? did you say to the king may not you hide [it] from us and not we will put to death you and what? did he say to you the king.
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 And you will say to them [was] making fall I supplication my before the king to not to send back me [the] house of Jonathan to die there.
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 And they came all the officials to Jeremiah and they asked him and he told to them according to all the words these which he had commanded the king and they kept silent from him for not it had been heard the matter.
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 speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.
28 And he remained Jeremiah in [the] courtyard of the guard until [the] day when it was captured Jerusalem. And it was just when it was captured Jerusalem.
So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.