14
Then Zedekiah the kingsent, and tookJeremiah the prophet unto him into the thirdentry that is in the house of the LORD: and the kingsaid unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing;hide nothing from me.
15
Then Jeremiahsaid 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 kingswaresecretly unto Jeremiah,saying, As the LORDliveth, 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 saidJeremiah 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'sprinces, 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'sprinces, 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 kingsaid 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 Jeremiahsaid, 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.
22
And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah'shouse shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon'sprinces, and those women shall say, Thy friendshave set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned awayback.
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.
25
But if the princeshear 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 kingsaid unto thee:
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.