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9 My LORD the King, these Men have done Evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the Prophet, whom they have caft 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, faying, 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 took old caft Clouts, and old rotten Rags, and let them down by Cords into the Dungeon to Jeremiah.

12 And Ebed-melech faid unto Jeremiah, put now these old caft Clouts, and rotten Rags under thine Arm-holes, under the Cords, and Jeremiah did fo.

13 So they drew up Jeremiah with Cords, and took him up out of the Dungeon, and Jeremiah remained in the Court of the Prifon.

14 Then Zedekiah fent, and took Jeremiah to him, and the King said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a Thing: hide nothing from me.

15 Then Jeremiah faid unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not furely put me to Death? and if I give thee Counfell, wilt thou not hearken to me.

16 So Zedekiah the King fware fecretly unto Jeremiah, 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 thefe Men that feek thy Life.

17 Then faid Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus faith the LORD, the GOD of Hofts, the GoD of Ifrael, If thou wilt affuredly go forth unto the King of Babylon's Princes, then thy Soul fhall live, and this City fhall not be burnt with Fire, and thou fhalt live, and thine House.

18 But if thou wilt not go forth to the King of Babylon's Princes, then fhall this City be given into the Hand of the Chaldeans, and they fhall burn it with Fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their Hand.

19 And Zedekiah the King faid unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, left they deliver me into their Hand, and they mock me.

20 But Jeremiah faid, They fhall not deliver thee; OBEY, I beseech thee, the Voice of the LORD which I speak

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unto thee: fo it fhall be well unto thee, and thy Soul fhall live.

21 But if thou refufe to go forth, this is the Word that the LORD hath fhewed me.

22 And behold, all the Women that are left in the King of Judah's Houfe, fhall be brought forth to the King of Babylon's Princes, and thofe Women fhall fay, Thy Friends have fet thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy Feet are funk in the Mire, and they are turned away back.

23 So they fhall bring out all thy Wives and thy Children to the Chaldeans, and thou fhalt not efcape out of their Hand, but shall be taken by the Hand of the King of Babylon: and thou fhalt caufe this City to be burnt.

24 Then faid 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 fay unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou haft faid unto the King; hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to Death; alfo what the King faid unto thee.

26 Then thou fhalt fay unto them, I prefented my Supplication before the King, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's Houfe, to die there.

27 Then came all the Princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him, and he told them according to thefe Words, that the King had commanded: fo they left off fpeaking with him: for the Matter was not perceived.

28 So Jeremiah abode in the Court of the Prison, until the Day that Jerufalem was taken, and he was there when Jerufalem was taken.

Ver. 1

CHA P. XXXIX.

N the ninth Year of Zedekiah, in the tenth Month, came Nebuchadrezzar, and all his Army against Jerufalem, and they befieged it.

2 And in the eleventh Year of Zedekiah, in the fourth Month, the ninth Day of the Month, the City was broken up.

3 And all the Princes of the King of Babylon came in, and fat in the middle Gate.

4 And it came to país, that when Zedekiah faw them,

and

and all the Men of War, then they fled, and went forth out of the City by Night, by the Way of the King's Garden, by the Way of the Plain.

5 But the Chaldeans Army purfued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the Plains of Jericho; and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar to Riblah.

6 Then the King of Babylon flew the Sons of Zebediah, in Riblah before his Eyes: alfo the King of Babylon flew all the Nobles of Judah.

7 Moreover, he put out Zedekiah's Eyes, and bound him with Chains to carry him to Babylon.

8 And the Chaldeans burnt the Houfes of the People, and brake down the Walls of Jerufalem.

9 Then Nebuzaradan the Captain of the Guard carried away Captive into Babylon the Remnant of the People.

10 But Nebuzaradan left of the Poor of the People, and gave them Vineyards and Fields.

II Now Nebuchadnezzar gave Charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan, faying,

12 Take him, and look well to him, and do him no Harm, but do unto him even as he shall fay unto thee.

13 So Nebuzaradan fent all the King of Babylon's Princes.

14 And they took Jeremiah out of the Prifon, and committed him unto Gedaliah, that he should carry him Home: fo he dwelt among the People.

15 Now the Word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was fhut up in Prison, faying,

16 Go and fpeak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, faying, Thus faith the LORD of Hofts, the GOD of Ifrael, Behold, I will bring my Words upon this City for Evil, and not for Good, and they fhall be accomplish'd in that Day before thee.

17 But I will deliver thee in that Day, faith the LORD, and thou shalt not be given into the Hand of the Men of which thou art afraid.

18 For I will furely deliver thee, and thou fhalt not fall by the Sword, but thy Life fhall be for a Prey unto thee, becaufe thou haft put thy TRUST in me, faith the LORD.

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Jeremiah being fet free by Nebuzaradan, goeth to Gedaliah. 7 The difperfed Jews repair unto him. 13 Ishmael's Confpi

racy.

Ver. 1 THE Word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that Nebuzaradan had let him go from Ramath, when he had taken him being bound in Chains among all which were carried away Captive into Babylon.

THE which came to from

2 And the Captain of the Guard took Jeremiah, and faid unto him, The LORD thy GOD hath pronounced this Evil upon this Place.

3 Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath faid: because ye have finned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his Voice, therefore this Thing is come upon you.

4 And now, behold, I loofe thee this Day from the Chains which were upon thine Hand: If it seem good unto thee to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look well unto thee: but if it feem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold all the Land is before thee? whither it feemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.

5 Now while he was not yet gone back, he faid, Go back alfo to Gedaliah, whom the King of Babylon hath made Governour over the Cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the People: or go wherefoever it feemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the Captain of the Guard gave him Victuals and a Reward, and let him go.

6 Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah to Mifpah, and dwelt with him among the People, that were left in the Land.

7 Now when all the Captains of the Forces which were in the Fields, even they and their Men heard that the King of Babylon had made Gedaliah Governour in the Land, and had committed unto him Men and Women, and Children, and of the Poor of the Land of them that were not carried away Captive to Babylon:

8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ifhmael,

and

and Johanan, and Jonathan, and Seraiah, and the Sons of Ephai tand Jezaniah, they and their Men.

9 And Gedaliah fware unto them, and their Men, faying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the Land, and ferve the King of Babylon, and it fhall be well with you.

10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans: which will come unto us, but ye, gather ye Wine, and Summer Fruits, and Oyl, and put them in your Veffels, and dwell in your Cities that ye have taken.

II Likewife when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the Countries, heard that the King of Babylon had left a Remnant of Judah, and that he had fet over them Gedaliah.

12 Even all the Jews returned out of all Places, whither they were driven, and came to the Land of Judah, to Gedaliah unto Mifpah, and gathered Wine and Summer Fruits very much.

13 Moreover, Johanan and all the Captains of the Forces that were in the Fields, came to Gedaliah.

14 And faid unto him, Doft thou certainly know, that Baalis the King of the Ammonites hath fent Ifhmael to flay thee; But Gedaliah believed them not.

15 Then Johanan fpake to Gedaliah fecretly, faying, Let me go I pray thee, and I will flay Ifhmael, and no Man fhall know it. Wherefore fhould he flay thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee, should be scattered, and the Remnant of Judah perish?

16 But Gedaliah faid unto Johanan, Thou shalt not do this Thing, for thou speakest falfly of Ishmael.

CHAP. XLI.

Ishmael treacherously killeth Gedaliah and others. 11 Johanan recovereth the Captives, and mindeth to flee into Egypt.

Ver. 1.

Now

OW it came to pafs in the feventh Month, that Ifhmael, and the Princes of the King, even ten Men with him, came unto Gedaliah, and there they did eat Bread together in Mizpah.

2 Then arose Ifhmael, and the ten Men that were with him, and fmote Gedaliah with the Sword, and flew him

whom

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