Jeremiah Chapter 38

2 then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he shall not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.

3 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

4 And the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, saying,

5 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which Jehovah did choose, he hath cast them off? thus do they despise my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

6 Thus saith Jehovah: If my covenant of day and night

7 stand not, if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;

8 then will I also cast away the seed of Jacob, and of David my servant, so that I will not take of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and will have mercy on them.

9 The word which came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying:

10 Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:

11 and thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.

12 Yet hear the word of Jehovah, O Zedekiah king of Judah: thus saith Jehovah concerning thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword;

13 thou shalt die in peace; and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings that were before thee, so shall they make a burning for thee; and they shall lament thee,

14 saying, Ah Lord! for I have spoken the word, saith Jehovah.

15 Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,

16 when the king of Babylon’s army was fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah; for these

17 alone remained of the cities of Judah

18 as fortified cities.

19 The word that came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people that were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;

20 that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, that is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondmen of them,

21 to wit, of a Jew his brother.

22 And all the princes and all the people obeyed, that had entered into the covenant, that every one should let his man-servant, and every one his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondmen of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:

23 but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.

24 Therefore the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

25 Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,

26 At the end of seven years ye shall let go every man his brother that is a Hebrew, that hath been sold unto thee, and hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.

27 And ye were now turned, and had done that which is right in mine eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:

28 but ye turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and ye brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 And Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchijah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,

2 Thus saith Jehovah: He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; and he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.

3 Thus saith Jehovah: This city shall certainly be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, and he shall take it.

4 And the princes said unto the king, Let this man, we pray thee, be put to death; for why should he weaken the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking to them according to these words? for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.

5 And king Zedekiah said, Behold, he is in your hand; for the king is not he that can do a thing against you.

6 Then they took Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchijah the son of Hammelech, which was in the court of the guard, and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.

7 And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon — now the king was sitting in the gate of Benjamin,

8 — and Ebed-melech went forth out of the king's house, and spoke to the king, saying,

9 My lord, O king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to the prophet Jeremiah, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he will die by reason of the famine in the place where he is; for there is no more bread in the city.

10 And the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.

11 And Ebed-melech took the men under his order, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old shreds and worn-out clothes, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

12 And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, Put, I pray, [these] old shreds and rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.

13 And they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and brought him up out of the dungeon; and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

14 And king Zedekiah sent and took the prophet Jeremiah unto him, into the third entry that is in the house of Jehovah; and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing: hide nothing from me.

15 And Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare [it] unto thee, wilt thou not certainly put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, thou wilt not hearken unto me.

16 And king Zedekiah swore secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, [As] Jehovah liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

17 And Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, Thus saith Jehovah theGod of hosts, theGod of Israel: If thou wilt freely go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house.

18 But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

19 And king Zedekiah said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest they give me over into their hand, and they mock me.

20 And Jeremiah said, They shall not give [thee] over. Hearken, I beseech thee, unto the voice of Jehovah, in that which I speak unto thee; so shall it be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.

21 But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word which Jehovah hath shewn me:

22 Behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes; and they shall say, Thy familiar friends have set thee on, and have prevailed over thee; thy feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back.

23 And they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand; for thou shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon, and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.

24 And Zedekiah said unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.

25 And if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; and what hath the king said unto thee?

26 then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.

27 — And all the princes came to Jeremiah, and asked him; and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. And they withdrew quietly from him; for the matter was not reported.

28 And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.

lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

1 At that time, saith the Lord, I will be a God to the family of Israel, and they shall be to me a people.

2 Thus saith the Lord, I found him warm in the wilderness with them that were slain with the sword: go ye and destroy not Israel.

3 The Lord appeared to him from afar, [saying], I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore have I drawn thee in compassion.

4 For I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt yet take thy timbrel, and go forth with the party of them that make merry.

5 For ye have planted vineyards on the mountains of Samaria: plant ye, and praise.

6 For it is a day when those that plead on the mountains of Ephraim shall call, [saying], Arise ye, and go up to Sion to the Lord your God.

7 For thus saith the Lord to Jacob; Rejoice ye, and exult over the head of the nations: make proclamation, and praise ye: say, The Lord has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel.

8 Behold, I bring them from the north, and will gather them from the end of the earth to the feast of the passover: and [the people] shall beget a great multitude, and they shall return hither.

9 They went forth with weeping, and I will bring them back with consolation, causing them to lodge by the channels of waters in a straight way, and they shall not err in it: for I am become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.

10 Hear the words of the Lord, ye nations, and proclaim [them] to the islands afar off; say, He that scattered Israel will also gather him, and keep him as one that feeds his flock.

11 For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, he has rescued him out of the hand of them [that were] stronger than he.

12 And they shall come, and shall rejoice in the mount of Sion, and shall come to the good things of the Lord, [even] to a land of corn, and wine, and fruits, and cattle, and sheep: and their soul shall be as a fruitful tree; and they shall hunger no more.

13 Then shall the virgins rejoice in the assembly of youth, and the old men shall rejoice; and I will turn their mourning into joy, and will make them merry.

14 I will expand and cheer with wine the soul of the priests the sons of Levi, and my people shall be satisfied with my good things: thus saith the Lord.

15 A voice was heard in Rama, of lamentation, and of weeping, and wailing; Rachel would not cease weeping for her children, because they are not.

16 Thus saith the Lord; Let thy voice cease from weeping, and thine eyes from thy tears: for there is a reward for thy works; and they shall return from the land of [thine] enemies.

17 [There shall be] an abiding [home] for thy children.

18 I have heard the sound of Ephraim lamenting, [and saying], Thou hast chastened me, and I was chastened; I as a calf was not [willingly] taught: turn thou me, and I shall turn; for thou [art] the Lord my God.

19 For after my captivity I repented; and after I knew, I groaned for the day of shame, and shewed thee that I bore reproach from my youth.

20 Ephraim is a beloved son, a pleasing child to me: for because my words are in him, I will surely remember him: therefore I made haste [to help] him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.

21 Prepare thyself, O Sion; execute vengeance; look to thy ways: return, O virgin of Israel, by the way by which thou wentest, return mourning to thy cities.

22 How long, O disgraced daughter, wilt thou turn away? for the Lord has created safety for a new plantation: men shall go about in safety.

23 For thus saith the Lord; They shall yet speak this word in the land of Juda, and in the cities thereof, when I shall turn his captivity; blessed be the Lord on his righteous holy mountain!

24 And there shall be dwellers in the cities of Juda, and in all his land, together with the husbandman, and [the shepherd] shall go forth with the flock.

25 For I have saturated every thirsting soul, and filled every hungry soul.

26 Therefore I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet to me.

27 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Juda with the seed of man, and the seed of beast.

28 And it shall come to pass, that as I watched over them, to pull down, and to afflict, so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord.

29 In those days they shall certainly not say, The fathers ate a sour grape, and the children's teeth were set on edge.

30 But every one shall die in his own sin; and the teeth of him that eats the sour grape shall be set on edge.

31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda:

32 not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they abode not in my covenant, and I disregarded them, saith the Lord.

33 For this is my covenant which I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will surely put my laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

34 And they shall not at all teach every one his [fellow] citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them: for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins I will remember no more.

35 Though the sky should be raised to a [greater] height, saith the Lord, and though the ground of the earth should be sunk [lower] beneath, yet I will not cast off the family of Israel, saith the Lord, for all that they have done.

36 Thus saith the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the moon and the stars for a light by night, and [makes] a roaring in the sea, so that the waves thereof roar; the Lord Almighty is his name:

37 if these ordinances cease from before me, saith the Lord, then shall the family of Israel cease to be a nation before me for ever.

38 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Anameel to the gate of the corner.

39 And the measurement of it shall proceed in front of them as far as the hills of Gareb, and it shall be compassed with a circular wall of choice stones.

40 And all the Asaremoth even to Nachal Kedron, as far as the corner of the horse-gate eastward, shall be holiness to the Lord; and it shall not fail any more, and shall not be destroyed for ever.

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Audivit autem Saphatias filius Mathan, et Gedelias filius Phassur, et Iuchal filius Selemiæ, et Phassur filius Melchiæ, sermones, quos Ieremias loquebatur ad omnem populum, dicens:

2 Hæc dicit Dominus: Quicumque manserit in civitate hac, morietur gladio, et fame, et peste: qui autem profugerit ad Chaldæos, vivet, et erit anima eius sospes et vivens.

3 Hæc dicit Dominus: Tradendo tradetur civitas hæc in manu exercitus regis Babylonis, et capiet eam.

4 Et dixerunt principes regi: Rogamus ut occidatur homo iste: de industria enim dissolvit manus virorum bellantium, qui remanserunt in civitate hac, et manus universi populi, loquens ad eos iuxta verba hæc: siquidem homo iste non quærit pacem populo huic, sed malum.

5 Et dixit rex Sedecias: Ecce ipse in manibus vestris est: nec enim fas est regem vobis quidquam negare.

6 Tulerunt ergo Ieremiam, et proiecerunt eum in lacum Melchiæ filii Amelech, qui erat in vestibulo carceris: et submiserunt Ieremiam funibus in lacum, in quo non erat aqua, sed lutum: descendit itaque Ieremias in cœnum.

7 Audivit autem Abdemelech Æthiops vir eunuchus, qui erat in domo regis quod misissent Ieremiam in lacum: porro rex sedebat in porta Beniamin.

8 Et egressus est Abdemelech de domo regis, et locutus est ad regem, dicens:

9 Domine mi rex, male fecerunt viri isti omnia quæcumque perpetrarunt contra Ieremiam prophetam, mittentes eum in lacum ut moriatur ibi fame, non sunt enim panes ultra in civitate.

10 Præcepit itaque rex Abdemelech Æthiopi, dicens: Tolle tecum hinc triginta viros, et leva Ieremiam prophetam de lacu antequam moriatur.

11 Assumptis ergo Abdemelech secum viris, ingressus est domum regis, quæ erat sub cellario: et tulit inde veteres pannos et antiqua, quæ computruerant, et submisit ea ad Ieremiam in lacum per funiculos.

12 Dixitque Abdemelech Æthiops ad Ieremiam: Pone veteres pannos, et hæc scissa et putrida sub cubito manuum tuarum: et super funes: fecit ergo Ieremias sic:

13 Et extraxerunt Ieremiam funibus, et eduxerunt eum de lacu: mansit autem Ieremias in vestibulo carceris.

14 Et misit rex Sedecias, et tulit ad se Ieremiam prophetam ad ostium tertium, quod erat in domo Domini: et dixit rex ad Ieremiam: Interrogo ego te sermonem, ne abscondas a me aliquid.

15 Dixit autem Ieremias ad Sedeciam: Si annunciavero tibi, numquid non interficies me? et si consilium dedero tibi, non me audies.

16 Iuravit ergo rex Sedecias Ieremiæ clam, dicens: Vivit Dominus, qui fecit nobis animam hanc, si occidero te, et si tradidero te in manus virorum istorum, qui quærunt animam tuam.

17 Et dixit Ieremias ad Sedeciam: Hæc dicit Dominus exercituum Deus Israel: Si profectus exieris ad principes regis Babylonis, vivet anima tua, et civitas hæc non succendetur igni: et salvus eris tu, et domus tua.

18 Si autem non exieris ad principes regis Babylonis, tradetur civitas hæc in manus Chaldæorum, et succendent eam igni: et tu non effugies de manu eorum.

19 Et dixit rex Sedecias ad Ieremiam: Solicitus sum propter Iudæos, qui transfugerunt ad Chaldæos: ne forte tradar in manus eorum, et illudant mihi.

20 Respondit autem Ieremias: Non te tradent. audi quæso vocem Domini, quam ego loquor ad te, et bene tibi erit, et vivet anima tua.

21 Quod si nolueris egredi: iste est sermo, quem ostendit mihi Dominus:

22 Ecce omnes mulieres, quæ remanserunt in domo regis Iuda, educentur ad principes regis Babylonis: et ipsæ dicent: Seduxerunt te, et prævaluerunt adversum te viri pacifici tui, demerserunt in cœno, et in lubrico pedes tuos, et recesserunt a te.

23 Et omnes uxores tuæ, et filii tui educentur ad Chaldæos: et non effugies manus eorum, sed in manu regis Babylonis capieris: et civitatem hanc comburet igni.

24 Dixit ergo Sedecias ad Ieremiam: Nullus sciat verba hæc, et non morieris.

25 Si autem audierint principes quia locutus sum tecum, et venerint ad te, et dixerint tibi: Indica nobis quid locutus sis cum rege, ne celes nos, et non te interficiemus: et quid locutus est tecum rex:

26 Dices ad eos: Prostravi ego preces meas coram rege, ne me reduci iuberet in domum Ionathan, et ibi morerer.

27 Venerunt ergo omnes principes ad Ieremiam, et interrogaverunt eum: et locutus est eis iuxta omnia verba, quæ præceperat ei rex, et cessaverunt ab eo: nihil enim fuerat auditum.

28 Mansit vero Ieremias in vestibulo carceris usque ad diem, quo capta est Ierusalem: et factum est ut caperetur Ierusalem.

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard the words that Jeremiah spoke to all the people, saying,

2 “The LORD says, ‘He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live. He will escape with his life and he will live.’

3 The LORD says, ‘This city will surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will take it.’”

4 Then the princes said to the king, “Please let this man be put to death, because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them; for this man doesn’t seek the welfare of this people, but harm.”

5 Zedekiah the king said, “Behold, he is in your hand; for the king can’t do anything to oppose you.”

6 Then they took Jeremiah and threw him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king’s son, that was in the court of the guard. They let down Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.

7 Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king was then sitting in Benjamin’s gate),

8 Ebedmelech went out of the king’s house, and spoke to the king, saying,

9 “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon. He is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.”

10 Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.”

11 So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

12 Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these rags and worn-out garments under your armpits under the cords.” Jeremiah did so.

13 So they lifted Jeremiah up with the cords, and took him up out of the dungeon; and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

14 Then Zedekiah the king sent and took Jeremiah the prophet to himself into the third entry that is in the LORD’s house. Then the king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me.”

15 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? If I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”

16 So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “As the LORD lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “The LORD, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you will go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul will live, and this city will not be burned with fire. You will live, along with your house.

18 But if you will not go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire, and you won’t escape out of their hand.’”

19 Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.”

20 But Jeremiah said, “They won’t deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the LORD’s voice, in that which I speak to you; so it will be well with you, and your soul will live.

21 But if you refuse to go out, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:

22 ‘Behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah’s house will be brought out to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women will say, “Your familiar friends have turned on you, and have prevailed over you. Your feet are sunk in the mire, they have turned away from you.”

23 They will bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans. You won’t escape out of their hand, but will be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon. You will cause this city to be burned with fire.’”

24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no man know of these words, and you won’t die.

25 But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, ‘Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don’t hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also tell us what the king said to you;’

26 then you shall tell them, ‘I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.’”

27 Then all the princes came to Jeremiah, and asked him; and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they stopped speaking with him, for the matter was not perceived.

28 So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

1 And Shephatiah son of Mattan, and Gedaliah son of Pashhur, and Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah, hear the words that Jeremiah is speaking unto all the people, saying,

2 `Thus said Jehovah: He who is remaining in this city dieth, by sword, by famine, and by pestilence, and he who is going forth unto the Chaldeans liveth, and his soul hath been to him for a prey, and he liveth.

3 Thus said Jehovah: This city is certainly given into the hand of the force of the king of Babylon, and he hath captured it.'

4 And the heads say unto the king, `Let, we pray thee, this man be put to death, because that he is making feeble the hands of the men of war, who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking unto them according to these words, for this man is not seeking for the peace of this people, but for its evil.'

5 And the king Zedekiah saith, `Lo, he <FI>is<Fi> in your hand: for the king is not able for you <FI>in<Fi> anything.'

6 And they take Jeremiah, and cast him into the pit of Malchiah son of the king, that <FI>is<Fi> in the court of the prison, and they send down Jeremiah with cords; and in the pit there is no water, but mire, and Jeremiah sinketh in the mire.

7 And Ebed-Melech the Cushite, a eunuch who <FI>is<Fi> in the king's house, heareth that they have put Jeremiah into the pit; and the king is sitting at the gate of Benjamin,

8 and Ebed-Melech goeth forth from the king's house, and speaketh unto the king, saying,

9 `My lord, O king, these men have done evil <FI>in<Fi> all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the pit, and he dieth in his place because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.'

10 And the king commandeth Ebed-Melech the Cushite, saying, `Take with thee from this thirty men, and thou hast brought up Jeremiah the prophet from the pit, before he dieth.'

11 And Ebed-Melech taketh the men with him, and entereth the house of the king, unto the place of the treasury, and taketh thence worn-out clouts, and worn-out rags, and sendeth them unto Jeremiah unto the pit by cords.

12 And Ebed-Melech the Cushite saith unto Jeremiah, `Put, I pray thee, the worn-out clouts and rags under thine arm-holes, at the place of the cords,' and Jeremiah doth so,

13 and they draw out Jeremiah with cords, and bring him up out of the pit, and Jeremiah dwelleth in the court of the prison.

14 And the king Zedekiah sendeth, and taketh Jeremiah the prophet unto him, unto the third entrance that <FI>is<Fi> in the house of Jehovah, and the king saith unto Jeremiah, `I am asking thee a thing, do not hide from me anything.'

15 And Jeremiah saith unto Zedekiah, `When I declare to thee, dost thou not surely put me to death? and when I counsel thee, thou dost not hearken unto me.'

16 And the king Zedekiah sweareth unto Jeremiah in secret, saying, `Jehovah liveth, He who made for us this soul, I do not put thee to death, nor give thee unto the hand of these men who are seeking thy soul.'

17 And Jeremiah saith unto Zedekiah, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Hosts, God of Israel: If thou dost certainly go forth unto the heads of the king of Babylon, then hath thy soul lived, and this city is not burned with fire, yea, thou hast lived, thou and thy house.

18 And if thou dost not go forth unto the heads of the king of Babylon, then hath this city been given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they have burnt it with fire, and thou dost not escape from their hand.'

19 And the king Zedekiah saith unto Jeremiah, `I am fearing the Jews who have fallen unto the Chaldeans, lest they give me into their hand, and they have insulted me.'

20 And Jeremiah saith, `They do not give thee up; hearken, I pray thee, to the voice of Jehovah, to that which I am speaking unto thee, and it is well for thee, and thy soul doth live.

21 `And if thou art refusing to go forth, this <FI>is<Fi> the thing that Jehovah hath shewn me:

22 That, lo, all the women who have been left in the house of the king of Judah are brought forth unto the heads of the king of Babylon, and lo, they are saying: Persuaded thee, and prevailed against thee, Have thine allies, Sunk into mire have thy feet, They have been turned backward.

23 `And all thy wives, and thy sons, are brought forth unto the Chaldeans, and thou dost not escape from their hand, for by the hand of the king of Babylon thou art caught, and this city is burnt with fire.'

24 And Zedekiah saith unto Jeremiah, `Let no man know of these words, and thou dost not die;

25 and when the heads hear that I have spoken with thee, and they have come in unto thee, and have said unto thee, Declare to us, we pray thee, what thou didst speak unto the king, do not hide <FI>it<Fi> from us, and we do not put thee to death, and what the king spake unto thee,

26 then thou hast said unto them, I am causing my supplication to fall before the king, not to cause me to return to the house of Jonathan, to die there.'

27 And all the heads come in unto Jeremiah, and ask him, and he declareth to them according to all these words that the king commanded, and they keep silent from him, for the matter was not heard;

28 and Jeremiah dwelleth in the court of the prison till the day that Jerusalem hath been captured, and he was <FI>there<Fi> when Jerusalem was captured.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).