Jeremiah:36-40

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* And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah , that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD , saying , * Take thee a roll of a book , and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel , and against Judah , and against all the nations , from the day I spake unto thee , from the days of Josiah , even unto this day . * It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them ; that they may return every man from his evil way ; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin . * Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah : and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD , which he had spoken unto him , upon a roll of a book . * And Jeremiah commanded Baruch , saying , I am shut up ; I cannot go into the house of the LORD : * Therefore go thou , and read in the roll , which thou hast written from my mouth , the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD 'S house upon the fasting day : and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities . * It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD , and will return every one from his evil way : for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people . * And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him , reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD 'S house . * And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah , in the ninth month , that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem , and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem . * Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD , in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe , in the higher court , at the entry of the new gate of the LORD 'S house , in the ears of all the people . * When Michaiah the son of Gemariah , the son of Shaphan , had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD , * Then he went down into the king 's house , into the scribe 's chamber : and , lo , all the princes sat there , even Elishama the scribe , and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah , and Elnathan the son of Achbor , and Gemariah the son of Shaphan , and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah , and all the princes . * Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard , when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people . * Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah , the son of Shelemiah , the son of Cushi , unto Baruch , saying , Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people , and come . So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand , and came unto them . * And they said unto him , Sit down now , and read it in our ears . So Baruch read it in their ears . * Now it came to pass , when they had heard all the words , they were afraid both one and other , and said unto Baruch , We will surely tell the king of all these words . * And they asked Baruch , saying , Tell us now , How didst thou write all these words at his mouth ? * Then Baruch answered them , He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth , and I wrote them with ink in the book . * Then said the princes unto Baruch , Go , hide thee , thou and Jeremiah ; and let no man know where ye be . * And they went in to the king into the court , but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe , and told all the words in the ears of the king . * So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll : and he took it out of Elishama the scribe 's chamber . And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king , and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king . * Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month : and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him . * And it came to pass , that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves , he cut it with the penknife , and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth , until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth . * Yet they were not afraid , nor rent their garments , neither the king , nor any of his servants that heard all these words . * Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll : but he would not hear them . * But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech , and Seraiah the son of Azriel , and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel , to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet : but the LORD hid them . * Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah , after that the king had burned the roll , and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah , saying , * Take thee again another roll , and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll , which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned . * And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah , Thus saith the LORD ; Thou hast burned this roll , saying , Why hast thou written therein , saying , The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land , and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast ? * Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah ; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David : and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat , and in the night to the frost . * And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity ; and I will bring upon them , and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem , and upon the men of Judah , all the evil that I have pronounced against them ; but they hearkened not . * Then took Jeremiah another roll , and gave it to Baruch the scribe , the son of Neriah ; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire : and there were added besides unto them many like words . * And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim , whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah . * But neither he , nor his servants , nor the people of the land , did hearken unto the words of the LORD , which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah . * And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah , saying , Pray now unto the LORD our God for us . * Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people : for they had not put him into prison . * 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 . * Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah , saying , * Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel ; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah , that sent you unto me to enquire of me ; Behold , Pharaoh 's army , which is come forth to help you , shall return to Egypt into their own land . * And the Chaldeans shall come again , and fight against this city , and take it , and burn it with fire . * Thus saith the LORD ; Deceive not yourselves , saying , The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us : for they shall not depart . * 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 . * And it came to pass , that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh 's army , * Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin , to separate himself thence in the midst of the people . * And when he was in the gate of Benjamin , a captain of the ward 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 . * Then said Jeremiah , It is false ; I fall not away to the Chaldeans . But he hearkened not to him : so Irijah took Jeremiah , and brought him to the princes . * 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 . * When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon , and into the cabins , and Jeremiah had remained there many days ; * 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 king of Babylon . * Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah , What have I offended against thee , or against thy servants , or against this people , that ye have put me in prison ? * Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you , saying , The king of Babylon shall not come against you , nor against this land ? * Therefore hear now , I pray thee , O my lord the king : let my supplication , I pray thee , be accepted before thee ; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe , lest I die there . * Then Zedekiah the king commanded 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 Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison . * 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 , * 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 . * Thus saith the LORD , This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon 's army , which shall take it . * 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 . * Then Zedekiah the king said , Behold , he is in your hand : for the king is not he that can do any thing against you . * 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 . * Now when Ebedmelech 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 ; * Ebedmelech went forth out of the king 's house , and spake to the king , saying , * 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 . * Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian , saying , Take from hence thirty men with thee , and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon , before he die . * So Ebedmelech 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 . * And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah , Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords . And Jeremiah did so . * So they drew up Jeremiah with cords , and took him up out of the dungeon : and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison . * 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 . * 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 ? * 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 . * 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 : * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * But if thou refuse to go forth , this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me : * 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 . * 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 . * Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah , Let no man know of these words , and thou shalt not die . * 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 : * 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 . * 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 . * So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken : and he was there when Jerusalem was taken . * In 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 . * And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah , in the fourth month , the ninth day of the month , the city was broken up . * And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in , and sat in the middle gate , even Nergalsharezer , Samgarnebo , Sarsechim , Rabsaris , Nergalsharezer , Rabmag , with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon . * 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 . * But the Chaldeans ' army pursued after them , and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho : and when they had taken him , they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath , where he gave judgment upon him . * Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes : also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah . * Moreover he put out Zedekiah 's eyes , and bound him with chains , to carry him to Babylon . * And the Chaldeans burned the king 's house , and the houses of the people , with fire , and brake down the walls of Jerusalem . * Then Nebuzaradan 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 . * But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people , which had nothing , in the land of Judah , and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time . * Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard , saying , * Take him , and look well to him , and do him no harm ; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee . * So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent , and Nebushasban , Rabsaris , and Nergalsharezer , Rabmag , and all the king of Babylon 's princes ; * Even they sent , and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison , and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan , that he should carry him home : so he dwelt among the people . * Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah , while he was shut up in the court of the prison , saying , * Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian , saying , Thus saith the LORD of hosts , the God of 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 . * 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 . * For I will surely deliver thee , and thou shalt not fall by the sword , but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee : because thou hast put thy trust in me , saith the LORD . * The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD , after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah , when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah , which were carried away captive unto Babylon . * And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah , and said unto him , The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place . * 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 . * And now , behold , I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand . If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon , come ; and I will look well unto thee : but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon , forbear : behold , all the land is before thee : whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go , thither go . * 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 . * Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah ; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land . * 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 ; * 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 the sons of Ephai the Netophathite , and Jezaniah the son of a Maachathite , they and their men . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 ; * 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 . * Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah , and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields , came to Gedaliah to Mizpah , * 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 Ahikam believed them not . * Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly , saying , Let me go , I pray thee , and I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethaniah , and no man shall know it : wherefore should he slay thee , that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered , and the remnant in Judah perish ? * 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 . * Now it came to pass in the seventh month , that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama , of the seed royal , and the princes of the king , even ten men with him , came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah ; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah .

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