KJ3 Literal Translation
Jeremiah 38
Jeremiah is put into a pit of mud by the rulers. Ebed-melech, after secret conference advises the king to save his life. By the king's instructions he hides this from the rulers.
1And Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jehucal, the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur, the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people, saying,
2So says Jehovah, He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the plague. But he who goes forth to the Chaldeans shall live; and his life shall be a prize, and he shall live.
3So says Jehovah, Giving this city shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, and he shall take it.
4Therefore the rulers said to the king, Please cause this man to die. For in this way he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking these words to them. For this man does not seek the peace of this people, but the evil.
5And Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand. For the king is not able to do a thing against you.
6And they took Jeremiah and threw him into the pit of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of the prison. And they let Jeremiah down with ropes. But no water was in the pit, only mud. And Jeremiah sank into the mud.
7And Ebed-melech, the Cushite man, who is of the eunuchs in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the pit (the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin).
8Ebed-melech went out of the king's house and spoke to the king, saying,
9My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have thrown into the pit. And he may die in his place because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.
10And the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, saying, Take in your hand thirty men from here and bring up Jeremiah the prophet out of the pit before he dies.
11And Ebed-melech took the men in his hand and went into the king's house, to under the treasury. And he took worn out clothes and worn out rags from there. And he let them down by ropes into the pit to Jeremiah.
12And Ebed-melech the Cushite said to Jeremiah, Now put these worn out clothes and rags under the armpits of your hands, under the ropes. And Jeremiah did so.
13And they drew up Jeremiah with ropes and brought him up out of the pit. And Jeremiah dwelt in the court of the prison.
14And Zedekiah the king sent and took Jeremiah the prophet to him, into the third entrance in the house of Jehovah. And the king said to Jeremiah, I will ask you a thing; do not hide a thing from me.
15And Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, If I declare it to you, will you not cause me dying to die? And if I counsel you, you will not listen to me.
16And Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, As Jehovah lives, who made us this soul, I will not cause you to die, and I will not give you into the hand of these men who seek your soul.
17And Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, So says Jehovah, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel: If going out you will go out to the rulers of the king of Babylon, even your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire. And you and your house shall live.
18But if you will not go out to the rulers of the king of Babylon, even this city shall be given into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire. And you shall not escape out of their hand.
19And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews who have fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they give me into their hand and they abuse me.
20And Jeremiah said, They will not give. Please obey the voice of Jehovah for whom I am speaking to you, and it will be well with you and your soul will live.
21But if you refuse to go out, this is the Word Jehovah has made me see:
22Even, behold, all the women who are left in the house of the king of Judah shall be brought out to the rulers of the king of Babylon. And they will say, The men of your peace have lured you and have prevailed against you; your feet have sunk in the mire, and they turned back.
23And they shall bring out all your wives and your sons to the Chaldeans. And you shall not escape out of their hand, but shall be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon. And this city shall be burned with fire.
24And Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, Let not a man know of these words, and you shall not die.
25But if the rulers hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you and say to you, Now declare to us what you said to the king; do not hide it from us and we will not cause you to die; also, What did the king say to you?
26And you shall say to them, I was causing my plea to fall before the king, that he should not return me to the house of Jonathan, to die there.
27And all the rulers came to Jeremiah and asked him. And he declared to them according to all these words that the king had ordered. And they were quiet with him, for the matter was not heard.
28And Jeremiah dwelt in the court of the prison until the day Jerusalem was taken And he was there when Jerusalem was taken.
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