Jeremiah 44

1 And Sedekias the son of Josias reigned instead of Joakim, whom Nabuchodonosor appointed to reign over Juda. 2 And he and his servants and the people of the land hearkened not to the words of the Lord, which he spoke by Jeremiah.

3 And king Sedekias sent Joachal son of Selemias and Zephaniah the priest son of Maasæas to Jeremiah, saying, Pray now for us to the Lord. 4 Now Jeremiah came and went through the midst of the city: for they had not put him into the house of the prison. 5 And the host of Pharao was come forth out of Egypt; and the Chaldeans heard the report of them, and they went up from Jerusalem.

6 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 7 Thus said the Lord; Thus shalt thou say to the king of Juda who sent to thee, to seek me; Behold, the army of Pharao which is come forth to help you: they shall return to the land of Egypt: 8 and the Chaldeans themselves shall turn again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire. 9 For thus saith the Lord; Suppose not in your hearts, saying, The Chaldeans will certainly depart from us: for they shall not depart. 10 And though ye should smite the whole host of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there should be left a few wounded men, these should rise up each in his place, and burn this city with fire.

11 And it came to pass, when the host of the Chaldeans had gone up from Jerusalem for fear of the host of Pharao, 12 that Jeremiah went forth from Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to buy thence a property in the midst of the people. 13 And he was in the gate of Benjamin, and there was there a man with whom he lodged, Saruia the son of Selemias, the son of Ananias; and he caught Jeremiah, saying, Thou art fleeing to the Chaldeans. 14 And he said, It is false; I do not flee to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him; and Saruia caught Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes. 15 And the princes were very angry with Jeremiah, and smote him, and sent him into the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made this a prison.

16 So Jeremiah came into the dungeon, and into the cells, and he remained there many days. 17 Then Sedekias sent, and called him; and the king asked him secretly, saying, Is there a word from the Lord? and he said, There is: thou shalt be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon. 18 And Jeremiah said to the king, Wherein have I wronged thee, or thy servants, or this people, that thou puttest me in prison? 19 And where are your prophets who prophesied to you saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against this land? 20 Now therefore, my lord the king, let my supplication come before thy face: and why dost thou send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe? and let me not on any account die there. 21 Then the king commanded, and they cast him into the prison, and gave him a loaf a day out of the place where they bake, until the bread failed out of the city. So Jeremiah continued in the court of the prison.