19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid(A) of the Jews who have gone over(B) to the Babylonians, for the Babylonians may hand me over to them and they will mistreat me.”

20 “They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey(C) the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well(D) with you, and your life(E) will be spared. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the Lord has revealed to me: 22 All the women(F) left in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon. Those women will say to you:

“‘They misled you and overcame you—
    those trusted friends(G) of yours.
Your feet are sunk in the mud;(H)
    your friends have deserted you.’

23 “All your wives and children(I) will be brought out to the Babylonians. You yourself will not escape(J) from their hands but will be captured(K) by the king of Babylon; and this city will[a] be burned down.”(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 38:23 Or and you will cause this city to

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