1. And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
2. But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
3. And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us.
4. Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.
5. Then Pharaoh's army had come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
6. Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
7. Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall you say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh's army, which has come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
8. And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.
9. Thus says the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.
10. For though you had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
11. And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans had left from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,
12. Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself there in the midst of the people.
13. And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, You are deserting to the Chaldeans.