And Shephatiah son of Mattan, and Gedaliah son of Pashhur, and Jucal son of Shelemiah heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to the people, saying:
Thus says the Lord: the one who dwells in this city shall die by sword and by famine, and the one who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live, and his soul shall be as spoil, and he shall live.
And they said to the king, Let that man be taken away, indeed, because he is weakening the hands of the men who are fighting, those who are left in the city, and the hands of all the people, speaking to them according to these words, because this man does not prophesy peace for this people, but only evils.
And they threw him into the cistern of Melchiu the son of the king, which was in the courtyard of the guard, and they let him down into the cistern; and in the cistern there was no water, but mire, and he was in the mire.
And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian heard, and he himself was in the house of the king, that they had given Jeremiah into the cistern, and the king was in the gate of Benjamin.
And Ebedmelech took the men and entered into the king’s house, the underground part, and from there he took old rags and old ropes and threw them to Jeremiah into the cistern
And the king sent and called him to himself into the house of Aselis, that is in the house of the Lord, and the king said to him, I will ask you a matter, and do not indeed hide a word from me.
And the king swore to him, saying, As the Lord lives, who made for us this soul, I will not kill you, and I will not give you into the hands of these men.
And Jeremiah said to him, Thus says the Lord: If by going out you go out to the commanders of the king of Babylon, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you shall live, you and your house.
And if you do not go out, this city will be given into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire, and you will certainly not be saved.
And the king said to Ieremia, I have a word concerning the Judeans who have fled to the Chaldeans, lest he give me into their hands, and they will mock me.
And Jeremiah said, They will by no means surrender you; hear the word of the Lord that I am speaking to you, and it shall be better for you, and your life shall live.
And behold, all the women who were left in the house of the king of Judah were being brought out to the rulers of the king of Babylon, and these were saying, They deceived you, and men of your peace will be able for you, and they will lay low your feet in slips; they turned away from you.
And your wives and your children they will lead out to the Chaldeans, and you shall certainly not be saved, because in the hand of the king of Babylon you shall be seized, and this city shall be burned up.
And if the rulers hear that I have spoken to you and come to you and say to you, Tell us what the king spoke to you, do not hide it from us, and we shall certainly not put you to death, and what did the king speak to you?
And all the rulers came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he declared to them according to all these words which the king had commanded him, and they were silent, because the word of the Lord was not heard.