19 But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am worried about the Judeans who have defected to the Chaldeans. They may hand me over to the Judeans to abuse me.”(A)

20 “They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the Lord in what I am telling you, so it may go well for you and you can live. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is the verdict[a] that the Lord has shown me: 22 ‘All the women[b] who remain in the palace of Judah’s king will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon and will say to you,[c]

“Your trusted friends[d] misled[e] you
and overcame you.
Your feet sank into the mire,
and they deserted you.”

23 All your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans.(B) You yourself will not escape from them, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon and this city will burn.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 38:21 Or promise; lit word
  2. 38:22 Or wives
  3. 38:22 to you supplied for clarity
  4. 38:22 Lit “The men of your peace
  5. 38:22 Or incited

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.

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.

21 But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the Lord hath shewed 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.

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.

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