1
The word that was to▵ Jeremiah◦ from Jehovah (while Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his forces, and all the kingdoms of the land which he rules with his hand, and all the people, were fighting against Jerusalem, and against all her cities), saying,
2
Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel: Go◦ and say to▵ Zedekiah◦ king of Judah, and say to▵ him, Thus says Jehovah: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn· her ·up with fire.
3
And thou◦ shalt not escape out··of his hand, but◦ being caught thou shalt be caught, and given into his hand; and thine eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go··in to Babylon.
4
Surely hear the word of Jehovah, O Zedekiah◦ king of Judah; Thus says Jehovah concerning thee, Thou shalt· not ·die by the sword,
5
but thou shalt··die in peace; and with the burnings on account of thy fathers, the first kings who were before thee, so shall they burn· it* ·up for thee*, O Jerusalem, and they will wail for thee, saying, Woe, lord! For I◦ have spoken the word, says◦ Jehovah.
6
And Jeremiah◦ the prophet spoke all these words to▵ Zedekiah◦ king of Judah in Jerusalem,
7
and the host of the king of Babylon fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that remained, against▵ Lachish, and against▵ Azekah; for these◦ fortified cities were left of the cities of Judah.
8
This is the word that was to▵ Jeremiah◦ from Jehovah, after the king Zedekiah◦ had cut a covenant with◦ all the people who were in Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them◦,
9
that each··man◦ should send free his manservant, and each··man◦ his handmaid, a Hebrew or◦ a Hebrew··woman; that none▫ should serve among◦ them, a Jew his brother.
10
And when all the princes, and all the people, who had come into the covenant, heard that each··man◦ should send free his manservant and each··man◦ his handmaid, that none▫ should serve themselves by them any··more, then they hearkened, and sent· them ·out.
11
But afterwards they turned··back, and made the servants and the handmaids return, whom they had sent··out free, and subdued them for servants and for handmaids.
12
And the word of Jehovah was to▵ Jeremiah◦ from◦ Jehovah, saying,
13
Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel: I▵ cut a covenant with◦ your fathers in the day that I brought· them ·out from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude*, saying,
14
At the end of seven years send· ye ·out every man◦ his brother a Hebrew, who has been sold unto thee; and when he has served thee six years, thou shalt let· him ·go◦ free from thee; but your fathers hearkened not to▵ Me, neither inclined their ear.
15
And you◦ had returned today, and had done what is upright in My eyes, in proclaiming liberty, a man◦ to his companion; and you had cut a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name.
16
But you returned and profaned My name, and caused to return, each··man◦ his servant, and each··man◦ his handmaid, whom you had sent··away free as to their soul, and subdued them, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.
17
Therefore thus says Jehovah, You◦ have not hearkened to▵ Me, to proclaim liberty, a man◦ to his brother, and a man◦ to his companion; behold, I am proclaiming liberty for you, says◦ Jehovah, to▵ the sword, to▵ the pestilence, and to▵ the famine; and I will put◦ you in turmoil before all the kingdoms of the earth.
18
And I will give the men◦ who have passed··by My covenant, who have not raised··up the words of the covenant which they had cut before Me, when they cut the calf in two, and passed between its parts◦,
19
the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs*, and the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the parts◦ of the calf;
20
and I will give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their soul; and their carcasses shall be for food to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beasts of the earth.
21
And Zedekiah◦ king of Judah and his princes I will give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their soul, and into the hand of the host of the king of Babylon, who have gone··up from upon you.
22
Behold, I will command, says◦ Jehovah, and cause them to return to▵ this city; and they shall fight against her, and capture her, and burn· her ·up with fire; and I will put◦ the cities of Judah as a desolation with no··one dwelling there.
