Jeremiah 38
38:1And Shephatiah son of Mattan heard, and Gedaliah son of Pashur, and Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashur son of Malchiah, the words which Jeremiah spoke unto the people, saying,
38:2Thus said the lord, The one dwelling in this city shall die by the broadsword, and by famine, and by pestilence; and the one going forth to the Chaldeans shall live; and his life shall be for gain, and he shall live.
38:3For thus said the lord, In being delivered up, this city shall be delivered up into the hands of the force of the king of Babylon, and he shall seize it.
38:4And the rulers said to the king, Do away with that man indeed, for he enfeebles the hands of the men waging war of the ones being left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking to them according to these words. For this man does not speak oracles for peace to this people, but only evils.
38:5And king Zedekiah said, Behold, he is in your hands; for the king was not able to resist them.
38:6And they took Jeremiah, and they tossed him into the pit of Malchiah, son of the king, which was in the courtyard of the guard. And they let him down with rough cords into the pit. And in the pit there was no water, but only mire, and he was in the mire.
38:7And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian eunuch man heard (and he was in the courtyard of the king) that they cast Jeremiah into the pit; and the king was sitting down at the gate of Benjamin.
38:8And Ebed-melech went forth from the house of the king, and he spoke to the king, and said,
38:9My master, O King, all these men did wickedly in which they did against Jeremiah the prophet, dropping him into the pit, that he should die in it from the face of hunger, for there are no longer bread loaves in the city.
38:10And the king gave charge to Ebed-melech, saying, Take with yourself from here thirty men, and lead him from out of the pit, that he should not die.
38:11And Ebed-melech took the men, and he entered into the house of the king, the subterranean part, and he took from there old rags and old rough cords; and he tossed them to Jeremiah in the pit.
38:12And he said to him, Put these underneath the rough cords! And Jeremiah did so.
38:13And they drew him with the rough cords, and led him up from out of the pit. And Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the guard.
38:14And the king sent and called him to himself into the house Asaliseel, the one in the house of the lord. And the king said to him, I shall ask you a word, and you shall not hide from me the saying.
38:15And Jeremiah said to the king, If I should announce to you, will you not to death put me to death? and if I shall advise you, in no way shall you hear me.
38:16And the king swore by an oath to him secretly, saying, As the lord lives, who appointed us this life, Shall I kill you, and shall I put you into the hands of these men, the ones seeking your life, No!
38:17And Jeremiah said to him, Thus said the lord of the forces, the God of Israel, If by going forth you should go forth to the governors of the king of Babylon, your soul shall live, and this city in no way shall be incinerated by fire; and you shall live, and your family.
38:18But if you do not go forth, this city shall be given into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and in no way shall you be delivered from their hands.
38:19And the king said to Jeremiah, I have a matter with the Jews having fled to the Chaldeans, lest they give me into their hands, and they shall deride me.
38:20And Jeremiah said, In no way shall they deliver you up. Hearken to the word of the lord! which I say to you, and it will be better for you, and your soul shall live!
38:21And if you do not want to come forth, this is the word which the lord showed to me.
38:22Behold, all the women being left behind in the house of the king of Judah having been led out to the rulers of the king of Babylon; and these women shall say, the men at peace with you deceived you and prevailed over you, and they will depose you in slips of your feet; they turned from you.
38:23And your wives, and your children they shall lead out to the Chaldeans; and you in no way shall you be delivered, for by the hand of the king of Babylon you shall be seized, and this city shall be incinerated.
38:24And Zedekiah said to him, to Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words! and you shall in no way die.
38:25And if the rulers should hear that I spoke to you, and they should come to you, and should say to you; Announce to us what you spoke to the king, you should not hide it from us, then in no way will we do away with you; and what did the king say to you?
38:26And you shall say to them, I tossed my plead for mercy before the eyes of the king, to not return me to the house of Jonathan for me to die there.
38:27And came all the rulers to Jeremiah, and they asked him. And he announced to them according to all these words which the king gave charge to him. And they were silent, for the matter was not heard.
38:28And Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the guard until a time of which Jerusalem was seized.