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But the Chaldean (Babylonian) army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. When they had seized him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the [Aramean] land of Hamath, where he passed sentence on him.

But Nebuzaradan the [Babylonian] captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at that time.

"Take him and look after him; do nothing to harm him, but rather deal with him just as he asks of you."

"But I will protect you [Ebed-melech] on that day," says the LORD, "and you will not be handed over to the men of whom you are afraid.

"For I will certainly rescue you; and you will not fall by the sword, but you will have your [own] life as a reward of battle, because you have placed your trust in Me," says the LORD.'"

"But now, listen carefully, [because of your innocence] I am freeing you today from the chains which are on your hands. If you would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you [carefully]; but if you would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, then do not do so. Look, all the land is before you; go wherever it seems good and right (convenient) for you to go."

"As for me, I am going to stay at Mizpah to stand [for you] before the Chaldeans who come to us [ministering to them and looking after the king's interests]; but as for you, gather in wine, summer fruit and oil and store them in your utensils [designed for such purposes], and live in your cities that you have taken over."

and said to him, "Do you know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?" But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them.

But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, "Do not do this thing, for you are lying about Ishmael."

But ten men who were among them said to Ishmael, "Do not kill us! We have stores of wheat and barley and oil and honey hidden in the field." So he stopped and did not kill them along with their companions.

But when Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him heard of the murderous behavior of Ishmael the son of Nethaniah,

But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to join the Ammonites.

and said to Jeremiah the prophet, "Please let our petition be presented before you, and pray to the LORD your God for us, that is, for all this remnant [of the people of Judah]; for we were once many, but now [only] a few of us are left, as you see with your own eyes, [so please pray]

'Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear [as if he were deity]; do not be afraid of him,' says the LORD, 'for [he is a mere man, but I am the living, omniscient God and] I am with you [always] to protect you and to deliver you from his hand.

'But if you are going to say, "We will not stay in this land," and [in so doing] do not listen to the voice of the LORD your God,

saying, "No, but we will go to the land of Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the [warrior's] trumpet or hunger for bread, and we will stay there,"

And so I have told you today, but you have not listened to the voice of the LORD your God, in anything that He has sent me to tell you.

"But Baruch the son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Chaldeans, so they may [either] put us to death or exile us to Babylon."

But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to live in the land of Judah from all the nations to which they had been driven—

'But they did not listen or turn [obediently] from their wickedness, and stop burning sacrifices and incense to other gods.