19 But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am worried about the Judeans who have deserted 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 voice of 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:

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

23 All your wives and sons 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 down.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 38:21 Or promise; lit word
  2. Jeremiah 38:22 Or wives
  3. Jeremiah 38:22 Lit The men of your peace
  4. Jeremiah 38:22 Or incited

19 “But I am afraid to surrender,” the king said, “for the Babylonians may hand me over to the Judeans who have defected to them. And who knows what they will do to me!”

20 Jeremiah replied, “You won’t be handed over to them if you choose to obey the Lord. Your life will be spared, and all will go well for you. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the Lord has revealed to me: 22 All the women left in your palace will be brought out and given to the officers of the Babylonian army. Then the women will taunt you, saying,

‘What fine friends you have!
    They have betrayed and misled you.
When your feet sank in the mud,
    they left you to your fate!’

23 All your wives and children will be led out to the Babylonians, and you will not escape. You will be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.”

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