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"My lord, king! What these men have done to Yirmeyahu the prophet is evil. They have thrown him into the cistern; and he is likely to die there where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more food in the city."

"Go and tell ‘Eved-Melekh the Ethiopian that Adonai -Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: ‘"I am about to fulfill my words about this city for disaster, not for good; when the day arrives, they will come true before your eyes.

The commander of the guard took Yirmeyahu and said to him, " Adonai your God decreed this disaster for this place,

Now, today, I am freeing you from the chains on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me to Bavel, come; and I will look after you well. But if it seems not good to you to come with me to Bavel, then don't — the entire land is in front of you: wherever it seems good and right for you to go, go there."

Before Yirmeyahu could answer, [N'vuzar'adan said,] "Go back then to G'dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, whom the king of Bavel has made governor over the cities of Y'hudah, and live with him among the people; or go wherever it seems right for you to go." The commander of the guard gave him provisions and a gift, and dismissed him.

As for me, I will live in Mitzpah and be responsible to the Kasdim who come to us. But you — harvest wine, summer fruits and olive oil; put them in your containers; and live in your cities that you have taken over."

However, ten of them said to Yishma‘el, "Don't kill us, for we have stores of wheat, barley, olive oil and honey hidden in the field." So he relented, and did not kill them along with their comrades.

and said to Yirmeyahu the prophet, "I beg you, approve our request: pray for us to Adonai your God for all of this remnant. For, while once we were numerous, only a few of us are left, as you can see.

‘If you will stay in this land, then I will build you up, not pull you down; I will plant you and not uproot you; for I am relenting from the calamity I inflicted on you.

Don't be afraid of the king of Bavel — of whom you are afraid. Don't be afraid of him,' says Adonai , ‘for I am with you to save you and to rescue you from his power.

This is how it will be for all the people determined to go to Egypt and stay there — they will die by sword, famine and plague; none of them will remain or escape the disaster that I will bring upon them.'

For here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: ‘Just as my anger and fury were poured out on the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so likewise my fury will be poured out on you if you go to Egypt; so that you will become an object of condemnation, astonishment, cursing and reproach; and you will see this place no more.'

" Adonai has spoken concerning you, remnant of Y'hudah! Don't go to Egypt! You know for a fact that I have given you fair warning today.

For you have been behaving deceitfully, against your own interests. You sent me to Adonai your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to Adonai our God; tell us everything Adonai our God says, and we will do it.'

Therefore, know for a fact that you will die by sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go and live."

and went to the land of Egypt; for they did not heed what Adonai had said; and they arrived in Tachpanches.

He will come and attack the land of Egypt. Those destined for death — to death! Those destined for captivity — to captivity! Those destined for the sword — to the sword!

For you continue provoking me with the products of your own hands, offering to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have gone to live as aliens. It will lead only to your destruction and becoming an object of curses and reproaches among all the nations of the earth.

"Therefore here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: ‘I will decree disaster for you and destroy all of Y'hudah.

"As for the word you have just spoken to us in the name of Adonai , we will not listen to you.