¹ And Zedekiah son of Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, made king, in the land of Judah.

² But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land had hearkened unto the words of Yahweh, which he had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.

³ And King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest unto Jeremiah the prophet saying,—Pray thou I beseech thee in our behalf, unto Yahweh, our God.

⁴ Now, Jeremiah, was coming in and going out in the midst of the people, for they had not put him into prison.

⁵ And the force of Pharaoh had come forth out of Egypt,—and, when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the tidings of them, they went up from Jerusalem.

⁶ Then came the word of Yahweh unto Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

⁷ Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Thus, shall ye say unto the king of Judah, who sent you unto me to enquire of me,—Lo! the force of Pharaoh which is coming out to you to help is about to return to its own land to Egypt;

⁸ Then will the Chaldeans come back, and fight against this city,—and capture it and burn it with fire.

⁹ Thus, saith Yahweh,—Let not your own souls, deceive you saying, The Chaldeans will, surely depart, from us! For they will not depart;

¹⁰ For though ye had smitten all the force of the Chaldeans who are fighting with you and there had remained of them only desperately wounded men, yet, every man in his tent, should have arisen and burnt this city with fire.

¹¹ Now it came to pass, when the army of the Chaldeans, had gone up from Jerusalem,—because of the force of Pharaoh,

¹² then went forth Jeremiah out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin,—to receive a portion from thence in the midst of the people.

¹³ And so it came to pass he being in the gate of Benjamin and there being there a ward-master whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah son of Hananiah, that he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Unto the Chaldeans, art thou falling away!

¹⁴ Then said Jeremiah, False! I am not falling away unto the Chaldeans! Howbeit he hearkened not unto him,—so Irijah seized Jeremiah, and brought him in unto the princes.

¹⁵ Then were the princes wroth against Jeremiah, and smote him,—and put him in prison, in the house of Jonathan the scribe, for that, had they made the prison.

¹⁶ When Jeremiah had entered into the dungeon-house and into the cells, and Jeremiah, had remained there many days,

¹⁷ then sent King Zedekiah—and fetched him, and the king asked him, in his own house secretly, and said,—Is there a word from Yahweh? And Jeremiah said,—There is, for (said he), Into the hand of the king of Babylon, shalt thou be delivered!

¹⁸ And Jeremiah said unto King Zedekiah,—What sin have I committed against thee, or against thy servants or against this people, that ye have delivered me up into prison?

¹⁹ Where, then are your prophets, who prophesied unto you saying,—The king of Babylon shall not come, against you nor against this land?

²⁰ Now therefore, hear I beseech thee, O my lord the king,—Let my, supplication, I pray thee, fall prostrate before thee, and do not cause me to return unto the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there!

²¹ Then King Zedekiah gave command and they committed Jeremiah into the guard-court, and [said] that there should be given him a cake of bread daily, out of the baker’s street, until all the bread out of the city should be spent, So Jeremiah remained in the guard-court.