Jeremiah Cast into the Cistern

1Now Shephatiah (YHWH has judged) son of Mattan (a gift), Gedaliah (YHWH is great) son of Pashhur (freedom), Jucal (Jehucal)a son of Shelemiah (repaid by YHWH), and Pashhur son of Malchijah (my king is YHWH) heard that Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) had been telling all the people: 2“This is what the LORD {YHWH} says: Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans (the Babylonians)b will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war, and he will live. 3This is what the LORD {YHWH} says: This city will surely be delivered into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon (confusion by mixing), and he will capture it.”

4Then the officials said to the king, “This man ought to die, for he is discouraging the warriors who remain in this city, as well as all the people, by speaking such words to them; this man is not seeking the well-being of these people, but their ruin.”

5“Here he is,” replied King Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous). “He is in your⁺ hands, since the king can do nothing to stop you⁺.”

6So they took Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah (my king is YHWH), the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

7Now Ebed-melech (servant of the king) the Cushite,c a court official (eunuch)d in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin (son of the right hand), 8Ebed-melech (servant of the king) went out from the king’s palace and said to the king, 9“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.”

10So the king commanded Ebed-melech (servant of the king) the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and pull Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

11Then Ebed-melech (servant of the king) took the men with him and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) in the cistern.

12Ebed-melech (servant of the king) the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), “Put these worn-out rags and clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so, 13and they pulled him (whom YHWH has appointed) up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

14Then King Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) sent for Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet and received him at the third entrance to the house of the LORD {YHWH}. “I am going to ask you something,” said the king to Jeremiah. “Do not hide anything from me.”

15“If I tell you,” Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) replied (YHWH is righteous), “you will surely put me to death. And even if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”

16But King Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) swore secretly to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), “As surely as the LORD {YHWH} lives, who has given us this life, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of these men who are seeking your life.”

17Then Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) said to Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous), “This is what the LORD God {YHWH Elohe} of Hosts, the God of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: ‘If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon (confusion by mixing), then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive. 18But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon (confusion by mixing), then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans (clod-breakers). They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’”

19But King Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) said to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans (clod-breakers), for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me.”

20“They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) replied. “Obey the voice of the LORD {YHWH} in what I am telling you, that it may go well with you and you may live. 21But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the LORD {YHWH} has shown me: 22All the women who remain in the palace of the king of Judah (praised) will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon (confusion by mixing), and those women will say:

‘They misled you and overcame you—

those trusted friends of yours.

Your feet sank into the mire,

and they deserted you.’

23All your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans (clod-breakers). And you yourself will not escape their grasp, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon (confusion by mixing), and this city will be burned down.”

24Then Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) warned Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), “Do not let anyone know about this conversation, or you will die. 25If the officials hear that I have spoken with you, and they come and demand of you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what he said to you; do not hide it from us, or we will kill you,’ 26then tell them, ‘I was presenting to the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan (YHWH has given) to die there.’”

27When all the officials came to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) and questioned him, he relayed to them the exact words the king had commanded him to say. So they said no more to him, for no one had overheard the conversation. 28And Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem (city of peace) was captured.