¶ Saphatiah the son of Mathan, Godoliah the son of Phashur, and Iucal the son of Selemiah, and Phashur the son of Melchiah, perceived the words, that Ieremy had spoken unto all the people, namely on this manner:
Thus sayeth the LORD: Who so remaineth in this city, shall perish, either with the sword, with hunger or with pestilence: But who so falleth unto the Caldees, shall escape, winning his soul for a pray, and shall live.
For thus sayeth the LORD. This city (no doubt) must be delivered into the power of the king of Babylon, and he also shall win it.
Then said the princes unto the king: Sir, we beseech you let this man be put to death; For thus he discourageth the hands of the soldiers that be in this city, and the hands of all the people, when he speaketh such words unto them. This man verily laboureth not for peace of the people, but mischief.
Zedekiah the king answered and said: Lo, he is in your hands, for the king may deny you nothing.
Then took they Ieremy, and cast him into the dungeon of Melchiah the son of Hamelech, that dwelt in the fore entry of the prison. And they let down Ieremy with cords into a dungeon, where there was no water, but mire.
So Ieremy stack fast in the mire. Now when Abedmelech the Morian being a chamberlain in the king's court, understood, that they had cast Ieremy in to the dungeon:
he went out of the king's house, and spake to the king, (which then sat under the port of Ben Iamin) these words:
My lord the king, where as these men meddle with Ieremy the prophet, they do him wrong: Namely, in that they have put him in prison, there to die of hunger for there is no more bread in the city.
Then the king commanded Abedmelech the Morian and said: Take from hence thirty men whom thou wilt, and draw up Ieremy the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
So Abedmelech took the men with him, and went to the house of Amalech, and there under an almery he gat old rags and worn clothes, and let them down by a cord, into the dungeon to Ieremy.
And Abedmelech the Morian said unto the prophet Ieremy: O put these rags and clothes under thine arm holes, betwixt them and the cords: And Ieremy did so.
So they drew up Ieremy with cords and took him out of the dungeon, and he remained in the fore entry of the prison.
¶ Then Zedekiah the king sent and caused Ieremy the prophet be called unto him, into the third entry, that was by the house of the LORD. And the king said unto Ieremy: I will ask thee somewhat but hide nothing from me.
Then Ieremy answered Zedekiah: If I be plain unto thee, thou wilt cause me suffer death: If I give thee counsel, thou wilt not follow me.
So the king swore an oath secretly unto Ieremy, saying: As truly as the LORD liveth, that made us these souls, I will not slay thee, nor give thee in to the hands of them that seek after thy life.
Then said Ieremy unto Zedekiah: Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: If cause be, that thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, thou shalt save thy life, and this city shall not be brent, yea both thou and thy household shall escape with your lives.
But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be delivered into the hands of the Caldees which shall set fire upon it, and thou shalt not be able to escape them.
And Zedekiah said unto Ieremy: I am afraid for the Iews, that are fled unto the Caldees, lest I come in their hands, and so they to have me in derision.
But Ieremy answered: No, they shall not betray thee: O hearken unto the voice of the LORD (I beseech thee) which I speak unto thee, so shalt thou be well, and save thy life.
But if thou wilt not go forth, the LORD hath told me this plainly:
Behold, all the women that are left in the king of Iudah's house, shall go out to the king of Babylon's princes. For they think, that thou art deceived: and that the men in whom thou didst put thy trust, have gotten thee under, and set thy feet fast in the mire, and gone their way from thee.
Therefore all thy wives with their children shall flee unto the Caldees, and thou shalt not escape their hands, but shalt be the king of Babylon's prisoner, and this city shall be brent.
Then said Zedekiah unto Ieremy: Look that no body know of these words, and thou shalt not die.
But if the princes perceive, that I have talked with thee, and come unto thee, saying: O speak, what said the king to thee? hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death. Tell us (we pray thee) what said the king to thee?
See thou give them this answer: I have humbly besought the king, that he will let me lie no more in Iehonathan's house, that I die not there.
Then came all the princes unto Ieremy, and asked him. And he told them, after the manner as the king bade him. Then they held their peace, for they perceived nothing.
So Ieremy abode still in the fore entry of the prison, until the day that Ierusalem was won.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.