15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”

16 So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “As the Lord lives, (A)who made our very souls, I will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘If you surely (B)surrender[a] (C)to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul shall live; this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 38:17 Lit. go out

15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I give you an answer, will you not kill me? Even if I did give you counsel, you would not listen to me.”

16 But King Zedekiah swore this oath secretly(A) to Jeremiah: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has given us breath,(B) I will neither kill you nor hand you over to those who want to kill you.”(C)

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you surrender(D) to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down; you and your family will live.(E)

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