"My lordthe king,thesemenhave actedwickedlyin allthat they have doneto Jeremiahthe prophetwhomthey have castinto the cistern;and he will dierightwherehe is becauseof the famine,for thereis nomorebreadin the city."
BecauseI fearedthe greatmultitude,And the contemptof familiesterrifiedme, And keptsilentand did not goout of doors?
"I will make them eatthe fleshof their sonsand the fleshof their daughters,and they will eatoneanother'sfleshin the siegeand in the distresswith whichtheir enemiesand those who seektheir lifewill distressthem."'
Then KingZedekiahgavecommandment,and they committedJeremiahto the courtof the guardhouseand gavehim a loafof breaddailyfrom the bakers'street,untilallthe breadin the citywas gone.So Jeremiahremainedin the courtof the guardhouse.
Then the kingcommandedEbed-melechthe Ethiopian,saying,"Takethirtymenfrom hereunder your authorityand bringup Jeremiahthe prophetfrom the cisternbeforehe dies."
and Ebed-melechwentout from the king'spalaceand spoketo the king,saying,
"But I will deliveryou on that day,"declaresthe LORD,"and you will not be giveninto the handof the menwhomyou dread.
On the ninth[day] of the fourthmonththe faminewas so severein the citythat there was nofoodfor the peopleof the land.
Allher peoplegroanseekingbread;They have giventheir preciousthingsfor foodTo restoretheir livesthemselves. "See,O LORD,and look,For I amdespised."
They have silencedme in the pitAnd have placeda stoneon me.
