² “Thus says Yahweh, ‘He who ^(A)stays in this city will die by the ^(B)sword and by the famine and by the pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live and have his own ^(C)life as spoil and stay alive.’

¹⁷ Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says Yahweh ^(A)God of hosts, the ^(B)God of Israel, ‘If you will indeed ^(C)go out to the ^[a]officers of the king of Babylon, then ^[b]you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will live. ¹⁸ But if you will ^(D)not go out to the ^[c]officers of the king of Babylon, then this city ^(E)will be given over to the hand of the Chaldeans; and they will burn it with fire, and ^(F)you yourself will not escape from their hand.’” ¹⁹ Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I ^(G)am anxious because of the Jews who have ^[d](H)gone over to the Chaldeans, lest they give me over into their hand and they ^(I)deal severely with me.” ²⁰ But Jeremiah said, “They will not give you over. Please ^(J)listen to the voice of Yahweh in what I am saying to you, that it may go ^(K)well with you and ^[e](L)you may live. ²¹ But if you keep refusing to go out, this is the word which Yahweh has shown me: ²² ‘And behold, all of the ^(M)women who have remained in the house of the king of Judah are going to be brought out to the ^[f]officers of the king of Babylon; and behold, those women will say,

²³ And they will also bring out all your wives and your ^(N)sons to the Chaldeans, and ^(O)you yourself will not escape from their hand, but will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon, and ^(P)this city will be burned with fire.’”

¹⁸ For I will certainly provide you escape, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own ^(A)life as spoil because you have ^(B)trusted in Me,” declares Yahweh.’”

⁵ But as for you, are you ^(A)seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to ^(B)bring calamity on all flesh,’ declares Yahweh, ‘but I will ^(C)give your life to you as spoil in all the places where you may go.’”