1 Z edekiah the son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, ruled in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim.

Now King Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.

2 B ut he and his servants and the people of the land would not listen to what the Lord said through Jeremiah the man of God.

But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land gave heed to the words of the Lord which He spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.

3 K ing Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the religious leader, to Jeremiah the man of God, saying, “Pray to the Lord our God for us.”

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 to the Lord our God for us.”

4 N ow Jeremiah was still free to come and go among the people, for they had not yet put him in prison.

Now Jeremiah was coming and going among the people, for they had not yet put him in prison.

5 T he army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt. And when the Babylonian army which had been around Jerusalem heard the news about them, they left Jerusalem.

Then Pharaoh’s army came up from Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they departed from Jerusalem.

6 T hen the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the man of God, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

7 “ This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ask Me what will happen, “See, Pharaoh’s army which has come to help you is going to return to its own land of Egypt.

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Thus you shall say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: “Behold, Pharaoh’s army which has come up to help you will return to Egypt, to their own land.

8 T hen the Babylonians will return and fight against this city. They will take it and burn it with fire.”’

And the Chaldeans shall come back and fight against this city, and take it and burn it with fire.”’

9 T he Lord says, ‘Do not fool yourselves, saying, “For sure the Babylonians will go away from us.” For they will not go.

Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely depart from us,” for they will not depart.

10 E ven if you had won the battle against the whole Babylonian army fighting with you, and only men who were hurt were left in their tents, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

For though you had defeated the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained only wounded men among them, they would rise up, every man in his tent, and burn the city with fire.’” Jeremiah Imprisoned

11 N ow the Babylonian army had left Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army.

And it happened, when the army of the Chaldeans left the siege of Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,

12 A nd so Jeremiah left Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to take his land there among the people.

that Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin to claim his property there among the people.

13 W hile he was at the Gate of Benjamin, a soldier was there watching. His name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah. He took hold of Jeremiah the man of God, saying, “You are going over to the Babylonians!”

And when he was in the Gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there whose name was Irijah the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are defecting to the Chaldeans!”

14 B ut Jeremiah said, “It is a lie! I am not going over to the Babylonians.” But Irijah would not listen to him. He took hold of Jeremiah and brought him to the leaders.

Then Jeremiah said, “False! I am not defecting to the Chaldeans.” But he did not listen to him. So Irijah seized Jeremiah and brought him to the princes.

15 T he leaders were angry with Jeremiah and beat him. They put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the writer, which they had made into a prison.

Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe. For they had made that the prison.

16 A fter Jeremiah had been in an under-ground prison many days,

When Jeremiah entered the dungeon and the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days,

17 K ing Zedekiah sent for him and had him brought to his house. The king asked him in secret, “Is there any word from the Lord?” And Jeremiah said, “There is!” Then he said, “You will be given over to the king of Babylon!”

then Zedekiah the king sent and took him out. The king asked him secretly in his house, and said, “Is there any word from the Lord ?” And Jeremiah said, “There is.” Then he said, “You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon!”

18 J eremiah also said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you or your servants, or against these people? Why have you put me in prison?

Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “What offense have I committed against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

19 W here are your men who spoke to you in God’s name, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land’?

Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land’?

20 B ut now I ask you to listen, O my lord the king. Hear what I ask, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the writer, or I will die there.”

Therefore please hear now, O my lord the king. Please, let my petition be accepted before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.”

21 S o King Zedekiah had them put Jeremiah in the open space of the prison. And a loaf of bread was given to him every day from the bread makers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the open space of the prison.

Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah to the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread from the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.