Jeremiah:38

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* Now Saphatias the son of Mathan , and Gedelias the son of Phassur , and Juchal the son of Selemias , and Phassur the son of Melchias heard the words that Jeremias spoke to all the people , saying : * Thus saith the Lord : Whosoever shell remain in this city , shall die by the sword , and by famine , and by pestilence : but he that shall go forth to the Chaldeans , shall live , and his life shall be safe , and he shall live . * Thus saith the Lord : This city shall surely be delivered into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon , and he shall take it . * And the princes said to the king : We beseech thee that this man may be put to death : for on purpose he weakeneth the hands of the men of war , that remain in this city , and the hands of the people , speaking to them according to these words : for this man seeketh not peace to this people , but evil . * And king Sedecias said : Behold he is in your hands : for it is not lawful for the king to deny you any thing . * Then they took Jeremias and cast him into the dungeon of Melchias the son of Amelech , which was in the entry of the prison : and they let down Jeremias by ropes into the dungeon , wherein there was no water , but mire . And Jeremias sunk into the mire . * Now Abdemelech the Ethiopian , an eunuch that was in the king 's house , heard that they had put Jeremias in the dungeon : but the king was sitting in the gate of Benjamin . * And Abdemelech went out of the king 's house , and spoke to the king , saying : * My lord the king , these men have done evil in all that they have done against Jeremias the prophet , casting him into the dungeon to die there with hunger , for there is no more bread in the city . * Then the king commanded Abdemelech the Ethiopian , saying : Take from hence thirty men with thee , end draw up Jeremias the prophet out of the dungeon , before he die . * So Abdemelech taking the men with him , went into the king 's house that was under the storehouse : and he took from thence old rags , and old rotten things , and he let them down by cords to Jeremias into the dungeon . * And Abdemelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremias : Put these old rags and these rent and rotten things under thy arms , and upon the cords : and Jeremias did so . * And they drew up Jeremias with the cords , and brought him forth out of the dungeon . And Jeremias remained in the entry of the prison . * And king Sedecias sent , and took Jeremias the prophet to him to the third gate , that was in the house of the Lord : and the king said to Jeremias : I will ask thee a thing , hide nothing from me . * Then Jeremias said to Sedecias : If I shall declare it to thee , wilt thou not put me to death ? and if I give thee counsel , thou wilt not hearken to me . * Then king Sedecias swore to Jeremias , in private , saying : As the Lord liveth , that made us this soul , I will not put thee to death , nor will I deliver thee into the hands of these men that seek thy life . * And Jeremias said to Sedecias : Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel : If thou wilt take a resolution and go out to the princes of the king of Babylon , thy soul shall live , and this city shall not be burnt with fire : and thou shalt be safe , and thy house . * But if thou wilt not go out to the princes of the king of Babylon , this city shall be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans , and they shall burn it with fire : and thou shalt not escape out of their hands . * And king Sedecias said to Jeremias : I am afraid because of the Jews that are fled over to the Chaldeans : lest I should be delivered into their hands , and they should abuse me . * But Jeremias answered : They shall not deliver thee : hearken , I beseech thee , to the word of the Lord , which I speak to thee , and it shall be well with thee , and thy soul shall live . * But if thou wilt not go forth , this is the word which the Lord hath shewn me : * Behold all the women that are left in the house of the king of Juda , shall be brought out to the princes of the king of Babylon : and they shall say : Thy men of peace have deceived thee , and have prevailed against thee , they have plunged thy feet in the mire , and in a slippery place , and they have departed from thee . * And all thy wives , and thy children shall be brought out to the Chaldeans , and thou shalt not escape their hands , but thou shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon : and he shall burn this city with fire . * Then Sedecias said to Jeremias : Let no man know these words , and thou shalt not die . * But if the princes shall hear that I have spoken with thee , and shall come to thee , and say to thee : Tell us what thou hast said to the king , hide it not from us , and we will not kill thee : and also what the king said to thee : * Thou shalt say to them : I presented my supplication before the king , that he would not command me to be carried back into the house of Jonathan , to die there . * So all the princes came to Jeremias , and asked him : and he spoke to them according to all the words that the king had commanded him : and they left him : for nothing had been heard . * But Jeremias remained in the entry of the prison , until the day that Jerusalem was taken : and it came to pass that Jerusalem was taken .

---