1 Kad Sefatja, Matana dēls, Gedalja, Pašchura dēls, un Juhals, Šelemjas dēls, un Pašchurs, Malkijas dēls, dzirdēja, ko Jeremija runāja uz visu tautu, sacīdams:
2 „Tā saka tas Kungs:, Kas šeit paliks pilsētā, tas mirs no zobena, no bada un mēra, bet kas pāries pie kaldē-jiem, tas paliks dzīvs un paglābsies drošībā.“
3 Jo tā saka tas Kungs: „Šī pilsēta noteikti kritīs Bābeles ķēniņa kajraspēka rokās: ķēniņš to ieņems.“
4 Tad augstākie pārvaldnieki sacīja ķēniņam: „Šis vīrs ir sodāms ar nāvi, jo viņš nokauj drosmi visiem kareivjiem, kas vēl atlikuši šinī pilsētā, un iedveš izmisumu visiem iedzīvotājiem, runādams tiem tādus vārdus. Tiešām, šis vīrs nemeklē tautas labumu, bet tautas nelaimi!“
5 Tad ķēniņš Cedekija tiem atbildēja: „Labi! Nododu viņu jūsu rīcībā, jo ķēniņš pret jums jau tā kā tā neko nespēj.“
6 Tad tie ņēma Jeremiju un ieslodzīja to ķēniņa dēla Malkijas ūdens tvertnē, kas atradās pils pagalmā. Jeremiju nolaida tanī ar virvēm. Tvertnē nebija ūdens, bet tikai dubji, un Jeremija iegrima dubļos.
7 Kad aitiopietis Ebedmelechs, ķēniņa kalps un galminieks, dzirdēja, ka Jeremiju ieslodzījuši tvertnē,
8 Tad viņš atstāja ķēniņa pili un griezās pie ķēniņa, kas tanī bridī sēdēja Benjamiņa vārtos, ar šādu ziņojumu:
9 „Mans kungs un ķēniņ! Tie vīri, kas Jeremiju iemeta bedrē, ir rīkojušies netaisni un nodarījuši viņam ļaunu. Tur viņam jānomirst badā!“ Jo pilsēta vairs nebija maizes.
10 Tad ķēniņš pavēlēja aitiopietim Ebedmelecham, ķēniņa kalpam: „Ņem no šejienes trīs vīrus un izvelc pravieti Jeremiju no ūdens tvertnes, pirms viņš mirst!“
11 Tad ķēniņa kalps Ebedmelechs ņēma tos trīs vīrus un gāja ķēniņa nama noliktavas apakšējās telpās, sameklēja tur vecu novalkātu drēbju lupatas un ielaida tās ar virvēm Jeremijam tvertnē.
12 Un ķēniņa kalps sacīja Jeremijam: „Liec veco drēbju lupatas sev padusēs zem virvēm!“ —un Jeremija tā darīja.
13 Tad tie viņu izvilka ar virvēm no tvertnes. Tā Jeremija palika pils sardzes cietumā.
14 Pēc tam ķēniņš Cedekija sūtīja savu kalpu un lika pasaukt Jeremiju pie sevis tā Kunga nama trešajā ieejā. Tur ķēniņš Cedekija sacīja Jeremijam: „Es tev ko jautāšu, neapslēp man nekā!“
15 Jeremija atbildēja Cedekijam: „Kad es tev to sacīšu, tad tu liksi mani nokaut, un kad es tev došu padomu, tu tomēr man neklausīsi.“
16 Tad ķēniņš Cedekija deva slepenībā Jeremijam zvērestu, sacīdams: „Tik tiešām, ka tas Kungs dzīvo, kas radījis mūsu dvēseli, es tevi nenokaušu un neizdošu tiem vīriem, kas tīko pēc tavas dzīvības!“
17 Tad Jeremija sacīja Cedekijam: „Tā saka tas Kungs Cebaots, īsraēla Dievs: „Ja tu padosies Bābeles ķēniņa virsniekiem, tad tu paliksi dzīvs, un šī pilsēta netiks nodedzināta, tu dzīvosi un tava ģimene.
18 Bet ja tu nepadosies Bābeles ķēniņa virsniekiem, tad šī pilsēta kritīs kaldēju rokās, un tie to nodedzinās. Un ari tu neizglābsies no viņu rokām.“
19 Ķēniņš Cedekija sacīja Jeremijam: „Es baidos, ka tikai mani neizdotu tiem jūdiešiem, kas jau agrāk pārgājuši pie kaldējiem, un tie mani neapsmietu.“
20 Bet Jeremija viņam atbildēja: „Tevi neizdos! Klausi tā Kunga balsi, ko es tev saku, un tev labi klāsies, un tu paliksi dzīvs.
21 Bet ja tu liegsies padoties, tad šis ir tas vārds, ko tas Kungs man atklāja:
22 Redzi, visas sievas, kas vēl pali-kušas Jūdas ķēniņa pilī, izvedīs pie Bābeles ķēniņa virsniekiem, un tās tev sacīs: Pievīluši un maldinājuši ir tevi tavi mierinātāji un uzticamie draugi! Un kad tavas kājas iegrimušas un iesti gušas dubļos, tie tevi atstājuši! —
23 Visas tavas sievas un tavus bērnus aizvedīs pie kaldējiem, un arī tu pats neizglābsies no tiem, tu kritīsi Bābeles ķēniņa rokās, un šī pilsēta izgaisīs uguns liesmās!“
24 Tad Cedekija sacīja Jeremijam: „Nevienam nav jāzina, ko mēs runājām, lai tu nemirtu!
25 Bet ja mūsu labieši dabūtu zināt, ka es esmu ar tevi runājis, un tie nāktu pie tevis un teiktu tev: Saki mums, ko tu runāji ar ķēniņu, neslēp mums nekā, mēs tevi neaiztiksim, un ko ķēniņš tev teica? —
26 Tad atbildi tiem: Es lūdzu ķēni-ņam, lai viņš mani neliek vest atpakaļ Jonatāna namā, kur man būtu jāmirst.“
27 Kad visi labieši tiešām nāca pie Jeremijas un tam jautāja, tad viņš tiem atbildēja, kā ķēniņš bija noteicis. Tad tie atstāja viņu mierā, jo saruna nebija izpaudusies atklātībā.
28 Tā Jeremija palika pils sardzes pagalma cietumā līdz tai dienai, kad Jeruzālemi ieņēma.
1 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying, 2 Thus saith the LORD, 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; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live. 3 Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it. 4 Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt. 5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you. 6 Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.
7 ¶ Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin; 8 Ebed-melech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake 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; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city. 10 Then 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 So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah. 12 And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. 13 So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
14 ¶ Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me. 15 Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me? 16 So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD 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 Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto 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 thine 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 Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. 20 But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee . Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live. 21 But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me: 22 And, 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 those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back. 23 So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.
24 ¶ Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die. 25 But 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; also what 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 Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived. 28 So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.
