Jeremiah

Warnings about Jerusalem's destruction due to unfaithfulness, with promises of a new covenant.

Chapter 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,

*Then Shephatiah, Gedaliah, Jucal, and Pashur heard what Jeremiah said to everyone.

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.

*So says God, anyone staying in this city will die from swords, starvation, or sickness; but those who leave for the Babylonians will survive because they'll be rewarded with their lives.

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.

*So says God, this city will definitely be taken by the army of the king of Babylon.

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.

*So the leaders told the king, "Please, let this man be killed. He weakens the soldiers still in the city and all the people by what he says. He doesn't want to help our people; instead, he causes 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.

*Then King Zedekiah said, He's yours to do with as you wish, because a king cannot stop 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.

*Then they captured Jeremiah and put him in Malchiah's son of Hammelech's prison hole. They lowered Jeremiah using ropes. In this hole, there was no water, just mud, so Jeremiah sank in 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;

*Now, when Ebedmelech, an Ethiopian and a eunuch working at the king's place, heard that Jeremiah was locked up in a prison, and the king was seated near the entrance of Benjamin,

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

*Ebedmelech left the king's home and talked to the king, saying,

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.

*My lord the king, these men have done something very bad to Jeremiah the prophet. They put him in a dark, scary place called a dungeon, and he might die from hunger because there's no food left in the whole city.

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.

*Then the king told Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, "Take 30 men with you and get Jeremiah the prophet out of jail quickly, so he doesn't die."

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.

*So Ebed-Melech brought the men with him and entered the king's treasury house. There, he got old, worn-out clothes and tattered rags, tied them together, and lowered them to Jeremiah in the prison using ropes.

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.

*Ebedmelech, an Ethiopian, told Jeremiah to put the old, broken clothes inside his waistband. Jeremiah followed his instructions.

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.

*They tied ropes around Jeremiah and pulled him up from the dark cell. He stayed in the prison yard after that.

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.

*Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and brought him to the third entrance in the Lord's temple. The king told Jeremiah, "Ask me anything; don't leave out any information."

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?

*Then Jeremiah asked Zedekiah, "If I tell you this, won't you kill me? And if I give you advice, will you listen?"

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.

*So King Zedekiah promised Jeremiah in secret, saying, "As God is alive, who created us, I promise not to kill you and won't give you to those people who want to harm 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:

*Then Jeremiah told Zedekiah, "God says, 'If you promise to go meet the leaders of the king of Babylon, your life will be saved, and this city won't be destroyed by fire. You and your family will be safe.'"

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.

*But if you don't go to the king of Babylon's leaders, this city will be taken by the Chaldeans, they will set it on fire, and you won't be able to get away from them.

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.

*King Zedekiah told Jeremiah, "I'm worried about the Jews who have been captured by the Chaldeans. I don't want them to give me to the Chaldeans, as they would make fun of 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.

*But Jeremiah told them, You won't be saved. Please listen to the Lord's message that I share with you. Doing this will be good for you and your life will be safe.

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

*But if you don't want to leave, this is what the Lord showed me:

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.

*And so, all the remaining women in the king of Judah's household will be brought to the princes of the king of Babylon. These women will tell him that his friends have betrayed him, and his enemies have defeated him. His feet are stuck in the mud, and they are turning away from him.

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.

*So they will take your wives and children away to the Chaldeans. You won't be able to get away from them. The king of Babylon will capture you, and you will set this city on fire.

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

*Then Zedekiah told Jeremiah, "Don't let anyone know about these words, and you won't be killed."

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:

*But if the leaders find out I talked with you, and they come to you, and ask what you told the king, don't hide it. They promise not to kill you. Also, tell them what the king said.

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.

*Then you will tell them, "I prayed to the king not to make me go back to Jonathan's home, where I would 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.

*Then, all the important people talked to Jeremiah and asked him questions. He answered them based on what the king had instructed. But they stopped talking to him because they couldn't understand the situation.

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.

*Jeremiah stayed in the prison's courtyard until the day Jerusalem was captured. He was there when it happened.

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