Then Jeremiahsaidto Zedekiah,"Thussaysthe LORDGodof hosts,the Godof Israel,'Ifyou will indeedgoout to the officersof the kingof Babylon,then you will live,thiscitywill not be burnedwith fire,and you and your householdwill survive.
"Pleasesaythat you are my sistersothat it may gowellwith me becauseof you, and that I may liveon accountof you."
Jehoiachinthe kingof Judahwentout to the kingof Babylon,he and his motherand his servantsand his captainsand his officials.So the kingof Babylontookhim captive in the eighthyearof his reign.
Now it cameabout in the thirty-seventhyearof the exileof Jehoiachinkingof Judah,in the twelfthmonth,on the twenty-seventh[day] of the month,that Evil-merodachkingof Babylon,in the yearthat he becameking,releasedJehoiachinkingof Judahfrom prison;
"Let Your namebe establishedand magnifiedforever,saying,'The LORDof hostsis the Godof Israel,[even] a Godto Israel;and the houseof DavidYour servantis establishedbeforeYou.'
Then everyonewho trembledat the wordsof the Godof Israelon accountof the unfaithfulnessof the exilesgatheredto me, and I satappalleduntilthe eveningoffering.
"But He is uniqueand whocan turnHim? And [what] His souldesires,that He does.
O God[of] hosts,turnagainnow,we beseechYou; Lookdownfrom heavenand see,and takecareof thisvine,
O God[of] hosts,restoreus And cause Your faceto shine[upon us], and we will be saved.
I spokewordslike alltheseto Zedekiahkingof Judah,saying,"Bringyour necksunder the yokeof the kingof Babylonand servehim and his people,and live!
"Do not listento them; servethe kingof Babylon,and live!Whyshould thiscitybecomea ruin?
"It will be, [that] the nationor the kingdomwhichwill not servehim, Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon,and whichwill not putits neckunder the yokeof the kingof Babylon,I will punishthat nationwith the sword,with famineand with pestilence,"declaresthe LORD,"untilI have destroyedit by his hand.
"Thussaysthe LORD,He who staysin thiscitywill dieby the swordand by famineand by pestilence,but he who goesout to the Chaldeanswill liveand havehis [own] lifeas bootyand stayalive.'
Then allthe officialsof the kingof Babyloncamein and satdownat the MiddleGate:Nergal-sar-ezer,Samgar-nebu,Sar-sekimthe Rab-saris,Nergal-sar-ezer[the] Rab-mag,and allthe restof the officialsof the kingof Babylon.
Then Gedaliahthe sonof Ahikam,the sonof Shaphan,sworeto them and to their men,saying,"Do not be afraidof servingthe Chaldeans;stayin the landand servethe kingof Babylon,that it may gowellwith you.
Nowthen thussaysthe LORDGodof hosts,the Godof Israel,"Whyare you doinggreatharmto yourselves,so as to cutofffrom you manand woman,childand infant,from amongJudah,leavingyourselves withoutremnant,
And behold,the gloryof the Godof Israel[was] there,like the appearancewhichI sawin the plain.
"Therefore, I will make you gointo exilebeyondDamascus,"saysthe LORD,whose nameis the Godof hosts.
