Jeremiah:38-41

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* 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 . * Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah , and the ten men that were with him , and smote Gedaliah 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 . * 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 . * And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah , and no man knew it , * That there came certain from Shechem , from Shiloh , and from Samaria , even fourscore men , having 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 . * And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them , weeping all along as he went : and it came to pass , as he met them , he said unto them , Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam . * 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 . * 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 . * Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men , whom he had slain because of Gedaliah , was it which Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel : and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain . * Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah , even the king 's daughters , and all the people that remained in Mizpah , whom Nebuzaradan the captain 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 . * 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 , * 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 . * 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 . * So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned , and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah . * But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men , and went to the Ammonites . * Then took Johanan the son of Kareah , and all the captains of the forces that were with him , all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah , from Mizpah , 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 : * And they departed , and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham , which is by Bethlehem , to go to enter into Egypt , * 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 . * 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 ,

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