A Warning against Going to Egypt

1So all the captaynes of Iohanan the sonne of Careah, Iezaniah the sonne of Osiah, came, with all the people fro the least vnto the most, 2And sayde vnto Ieremie the prophete: O heare our petition, that thou mayest pray for vs vnto the Lorde thy God, namely for all the remnaunt, wherof there be fewe of vs left of many, as thou seest vs: 3That the Lorde thy God may shewe vs a way to go in, and tell vs what we shoulde do. 4Then Ieremie the prophete sayde vnto them: I haue hearde you, beholde, I wyll pray vnto God your Lorde as ye haue required me: and loke what aunswere the Lorde geueth, I shall certifie you therof, and kepe nothyng backe from you. 5And they sayde vnto Ieremie, The Lorde be a true and faithfull witnesse betwixt vs, that we wyll do all that the Lorde thy God commaundeth vs. 6Whether it be good or euyll, we wyll hearken vnto the voyce of the Lorde God, to whom we sende thee, that we may prosper when we haue folowed the voyce of the Lorde our God.

7And after ten dayes came the worde of the Lorde vnto Ieremie. 8Then called he Iohanan the sonne of Careah, and all the captaynes of the people that were with hym, yea and all the people from the least to the most, 9And sayde vnto them: Thus saith the Lorde God of Israel, vnto whom ye sent me to lay foorth your prayers before hym: 10If ye wyll dwell in this lande, I shall builde you vp, & not breake you downe, I shal plant you, and not roote you out: for I repent as concerning the trouble that I haue done to you. 11Feare not the kyng of Babylon of whom ye stande in awe, O be not afraide of him, saith the Lord: for I wyll be with you to helpe you, and deliuer you from his hande. 12I wyll pardon you, I wyll haue mercie vpon you, and cause hym to pitie you, and bryng you agayne into your owne lande. 13Neuerthelesse, yf ye purpose not to dwell in this lande, nor to folowe the voyce of the Lorde your God: 14But wyll say thus, We wyll not dwell heare, but go into Egypt, where we shall neither see warre, heare the noyse of the trumpe, nor suffer hunger, there wyll we dwell: 15Wherfore heare nowe the worde of the Lorde O ye remnaunt of Iuda, Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel: If ye be wholly purposed to go into Egypt, and to dwell there as straungers, 16The sworde that ye feared, shall ouertake you in Egypt: and the hunger wherof ye be here afrayde, shall hang vpon you, and folowe you into Egypt, and there shall ye dye. 17And all they that of set purpose vndertake to go into Egypt to soiourne there, shall perishe with the sworde, with hunger, and pestilence, not one of them shall remayne, there shall none escape the plague that I wyll bryng vpon them.

18For thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel, Lyke as my wrath and indignation is moued agaynst the inhabitours of Hierusalem: so shall my displeasure be kindled agaynst you also yf ye go into Egypt, and there ye shalbe reuiled, abhorred, brought to shame and confusion, and as for this place ye shall neuer see it more. 19The Lorde forbiddeth you (O ye remnaunt of Iuda) that ye shall not go into Egypt: and forget not that I haue warned you earnestly this day. 20For ye haue dissembled with me: for ye sent me vnto the Lorde your God, and sayde, O pray thou the Lorde our God for vs, and loke what aunswere the Lorde our God geueth thee, that bryng vs agayne, and we shall do therafter: 21Nowe haue I shewed and declared vnto you, but ye haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lorde your God, for the which cause he hath sent me to you. 22Nowe therfore be sure that ye shall perishe with the sworde, with hunger and pestilence, euen in the same place where your lust is to go and dwell.