1. The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, with all his army, all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying:
2. “the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, the Lord says, “Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it with fire.
3. You won’t escape out of his hand, but will surely be taken and delivered into his hand. Your eyes will see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he will speak with you mouth to mouth. You will go to Babylon.”’
4. “Yet hear the Lord’s word, O Zedekiah king of Judah: the Lord says concerning you, ‘You won’t die by the sword.
5. You will die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will make a burning for you. They will lament you, saying, “Ah Lord!” for I have spoken the word,’ says the Lord.”
6. Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,
7. when the king of Babylon’s army was fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah; for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities.
8. The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them;