Jeremiah 38

CHAPTER 38

Jeremiah is Lowered into the Pit

1And [⁴heard ¹Shephatiah ²son ³of Mattan], and Gedaliah son of Pashur, and Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashur son of Malchiah, the words which Jeremiah spoke unto the people, saying, 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 [²shall be   ¹his life] for gain, and he shall live. 3For thus said the lord, In being delivered up, [²shall be delivered up   ¹this city] into the hands of the force of the king of Babylon, and he shall seize it. 4And [³said ¹the ²rulers] to the king, Do away with [²indeed   ¹that man], 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. 5And [³said   ¹king ²Zedekiah], Behold, he is in your hands; for [³was not ⁴able ¹the ²king] to resist them. 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. 7And [⁶heard ¹Ebed-melech ²the ³Ethiopian ⁵man ⁴eunuch] (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. 8And Ebed-melech went forth from the house of the king, and he spoke to the king, and said, 9My master, O King, [³did wickedly   ²these men ¹all] 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.

Jeremiah is Rescued from the Pit

10And [³gave charge ¹the ²king] to  Ebed-melech, saying, Take with yourself from here thirty men, and lead him from out of the pit, that he should not die. 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. 12And he said to him, Put these underneath the rough cords! And Jeremiah did so. 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.

The King Questions Jeremiah

14And [³sent ¹the ²king] and called him to himself into the house Asaliseel, the one in the house of the lord. And [³said ⁴to him ¹the ²king], I shall ask you a word, and you shall not hide from me the saying. 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. 16And [³swore by an oath ¹the ²king] 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!  17And [²said ³to him ¹Jeremiah], 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, [²shall live   ¹your soul], and   this city in no way shall be incinerated by fire; and you shall live, and   your family. 18But if you do not go forth, [²shall be given   ¹this city] into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and in no way shall you be delivered from their hands. 19And [³said ¹the ²king]   to Jeremiah, I [²a matter ¹have] with the Jews   having fled to the Chaldeans, lest they give me into their hands, and they shall deride me. 20And Jeremiah said, In no way shall they deliver you up. Hearken to the word of the lord! which I say to you, and [²better ¹it will be] for you, and [²shall live   ¹your soul]! 21And if [²do not ³want ¹you] to come forth, this is  the word which [²showed ³to me ¹the lord]. 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, [³deceived ⁴you ⁵and ⁶prevailed over ⁷you ¹the men ²at peace with you], and they will depose you  in slips of your feet; they turned from you. 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. 24And [²said ³to him   ¹Zedekiah], to   Jeremiah, [²no man ¹Let] know of   these words! and you shall in no way die. 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 [³say ⁴to ⁵you ¹the ²king]? 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. 27And came all the rulers to Jeremiah, and they asked him. And he announced to them according to all   these words which [³gave charge ⁴to him ¹the ²king]. And they were silent, for [³was not heard ¹the ²matter]. 28And Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the guard until a time of which Jerusalem was seized.