Jeremiah 37:9-21 ▼

9 Thus says YHWH: Do not deceive yourselves, saying, ‘The Chaldeans will surely depart from us.’ For they will not depart.

10 For if you? were to strike all the force of the Chaldeans who are fighting against you?, and there remained among them only wounded men, then they would rise up, each man in his tent, and burn this city with fire!

11 And it came to pass in the going up of the army of the Chaldeans from Jerusalem for fear of the army of Pharaoh,

12 that Jeremiah went forth from Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin to divide from there in the midst of the people.

13 And it came to pass when he was in the Gate of Benjamin, that a captain of the guard was there, and his name was Irijah son of Shelemiah son of Hananiah. And he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “To the Chaldeans you are falling away!

14 And Jeremiah said, “Falsehood!” I am not falling away to the Chaldeans.” And he would not listen to him, and Irijah seized Jeremiah and brought him to the princes.

15 And the princes were angry at Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in the house of bond in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made it into a house of restraint.

16 When Jeremiah came into the house of the dungeon and into the cells, then Jeremiah dwelt there many days.

17 And the king Zedekiah sent and took him out, and the king asked him in his house in secret and said: “Is there a word from YHWH?” And Jeremiah said, “There is.” And he said, “Into the hand of the king of Babylon you will be given!

18 And Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, “What wrong have I done against you and against your servants and against this people, that you? have put me into the house of restraint?

19 Where indeed are your? prophets who prophesied to you?, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you? or against this land’?

20 and now listen, please, O my lord the king: Let my petition, please, be accepted before you, and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I should not die there.

21 And king the Zedekiah ordered that they should commit Jeremiah to the court of the guard and give to him a piece of bread day by day out of the street of the bakers, until all the bread in the city was finished. Thus Jeremiah dwelt in the court of the guard.