Jeremiah Rescued from the Dungeon

38¹ And Shephatiah son of Mattan, and Gedaliah son of Pashhur, and Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah, hear the words that Jeremiah is speaking unto all the people, saying, ² 'Thus said Jehovah: He who is remaining in this city dieth, by sword, by famine, and by pestilence, and he who is going forth unto the Chaldeans liveth, and his soul hath been to him for a prey, and he liveth. ³ Thus said Jehovah: This city is certainly given into the hand of the force of the king of Babylon, and he hath captured it.' ⁴ And the heads say unto the king, 'Let, we pray thee, this man be put to death, because that he is making feeble the hands of the men of war, who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking unto them according to these words, for this man is not seeking for the peace of this people, but for its evil.' ⁵ And the king Zedekiah saith, 'Lo, he 'is' in your hand: for the king is not able for you 'in' anything.' ⁶ And they take Jeremiah, and cast him into the pit of Malchiah son of the king, that 'is' in the court of the prison, and they send down Jeremiah with cords; and in the pit there is no water, but mire, and Jeremiah sinketh in the mire. ⁷ And Ebed-Melech the Cushite, a eunuch who 'is' in the king's house, heareth that they have put Jeremiah into the pit; and the king is sitting at the gate of Benjamin, ⁸ and Ebed-Melech goeth forth from the king's house, and speaketh unto the king, saying, ⁹ 'My lord, O king, these men have done evil 'in' all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the pit, and he dieth in his place because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.' ¹⁰ And the king commandeth Ebed-Melech the Cushite, saying, 'Take with thee from this thirty men, and thou hast brought up Jeremiah the prophet from the pit, before he dieth.' ¹¹ And Ebed-Melech taketh the men with him, and entereth the house of the king, unto the place of the treasury, and taketh thence worn-out clouts, and worn-out rags, and sendeth them unto Jeremiah unto the pit by cords. ¹² And Ebed-Melech the Cushite saith unto Jeremiah, 'Put, I pray thee, the worn-out clouts and rags under thine arm-holes, at the place of the cords,' and Jeremiah doth so, ¹³ and they draw out Jeremiah with cords, and bring him up out of the pit, and Jeremiah dwelleth in the court of the prison.

Zedekiah Seeks Counsel from Jeremiah

¹⁴ And the king Zedekiah sendeth, and taketh Jeremiah the prophet unto him, unto the third entrance that 'is' in the house of Jehovah, and the king saith unto Jeremiah, 'I am asking thee a thing, do not hide from me anything.' ¹⁵ And Jeremiah saith unto Zedekiah, 'When I declare to thee, dost thou not surely put me to death? and when I counsel thee, thou dost not hearken unto me.' ¹⁶ And the king Zedekiah sweareth unto Jeremiah in secret, saying, 'Jehovah liveth, He who made for us this soul, I do not put thee to death, nor give thee unto the hand of these men who are seeking thy soul.' ¹⁷ And Jeremiah saith unto Zedekiah, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Hosts, God of Israel: If thou dost certainly go forth unto the heads of the king of Babylon, then hath thy soul lived, and this city is not burned with fire, yea, thou hast lived, thou and thy house. ¹⁸ And if thou dost not go forth unto the heads of the king of Babylon, then hath this city been given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they have burnt it with fire, and thou dost not escape from their hand.' ¹⁹ And the king Zedekiah saith unto Jeremiah, 'I am fearing the Jews who have fallen unto the Chaldeans, lest they give me into their hand, and they have insulted me.' ²⁰ And Jeremiah saith, 'They do not give thee up; hearken, I pray thee, to the voice of Jehovah, to that which I am speaking unto thee, and it is well for thee, and thy soul doth live. ²¹ 'And if thou art refusing to go forth, this 'is' the thing that Jehovah hath shewn me: ²² That, lo, all the women who have been left in the house of the king of Judah are brought forth unto the heads of the king of Babylon, and lo, they are saying: Persuaded thee, and prevailed against thee, Have thine allies, Sunk into mire have thy feet, They have been turned backward. ²³ 'And all thy wives, and thy sons, are brought forth unto the Chaldeans, and thou dost not escape from their hand, for by the hand of the king of Babylon thou art caught, and this city is burnt with fire.' ²⁴ And Zedekiah saith unto Jeremiah, 'Let no man know of these words, and thou dost not die; ²⁵ and when the heads hear that I have spoken with thee, and they have come in unto thee, and have said unto thee, Declare to us, we pray thee, what thou didst speak unto the king, do not hide 'it' from us, and we do not put thee to death, and what the king spake unto thee, ²⁶ then thou hast said unto them, I am causing my supplication to fall before the king, not to cause me to return to the house of Jonathan, to die there.' ²⁷ And all the heads come in unto Jeremiah, and ask him, and he declareth to them according to all these words that the king commanded, and they keep silent from him, for the matter was not heard; ²⁸ and Jeremiah dwelleth in the court of the prison till the day that Jerusalem hath been captured, and he was 'there' when Jerusalem was captured.

The Fall of Jerusalem

39¹ In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, come hath Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his force unto Jerusalem, and they lay siege against it; ² in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth of the month, hath the city been broken up; ³ and come in do all the heads of the king of Babylon, and they sit at the middle gate, Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, chief of the eunuchs, Nergal-Sharezer, chief of the Mages, and all the rest of the heads of the king of Babylon. ⁴ And it cometh to pass, when Zedekiah king of Judah, and all the men of war, have seen them, that they flee and go forth by night from the city, the way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls, and he goeth forth the way of the plain. ⁵ And the forces of the Chaldeans pursue after them, and overtake Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and they take him, and bring him up unto Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah, in the land of Hamath, and he speaketh with him—judgments. ⁶ And the king of Babylon slaughtereth the sons of Zedekiah, in Riblah, before his eyes, yea, all the freemen of Judah hath the king of Babylon slaughtered. ⁷ And the eyes of Zedekiah he hath blinded, and he bindeth him with brazen fetters, to bring him in to Babylon. ⁸ And the house of the king, and the house of the people, have the Chaldeans burnt with fire, and the walls of Jerusalem they have broken down. ⁹ And the remnant of the people who are left in the city, and those falling who have fallen to him, and the remnant of the people who are left, hath Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, removed 'to' Babylon. ¹⁰ And of the poor people, who have nothing, hath Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, left in the land of Judah, and he giveth to them vineyards and fields on the same day.

Nebuchadrezzar's Care for Jeremiah

¹¹ And Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon giveth a charge concerning Jeremiah, by the hand of Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, saying, ¹² 'Take him, and place thine eyes upon him, and do no evil thing to him, but as he speaketh unto thee, so do with him.' ¹³ And Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners sendeth, and Nebushazban, chief of the eunuchs, and Nergal-Sharezer, chief of the Mages, and all the chiefs of the king of Babylon; ¹⁴ yea, they send and take Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and give him unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to carry him home, and he dwelleth in the midst of the people.

Ebed-melech Assured of Deliverance

¹⁵ And unto Jeremiah hath a word of Jehovah been—in his being detained in the court of the prison—saying: ¹⁶ 'Go, and thou hast spoken to Ebed-Melech the Cushite, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: Lo, I am bringing in My words unto this city for evil, and not for good, and they have been before thee in that day. ¹⁷ And I have delivered thee in that day—an affirmation of Jehovah—and thou art not given into the hand of the men of whose face thou art afraid, ¹⁸ for I do certainly deliver thee, and by sword thou fallest not, and thy life hath been to thee for a spoil, for thou hast trusted in Me—an affirmation of Jehovah.'

Jeremiah and the Remnant with Gedaliah

40¹ The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, after Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, hath sent him from Ramah, in his taking him—and he a prisoner in chains—in the midst of all the removal of Jerusalem and of Judah, who are removed to Babylon. ² And the chief of the executioners taketh Jeremiah, and saith unto him, 'Jehovah thy God hath spoken this evil concerning this place, ³ and Jehovah bringeth 'it' in, and doth as He spake, because ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have not hearkened to His voice, even this thing hath been to you. ⁴ 'And now, lo, I have loosed thee to-day from the chains that 'are' on thy hand; if good in thine eyes to come with me 'to' Babylon, come, and I keep mine eye upon thee: and if evil in thine eyes to come with me to Babylon, forbear; see, all the land 'is' before thee, whither 'it be' good, and whither 'it be' right in thine eyes to go—go.'— ⁵ and while he doth not reply—'Or turn back unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him in the midst of the people, or whithersoever it is right in thine eyes to go—go.' And the chief of the executioners giveth to him for the way, and a gift, and sendeth him away, ⁶ and Jeremiah cometh in unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and dwelleth with him, in the midst of the people who are left in the land.

⁷ And all the heads of the forces that 'are' in the field hear, they and their men, that the king of Babylon hath appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land, and that he hath charged him 'with' men, and women, and infants, and of the poor of the land, of those who have not been removed to Babylon; ⁸ and they come in unto Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, and Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maachathite, they and their men. ⁹ And swear to them doth Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, and to their men, saying, 'Be not afraid of serving the Chaldeans, abide in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it is well for you; ¹⁰ and I, lo, I am dwelling in Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who are come in unto us, and ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruit, and oil, and put in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.' ¹¹ And also all the Jews who 'are' in Moab, and among the sons of Ammon, and in Edom, and who 'are' in all the lands, have heard that the king of Babylon hath given a remnant to Judah, and that he hath appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, ¹² and all the Jews from all the places whither they have been driven, turn back and enter the land of Judah, unto Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and they gather wine and summer fruit—very much.

Ishmael's Conspiracy against Gedaliah

¹³ And Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces that 'are' in the field, have come in unto Gedaliah to Mizpah, ¹⁴ and they say unto him, 'Dost thou really know that Baalis king of the sons of Ammon hath sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to smite thy soul?' And Gedaliah son of Ahikam hath not given to them credence. ¹⁵ And Johanan son of Kareah hath spoken unto Gedaliah in secret, in Mizpah, saying, 'Let me go, I pray thee, and I smite Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one doth know; why doth he smite thy soul? and scattered have been all Judah who are gathered unto thee, and perished hath the remnant of Judah.' ¹⁶ And Gedaliah son of Ahikam saith unto Johanan son of Kareah, 'Thou dost not do this thing, for falsehood thou art speaking concerning Ishmael.'

An Appeal to God against the Enemy

74¹ An Instruction of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast off for ever? Thine anger smoketh against the flock of Thy pasture. ² Remember Thy company. Thou didst purchase of old, Thou didst redeem the rod of Thy inheritance, This mount Zion—Thou didst dwell in it. ³ Lift up Thy steps to the perpetual desolations, Everything the enemy did wickedly in the sanctuary. ⁴ Roared have thine adversaries, In the midst of Thy meeting-places, They have set their ensigns as ensigns. ⁵ He is known as one bringing in on high Against a thicket of wood—axes. ⁶ And now, its carvings together With axe and hatchet they break down, ⁷ They have sent into fire Thy sanctuary, to the earth they polluted the tabernacle of Thy name, ⁸ They said in their hearts, 'Let us oppress them together,' They did burn all the meeting-places of God in the land. ⁹ Our ensigns we have not seen, There is no more a prophet, Nor with us is one knowing how long. ¹⁰ Till when, O God, doth an adversary reproach? Doth an enemy despise thy name for ever? ¹¹ Why dost Thou turn back Thy hand, Even Thy right hand? From the midst of Thy bosom remove 'it'.

¹² And God 'is' my king of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. ¹³ Thou hast broken by Thy strength a sea-'monster', Thou hast shivered Heads of dragons by the waters, ¹⁴ Thou hast broken the heads of leviathan, Thou makest him food, For the people of the dry places. ¹⁵ Thou hast cleaved a fountain and a stream, Thou hast dried up perennial flowings. ¹⁶ Thine 'is' the day, also Thine 'is' the night, Thou hast prepared a light giver—the sun. ¹⁷ Thou hast set up all the borders of earth, Summer and winter Thou hast formed them.

¹⁸ Remember this—an enemy reproached Jehovah, And a foolish people have despised Thy name. ¹⁹ Give not up to a company, The soul of Thy turtle-dove, The company of Thy poor ones forget not for ever. ²⁰ Look attentively to the covenant, For the dark places of earth, Have been full of habitations of violence. ²¹ Let not the oppressed turn back ashamed, Let the poor and needy praise Thy name, ²² Arise, O God, plead Thy plea, Remember Thy reproach from a fool all the day. ²³ Forget not the voice of Thine adversaries, The noise of Thy withstanders is going up continually!

A Lament over the Destruction of Jerusalem

79¹ O God, nations have come into Thy inheritance, They have defiled Thy holy temple, They made Jerusalem become heaps, ² They gave the dead bodies of Thy servants Food for the fowls of the heavens, The flesh of Thy saints For the wild beast of the earth. ³ They have shed their blood As water round about Jerusalem, And there is none burying. ⁴ We have been a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and a derision to our surrounders. ⁵ Till when, O Jehovah? art Thou angry for ever? Thy jealousy doth burn as fire.

⁶ Pour Thy fury on the nations who have not known Thee, And on kingdoms that have not called in Thy name. ⁷ For 'one' hath devoured Jacob, And his habitation they have made desolate. ⁸ Remember not for us the iniquities of forefathers, Haste, let Thy mercies go before us, For we have been very weak. ⁹ Help us, O God of our salvation, Because of the honour of Thy name, And deliver us, and cover over our sins, For Thy name's sake. ¹⁰ Why do the nations say, 'Where 'is' their God?' Let be known among the nations before our eyes, The vengeance of the blood of Thy servants that is shed. ¹¹ Let the groaning of the prisoner come in before Thee, According to the greatness of Thine arm, Leave Thou the sons of death. ¹² And turn Thou back to our neighbours, Sevenfold unto their bosom, their reproach, Wherewith they reproached Thee, O Lord. ¹³ And we, Thy people, and the flock of Thy pasture, We give thanks to Thee to the age, To all generations we recount Thy praise!