Jeremiah 38:1-13 ▼

1 Saphatiah the sonne of Mathan, Gedaliah the sonne of Pashur, Iucal the sonne of Selemiah, & Pashur the sonne of Melchia, perceaued the wordes that Ieremie had spoken vnto all the people, namely, on this maner.

2 Thus saith the Lorde, Who so remayneth in this citie, shall perishe either with the sworde, with hunger, or with pestilence: but who so falleth vnto the Chaldees shal escape, winning his soule for a pray, and shall lyue.

3 For thus saith the Lorde, This citie no doubt must be deliuered into the power of the kyng of Babylon, and he also shall winne it.

4 Then saide the princes vnto the kyng, Sir, we beseche you let this man be put to death: for thus he discourageth the handes of the souldiours that be in this citie, and the handes of all the people, when he speaketh such wordes vnto them: This man laboureth not for peace of the people, but mischiefe.

5 Zedekia the kyng aunswered, and sayde, Lo, he is in your handes: for the kyng may denie you nothyng.

6 Then toke they Ieremie and cast him into the dungeon of Melchiah the sonne of Amelech, that dwelt in the fore entrie of the prison, and they let downe Ieremie with coardes into a dungeon, where there was no water, but mire: So Ieremie stack fast in the mire.

7 Nowe when Abedmelech the Morian beyng a chaumberlayne in the kynges court, vnderstoode that they had cast Ieremie into the dungeon,

8 He went out of the kynges house, and spake to the king, which then sate vnder the port of Beniamin, these wordes.

9 My Lorde the kyng, where as these men meddle with Ieremie the prophete, they do hym wrong namely in that they haue put hym in prison, there to dye for hunger: for there is no more bread in the citie.

10 Then the kyng commaunded Abedmelech the Morian, and sayde, Take from hence thirtie men whom thou wylt, and drawe vp Ieremie the prophete out of the dungeon before he dye.

11 So Abedmelech toke the men with hym, and went to the house of the king, and there vnder the treasurie he gat olde ragges and worne cloutes, and let them downe by a corde into the dungeon to Ieremie.

12 And Abedmelech the Morian sayde vnto the prophete Ieremie: O put these ragges and cloutes vnder thine arme holes betwixt them and the cordes: And Ieremie did so.

13 So they drewe vp Ieremie with cordes, & toke hym out of the dungeon: and he remayned in the fore entrie of the prison.