Jeremiah, 38

1. 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,

1. Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur son of Malchiah heard what Jeremiah said publicly

2. 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.

2. in the name of Yahweh, "Anyone who stays in the city will perish by the sword, famine and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will survive although he may lose everything.

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.

3. For Yahweh has spoken: I have handed over this city to the king of Babylon and he will take it."

4. 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.

4. Then the officials told the king, "This man should be put to death, because he is weakening the will of the fighting men and the people left the city. In fact he is not out to save the people but to do harm."

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.

5. King Zedekiah said, "His life is in your hands for the king has no power 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.

6. So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchiah the king's son, in the Guards' Court. They lowered him by means of ropes. There was no water in the cistern but only mud and Jeremiah sank into the mud.

7. 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;

7. Ebedmelech, an Ethiopian official of the king's house, heard that they had lowered Jeremiah in the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Benjamin Gate,

8. Ebedmelech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying,

8. Ebedmelech went and spoke to him,

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.

9. "My lord king! These men have acted wickedly in all they did to Jeremiah the prophet. They threw him into the cistern where he will die."

10. 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.

10. So the king ordered Ebedmelech the Ethiopian: "Take three men with you from here and draw Jeremiah the prophet out from the cistern before he dies."

11. 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.

11. Ebedmelech took the men with him and went into the king's house beneath the treasury. There he got pieces of rags and old clothes which he lowered by means of ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.

12. 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.

12. Ebedmelech said to Jeremiah, "Put the pieces of rags and old clothes under your armpits, over the ropes." This Jeremiah did.

13. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

13. Then Jeremiah was pulled up from the cistern by means of the ropes and was brought to the Guards' Court to stay there.

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.

14. King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of Yahweh's House and there said to him, "I am going to ask you a question; hide nothing from me!" Jeremiah said to Zedekiah,

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?

15. "If I tell you something, won't you put me to death? And if I advice you, will you listen to 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.

16. King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah: "As Yahweh lives who gave us a soul, I will not have you die and I will not hand you over to those who want to kill you."

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 thine house:

17. Jeremiah told to Zedekiah, "This is what Yahweh God of hosts and God of Israel says: If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon you will survive and the city will not be burned. You and your household will live.

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 thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

18. But if you surrender not to the king of Babylon, this very city will be handed over to the Chaldeans and they will set it on fire. For your part, you will not escape."

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.

19. King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the people of Judah who have surrendered to the Chaldeans. I fear the Chaldeans will give me over to them and they will ill-treat 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.

20. Jeremiah said, "They will not hand you over. Listen to what Yahweh says to you through me; it will be well with you and you will live.

21. But if thou refuse to go forth, this [is] the word that the LORD hath shewed me:

21. But if you refuse to surrender, this is what Yahweh has let me see:

22. 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.

22. All the women left in your palace will be handed over to the officers of the king of Babylon and will sing this song: 'Your friends have deceived and overcome you. When your feet have sunk into the mud, they turn away from you!'

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.

23. All your wives and children shall be led out to the Chaldeans and you will not escape from them. You will be nabbed by the king of Babylon and this city will be burned down!"

24. Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.

24. Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Let no one know about this conversation lest you will die.

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:

25. If the officials hear that I have spoken with you and if they come to you and ask you what I spoke of to you, even though they threaten you,

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.

26. you will say to them: I only made a petition to the king not to send me back to the house of Jonathan to die."

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 speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.

27. All the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him. He replied just as the king had instructed him, and they said no more since no one had overheard the conversation.

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.

28. But Jeremiah remained in the Guards' Court until the day Jerusalem was taken.