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17 Then 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. 18 But 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.’” 19 But 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. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the LORD {YHWH} has shown me: 22 All 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.’ 23 All 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.” 24 Then Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) warned Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), “Do not let anyone know about this conversation, or you will die. 25 If 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,’ 26 then 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.’” 27 When 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. 28 And Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem (city of peace) was captured. Jeremiah 38:17-28, Berean Annotated Bible. Public domain.
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