Who proceeddownto EgyptWithoutconsultingMe, To takerefugein the safetyof PharaohAnd to seekshelterin the shadowof Egypt!
But Jehoshaphatsaid,"Is therenot yeta prophetof the LORDherethat we may inquireof him?"
But the kingof Assyriafoundconspiracyin Hoshea,whohad sentmessengersto Sokingof Egyptand had offerednotributeto the kingof Assyria,as [he had done] yearby year;so the kingof Assyriashuthim up and boundhim in prison.
"Nowbehold,you relyon the staffof thiscrushedreed,[even] on Egypt;on whichif a manleans,it will gointo his handand pierceit. Sois Pharaohkingof Egyptto allwho relyon him.
"Give[us] advice,makea decision;Castyour shadowlike nightat highnoon;Hidethe outcasts,do not betraythe fugitive.
Alas,oh landof whirringwingsWhichlies beyondthe riversof Cush,
"Behold,you relyon the staffof thiscrushedreed,[even] on Egypt,on whichif a manleans,it will gointo his handand pierceit. Sois Pharaohkingof Egyptto allwho relyon him.
"Howthen can you repulseoneofficialof the leastof my master'sservantsand relyon Egyptfor chariotsand for horsemen?
Whenthey sayto you, "Consultthe mediumsand the spiritistswho whisperand mutter,"should not a peopleconsulttheir God?[Should they] [consult] the deadon behalfof the living?
"But nowwhatare you doing on the roadto Egypt,To drinkthe watersof the Nile?Or whatare you doing on the roadto Assyria,To drinkthe watersof the Euphrates?
"Pleaseinquireof the LORDon our behalf,for Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylonis warringagainstus; perhapsthe LORDwill dealwith us according to allHis wonderfulacts,so that [the enemy] will withdrawfrom us."
Meanwhile, Pharaoh'sarmyhad setout from Egypt;and when the Chaldeanswho had been besiegingJerusalemheardthe reportabout them, they liftedthe [siege] from Jerusalem.
saying,"No,but we will goto the landof Egypt,wherewe will not seewaror hearthe soundof a trumpetor hungerfor bread,and we will staythere";
and saidto Jeremiahthe prophet,"Pleaselet our petitioncomebeforeyou, and prayfor us to the LORDyour God,[that is] for allthisremnant;becausewe are left[but] a fewout of many,as your own eyes[now] seeus,
For you have [only] deceivedyourselves;for it is you who sentme to the LORDyour God,saying,"Prayfor us to the LORDour God;and whateverthe LORDour Godsays,tellus so,and we will doit."
and they enteredthe landof Egypt(for they did not obeythe voiceof the LORD)and wentin as faras Tahpanhes.
The breathof our nostrils,the LORD'Sanointed,Was capturedin their pits,Of whomwe had said,"Under his shadowWe shall liveamong the nations."
Woeto them, for they have strayedfrom Me! Destructionis theirs, for they have rebelledagainst Me! I would redeemthem, but they speakliesagainstMe.
Eventhoughthey hire[allies] among the nations,NowI will gatherthem up; And they will beginto diminishBecauseof the burdenof the kingof princes.
For they have goneup to Assyria,[Like] a wilddonkeyall alone;Ephraimhas hiredlovers.
"Moreover, he shall standbeforeEleazarthe priest,who shall inquirefor him by the judgmentof the Urimbeforethe LORD.At his commandthey shall goout and at his commandthey shall comein, [both] he and the sonsof Israelwith him, even allthe congregation."
"The LORDwill bringyou backto Egyptin ships,by the wayabout whichI spoketo you, 'You will neverseeit again!'And thereyou will offeryourselves for saleto your enemiesas maleand femaleslaves,but therewill be nobuyer."
So the men[of Israel] tooksomeof their provisions,and did not askfor the counselof the LORD.
"The bramblesaidto the trees,'Ifin truthyou are anointingme as kingoveryou, comeand takerefugein my shade;but ifnot, may firecomeout from the brambleand consumethe cedarsof Lebanon.'
