Those Who Go with the Chaldeans Shall Live |
Jeremiah 38:1-28 The Book of Jeremiah [in Smaller Chunks] |
Then, Shephatiah, [Mattan's] son; Gedaliah, [Pashur's] son; Jucal, [a.k.a. Jehucal, Shelemiah's] son; & Pashur, [Malchiah's] son, heard the words that Jeremah had spoken to all the people, saying, The Lord says [this,] He, [who] remains in this city shall die by pestilence. |
But he, [who] goes [out] to the Chaldeans shall live. For he shall [save] his life for a [prize] & shall live. The Lord says [this,] This city shall surely be given into the [hands, a.k.a. under the control] of the army of [Babylon's] king, that shall [capture] it. |
Therefore, the princes said to the king, We [urge] you, let this man, [a.k.a. Jeremiah,] be put to death. For he weakens the hands of the men of war & all the people, [who] remain in this city, by speaking [these] words to them. For this man [doesn't] seek the welfare of this people, but their [harm.] |
Then, king Zedekiah said, [Look,] he is in your [control.] For the king isn't he, [who] can do anything against you. Then, they took Jeremiah & [threw] him into the dungeon of Malchiah, [Hammelech's] son, that was in the [prison's courtyard.] And they let Jeremiah down with cords, [a.k.a. ropes.] |
And there was no water in the dungeon, [just mud.] So, Jeremiah sunk [down] in the [mud.] Now, when Ebed Melech, the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs, [a.k.a. officers, who] was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon, he went out & spoke to the king, [who] was then sitting in the Gate of Benjamin. |
[Ebed Melech said,] My lord, the king, these men have done evil in all that they have [committed against] Jeremiah, the prophet, whom they have [thrown] into the dungeon. And he is [likely] to die, [because of] hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city. |
The king commanded Ebed Melech, the Ethiopian, saying, Take from [here] 30 men with you & [lift] up Jeremiah, the prophet, out of the dungeon, before he [dies.] |
So, Ebed Melech took the men with him & went into the [king's] house, [underneath] the treasury & took from [there] old rotten rags [from both torn & worn out garments] & [lowered] them down with [ropes] to Jeremiah in the dungeon. And Ebed Melech, the Ethiopian, said to Jeremiah, Now, put the ropes under your [armpits, with] these old rotten rags, under [the ropes.] And Jeremiah did so. |
So, they [pulled] up Jeremiah out of the dungeon. And Jeremiah remained in the prison [courtyard.] Then, king Zedekiah sent & took Jeremiah [with] him into the 3rd [entrance] in the [Lord's] house. And the king said to Jeremiah, I will ask you [something & don't] hide [anything] from me. |
Then, Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, [Won't] you surely put me to death, if I [disclose] it to you? And will you [even] [listen] to me, if I give you [advice?] So, king Zedekiah secretly [swore] to Jeremiah, saying, As the Lord lives, [Who] made us, I won't put you to death & neither will I give you into the hand of these men, [who] seek your life. |
Then, Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, The Lord, The God of Hosts, The God of Israel, says [this; Certainly] if you will go [out] to the princes of Babylon's king, then, you shall live & this city shall not be burned with fire. And you & your [household] shall live. |
But if you won't go [out] to the princes of Babylon's king, then this city shall be given into the [control] of the Chaldeans & they shall burn it with fire. And you shall not escape out of their hand. |
And king Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, I'm afraid of the Jews, [who] have [deserted] to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into [the hands of the Chaldeans] & mock me. |
But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver you. I urge you, obey, the voice of the Lord, [that] I speak to you: so it shall [go] well [for] you & your soul shall live. But if you refuse to go [out,] this is the Word that the Lord has [shown] me. |
[Watch,] all the women, [who] are left in the king of Judah's house, shall be brought [out] to the princes of Babylon's king. And those women shall say, Your friends, [who] have [established] you, have prevailed against you. Your feet are sunk in the [mud] & they have turned away. |
[Jeremiah 8:10 Therefore, I will give their wives to others & their fields to [those who] shall inherit them. For everyone from the least even to the greatest, is [driven by envy,] from the prophet even to the priest. Everyone deals falsely.] |
So, they shall bring out all your wives & your children to the Chaldeans. And you shall not escape out of their hand, but shall be [captured] by the hand of [Babylon's] king. And you shall cause this city to be burned with fire. Then, Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, [Don't] let [any] man know of these words & you [won't] die. |
But if the princes hear that I have talked with you & they come to you & say, Now, declare to us what you have said to the king & what the king said to you. [Don't] hide it from us & we won't put you to death. Then, you shall say to them, I presented my [request] before the king, [so] that he wouldn't [make] me return to Jonathan's house, to die there. |
Then, all the princes came to Jeremiah & asked him. And [Jeremiah] told them according to all the words the king had commanded [him;] for [their discussion wasn't disclosed.] So, Jeremiah [stayed] in the prison [courtyard,] until the day that Jerusalem was [captured] & he was [in the prison] when it was [captured.] |