They watched Him and sent out spies who pretended to be righteous men, that they might seize Him in His words to hand Him over to the power and authority of the governor.
So Joab sent a request to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He instructed her, “Act as if you are observing mourning rites. Put on mourning garments, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning over the dead like this for many days.
But I was like a gentle lamb that is brought to the slaughter, and I did not know that they had devised plots against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with the fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living so that his name may be remembered no more.”
Then they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. For the law will not be lost from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”
For I heard the defaming of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce him. Yes, denounce him!” All my familiar friends who watch for my fall, say, “Perhaps he will be enticed so that we can prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him.”
Then the presidents and officials sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful, nor was there any error or fault found in him.