Study Desk

"This is what the LORD says: 'Anyone who ^(C1)stays in this city will die by the ^(C2)sword, by famine, or by plague; but anyone who surrenders to the Chaldeans will live and have his own ^(C3)life as plunder, and stay alive.'

So Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the LORD ^(C1)God of armies, the ^(C2)God of Israel says: 'If you will indeed ^(C3)surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then ^(F1)you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will ^(F2)survive.

'But if you do ^(C1)not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city ^(C2)will be handed over to the Chaldeans; and they will burn it with fire, and ^(C3)you yourself will not escape from their hands.'"

Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am ^(C1)in fear of the Jews who have ^(C2)deserted to the Chaldeans, for they may hand me over to them, and they will ^(C3)abuse me."

But Jeremiah said, "They will not turn you over. Please ^(F1)(C1)obey the LORD in what I am saying to you, so that it may go ^(C2)well for you and ^(F2)(C3)you may live.

"But if you keep refusing to surrender, this is the word which the LORD has shown me:

'Behold, all of the ^(C1)women who have been left in the palace of the king of Judah are going to be brought out to the officers of the king of Babylon; and those women will say, "^(F1)Your close friends Have misled and overpowered you; While your feet were sunk in the mire, They turned back."

'They are also going to bring out all your wives and your ^(C1)sons to the Chaldeans, and ^(C2)you yourself will not escape from their hand, but will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon, and ^(C2)this city will be burned with fire.'"