Jeremiah 37 — Septuagint (LXX)

King Zedekiah son of Josiah reigned in place of Coniah son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had installed as king in the land of Judah.

But neither he, nor his officials, nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD that he spoke through the prophet Jeremiah.

King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "Please pray to the LORD our God on our behalf."

At that time Jeremiah was still moving freely among the people, for they had not yet placed him in the prison.

Meanwhile, Pharaoh's army had marched out of Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

Then the word of the LORD came to the prophet Jeremiah:

This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: This is what you are to say to the king of Judah, who sent you to consult me — Pharaoh's army, which has marched out to help you, will return to its own land, to Egypt.

The Chaldeans will return and attack this city. They will capture it and burn it with fire.

This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves by thinking, 'The Chaldeans will surely leave us.' They will not leave.

For even if you were to strike down the entire Chaldean army fighting against you and only wounded men remained among them, each lying in his tent — they would still rise up and burn this city with fire.

Now when the Chaldean army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh's army,

Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go to the territory of Benjamin, to claim his portion there among the people.

When he reached the Benjamin Gate, the officer of the guard stationed there — a man named Irijah son of Shelemiah, son of Hananiah — seized the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "You are deserting to the Chaldeans!"

Jeremiah said, "That is a lie! I am not deserting to the Chaldeans." But Irijah would not listen to him. He seized Jeremiah and brought him before the officials.

The officials were furious with Jeremiah. They beat him and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the scribe, which they had converted into a prison.

When Jeremiah had been placed in the pit-dungeon, in the vaulted cells, he remained there many days.

Then King Zedekiah sent for him and had him brought out. The king questioned him secretly in his palace and asked, "Is there any word from the LORD?" Jeremiah answered, "There is." Then he said, "You will be handed over to the king of Babylon."

Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, "What crime have I committed against you, or against your officials, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

And where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, 'The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land'?

Now please hear me, my lord the king. Let my plea come before you: do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there."

So King Zedekiah gave orders, and they placed Jeremiah in the court of the guard. A loaf of bread was given to him daily from the Bakers' Street, until all the bread in the city was gone. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.