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 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for I might be handed over to them, and they would abuse me.”(A) 20 Jeremiah said, “That will not happen. Just obey the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall go well with you, and your life shall be spared.(B) 21 But if you are determined not to surrender, this is what the Lord has shown me: 22 a vision of all the women remaining in the house of the king of Judah being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and saying,

‘Your trusted friends have seduced you
    and have overcome you.
Now that your feet are stuck in the mud,
    they desert you.’(C)

23 “All your wives and your children shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand but shall be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burned with fire.”(D)

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