וַיִּשְׁמַע שְׁפַטְיָה בֶן־מַתָּן וּגְדַלְיָהוּ בֶּן־פַּשְׁחוּר וְיוּכַל בֶּן־שֶׁלֶמְיָהוּ וּפַשְׁחוּר בֶּן־מַלְכִּיָּה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר יִרְמְיָהוּ מְדַבֵּר אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם לֵאמֹר׃

The princes Shefatya son of Matan, and Gedalyahu son of Pashhur, and Yukhal son of Shelemyahu, and Pashhur son of Malkiya heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying:

כֹּה אָמַר ה' הַיֹּשֵׁב בָּעִיר הַזֹּאת — יָמוּת בַּחֶרֶב בָּרָעָב וּבַדָּבֶר וְהַיֹּצֵא אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים — וְחָיָה וְהָיְתָה־לּוֹ נַפְשׁוֹ לְשָׁלָל וָחָי

So said the Lord: He who stays in this city will die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live, and he will have his life as spoils, and he will live. Jeremiah explained to the people that the only way to survive was to flee the city and surrender to the Chaldeans.

כֹּה אָמַר ה' הִנָּתֹן תִּנָּתֵן הָעִיר הַזֹּאת בְּיַד חֵיל מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל וּלְכָדָהּ

So said the Lord: This city will be delivered into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ הַשָּׂרִים אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ יוּמַת נָא אֶת־הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה כִּי עַל־כֵּן הוּא־מְרַפֵּא אֶת־יְדֵי אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּעִיר הַזֹּאת וְאֵת יְדֵי כָל־הָעָם לְדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה כִּי הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה אֵינֶנּוּ דֹרֵשׁ לְשָׁלוֹם לָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי אִם־לְרָעָה

The aforementioned princes said to the king: Please, let this man be put to death because of this, as he is weakening the hands of the men of war who remain in this city and the hands of the entire people, to speak words like these to them. The city is fighting for its survival, and yet this prophet continues to circulate, instructing people to surrender. His defeatist campaign is nothing other than an act of treason, for this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but rather harm.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ צִדְקִיָּהוּ הִנֵּה־הוּא בְּיֶדְכֶם כִּי־אֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ יוּכַל אֶתְכֶם דָּבָר

King Tzidkiyahu said: Behold, he is in your hand to do with him as you see fit, for the king is unable to do anything against you. I disagree with your opinion of Jeremiah and I do not wish to harm him, but I cannot oppose you.

וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־יִרְמְיָהוּ וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל־הַבּוֹר מַלְכִּיָּהוּ בֶן־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר בַּחֲצַר הַמַּטָּרָה וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ אֶת־יִרְמְיָהוּ בַּחֲבָלִים וּבַבּוֹר אֵין־מַיִם כִּי אִם־טִיט וַיִּטְבַּע יִרְמְיָהוּ בַּטִּיט

They took Jeremiah and they cast him into the pit of Malkiyahu the king’s son, which was in the court of internment. And they did not cast him into the pit; rather, they lowered Jeremiah with ropes. And in the pit, in which water was previously stored, there was no water at the time, but only mud, and Jeremiah was drowning in the mud.

וַיִּשְׁמַע עֶבֶד־מֶלֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁי אִישׁ סָרִיס וְהוּא בְּבֵית הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי־נָתְנוּ אֶת־יִרְמְיָהוּ אֶל־הַבּוֹר וְהַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר בִּנְיָמִן

Eved Melekh, literally, slave of king, the Kushite, Ethiopian, an official [saris] who was in the house of the king, heard that they had placed Jeremiah in the pit, and the king was sitting at the Benjamin Gate. The term saris, literally eunuch, might indicate that he was castrated or that he had refrained from procreation.

וַיֵּצֵא עֶבֶד־מֶלֶךְ מִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר׃

Eved Melekh came out of the house of the king, and he spoke to the king, saying:

אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ הֵרֵעוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ לְיִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא אֵת אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁלִיכוּ אֶל־הַבּוֹר וַיָּמָת תַּחְתָּיו מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָב כִּי אֵין הַלֶּחֶם עוֹד בָּעִיר

My lord king, these men have performed evil, everything that they did to Jeremiah the prophet, that they cast him into the pit; he will soon die in his place due to hunger, as there is no longer bread in the city. Jeremiah is drowning in the mud and will not last long, as he is also starving. Although the prophet has not been officially sentenced to execution, the princes have effectively killed him by lowering him into the pit.

וַיְצַוֶּה הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת עֶבֶד־מֶלֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁי לֵאמֹר קַח בְּיָדְךָ מִזֶּה שְׁלֹשִׁים אֲנָשִׁים וְהַעֲלִיתָ אֶת־יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא מִן־הַבּוֹר בְּטֶרֶם יָמוּת

The king commanded Eved Melekh the Kushite, saying: Take with you thirty men from here, and raise Jeremiah the prophet from the pit before he dies. It might seem excessive for thirty people to extricate one man from a pit. However, it is possible that the pervasive hunger and fatigue rendered it difficult for fewer people to lift a man sunk into mud up to his waist or higher. Alternatively, some of the people might have been chosen to stand guard and ensure that Jeremiah would not be attacked after his rescue.

וַיִּקַּח עֶבֶד־מֶלֶךְ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁים בְּיָדוֹ וַיָּבֹא בֵית־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־תַּחַת הָאוֹצָר וַיִּקַּח מִשָּׁם בְּלוֹיֵ סְחָבוֹת וּבְלוֹיֵ מְלָחִים וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ אֶל־הַבּוֹר בּחֲבָלִים

Eved Melekh took the men with him, and he came to the house of the king, beneath the treasury, and he took from there tattered rags and tattered cloths, and they lowered them, those garments and rags, to Jeremiah, into the pit, with ropes.

וַיֹּאמֶר עֶבֶד־מֶלֶךְ הַכּוּשִׁי אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ שִׂים נָא בְּלוֹאֵי הַסְּחָבוֹת וְהַמְּלָחִים תַּחַת אַצִּלוֹת יָדֶיךָ מִתַּחַת לַחֲבָלִים וַיַּעַשׂ יִרְמְיָהוּ כֵּן

Eved Melekh the Kushite said to Jeremiah: Place now the tattered rags and tattered cloths under your armpits beneath the ropes. Since Jeremiah was very weak and mired in mud, it was unclear whether he had the strength to assist in his extrication, and the people were uncertain how difficult it would be to pull him up. Therefore, they asked him to place the rags under his armpits, so that they could lift him without hurting him or causing him excessive pain. And Jeremiah did so.

וַיִּמְשְׁכוּ אֶת־יִרְמְיָהוּ בַּחֲבָלִים וַיַּעֲלוּ אֹתוֹ מִן־הַבּוֹר וַיֵּשֶׁב יִרְמְיָהוּ בַּחֲצַר הַמַּטָּרָה

They pulled Jeremiah with the ropes and lifted him from the pit, and Jeremiah remained in the court of internment. He was not set free because he did not retract his statements; consequently, he was not allowed to circulate in the city and repeat his prophecies. One can understand why the pathetic princes could not bear to hear the prophet, and why they sought to take the ultimate vengeance against him. However, since the king had ordered him removed from the pit, they had no option other than to detain him again.

וַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ צִדְקִיָּהוּ וַיִּקַּח אֶת־יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא אֵלָיו אֶל מָבוֹא הַשְּׁלִישִׁי אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית ה' וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ שֹׁאֵל אֲנִי אֹתְךָ דָּבָר אַל־תְּכַחֵד מִמֶּנִּי דָּבָר

King Tzidkiyahu sent his servants to retrieve Jeremiah, and he took Jeremiah the prophet to him, to the third entrance that was in the House of the Lord, the entrance to the Temple nearest the king’s palace. The king said to Jeremiah: I will ask you something; do not withhold anything from me. Tell me the whole truth.

וַיֹּאמֶר יִרְמְיָהוּ אֶל־צִדְקִיָּהוּ כִּי אַגִּיד לְךָ הֲלוֹא הָמֵת תְּמִיתֵנִי; וְכִי אִיעָצְךָ לֹא תִשְׁמַע אֵלָי

Jeremiah said to Tzidkiyahu: What is the point? If I tell you the prophecy, won’t you execute me? And if I counsel you in accordance with my understanding, you will not heed me anyway.

וַיִּשָּׁבַע הַמֶּלֶךְ צִדְקִיָּהוּ אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ בַּסֵּתֶר לֵאמֹר חַי־ה' אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה־לָנוּ אֶת־הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַזֹּאת אִם־אֲמִיתֶךָ וְאִם־אֶתֶּנְךָ בְּיַד הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר מְבַקְשִׁים אֶת־נַפְשֶׁךָ

King Tzidkiyahu took an oath to Jeremiah discreetly, saying: As the Lord lives, who created for us this soul, our souls, I will not execute you myself, and I will not deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life. Tzidkiyahu took an oath to protect the prophet to the best of his ability.

וַיֹּאמֶר יִרְמְיָהוּ אֶל־צִדְקִיָּהוּ כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם־יָצֹא תֵצֵא אֶל־שָׂרֵי מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל — וְחָיְתָה נַפְשֶׁךָ וְהָעִיר הַזֹּאת לֹא תִשָּׂרֵף בָּאֵשׁ וְחָיִתָה אַתָּה וּבֵיתֶךָ

Jeremiah said to Tzidkiyahu: So said the Lord, God of hosts, God of Israel: If you will go out to the princes of the king of Babylon and surrender to them, your soul will live, and this city will not be burned in fire, and you and your household will live. This is your only chance of survival.

וְאִם לֹא־תֵצֵא אֶל־שָׂרֵי מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל — וְנִתְּנָה הָעִיר הַזֹּאת בְּיַד הַכַּשְׂדִּים וּשְׂרָפוּהָ בָּאֵשׁ וְאַתָּה לֹא־תִמָּלֵט מִיָּדָם

But if you will not go out to the princes of the king of Babylon, this city, including the Temple, will be breached as a result of the siege, and it will be delivered into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it in fire. And if you think you will find a way to save yourself, you are mistaken, as you will not escape from their hand.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ צִדְקִיָּהוּ אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ אֲנִי דֹאֵג אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר נָפְלוּ אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים פֶּן יִתְּנוּ אֹתִי בְּיָדָם וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־בִי

Tzidkiyahu was well aware of the difficult situation. He knew the city was starving, that the Chaldeans were skilled in laying an effective siege, and that even if they did not have implements capable of breaching the walls, ultimately the battle would be decided. However, the king now reveals an additional consideration. King Tzidkiyahu said to Jeremiah: I am troubled about possible recriminations from the Jews who defected to the Chaldeans, lest they, the Chaldeans, deliver me into their hand. I am worried that even if the king of Babylon will not kill me outright, he will hand me to the Jewish defectors, who hate me, and they will abuse me.

וַיֹּאמֶר יִרְמְיָהוּ לֹא יִתֵּנוּ שְׁמַע־נָא בְּקוֹל ה' לַאֲשֶׁר אֲנִי דֹּבֵר אֵלֶיךָ וְיִיטַב לְךָ וּתְחִי נַפְשֶׁךָ

Jeremiah said: They, the Chaldeans, will not deliver you into the hands of your Jewish enemies. Please, heed the voice of the Lord, that which I am speaking to you, and it will be well with you, and your soul shall live.

וְאִם־מָאֵן אַתָּה לָצֵאת — זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר הִרְאַנִי ה' —

But if you refuse to go out and surrender, this is the matter that the Lord showed me:

וְהִנֵּה כָל־הַנָּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאֲרוּ בְּבֵית מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה מוּצָאוֹת אֶל־שָׂרֵי מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וְהֵנָּה אֹמְרֹת הִסִּיתוּךָ וְיָכְלוּ לְךָ אַנְשֵׁי שְׁלֹמֶךָ הָטְבְּעוּ בַבֹּץ רַגְלֶךָ נָסֹגוּ אָחוֹר

Behold, all the women who remained in the house of the king of Judah, the women of the royal family, are being taken out to the princes of the king of Babylon to treat them as they please, and they are saying about you: The men of your trust, the prophets and princes, have incited you and pressured you to rebel, and they have prevailed over you; your feet were sunk in the mud, and instead of advancing forward, they retreated backward. Even the women in your family realize that your deeds reflect vacillation rather than courage. Tzidkiyahu is incapable of taking action and surrendering, which, although undignified, is the best course of action available to him given the circumstances.

וְאֶת־כָּל־נָשֶׁיךָ וְאֶת־בָּנֶיךָ מוֹצִאִים אֶל־הַכַּשְׂדִּים וְאַתָּה לֹא־תִמָּלֵט מִיָּדָם כִּי בְיַד מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל תִּתָּפֵשׂ וְאֶת־הָעִיר הַזֹּאת תִּשְׂרֹף בָּאֵשׁ

God also showed me how they, the soldiers, are taking all your wives and your children out to the Chaldeans encamping outside the city, and you too will not escape from their hand; rather, you will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon, and you will burn this city in fire. You will be the cause of its devastation. Since you asked me for a final piece of advice, I am telling you that you can still surrender, and thereby save your life and prevent the destruction.

וַיֹּאמֶר צִדְקִיָּהוּ אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ אִישׁ אַל־יֵדַע בַּדְּבָרִים־הָאֵלֶּה — וְלֹא תָמוּת

Tzidkiyahu said to Jeremiah: Let no man know of these matters, and you will not die. However, if this discussion does not remain a secret between us, your life will be in danger.

וְכִי־יִשְׁמְעוּ הַשָּׂרִים כִּי־דִבַּרְתִּי אִתָּךְ וּבָאוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְאָמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ הַגִּידָה־נָּא לָנוּ מַה־דִּבַּרְתָּ אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ — אַל־תְּכַחֵד מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא נְמִיתֶךָ — וּמַה־דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיךָ הַמֶּלֶךְ

But if the princes hear that I spoke with you, and they come to you and say to you: Tell us now what you spoke to the king; do not withhold from us and we will not execute you, and what did the king speak to you?

וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם מַפִּיל־אֲנִי תְחִנָּתִי לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ לְבִלְתִּי הֲשִׁיבֵנִי בֵּית יְהוֹנָתָן לָמוּת שָׁם

Rather than reveal to them the content of our conversation, you shall say to them: I was pouring out my supplication before the king that he not return me to the house of Yehonatan to die there. Tell them only that you pleaded with the king with regard to your personal affairs.

וַיָּבֹאוּ כָל־הַשָּׂרִים אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ אֹתוֹ וַיַּגֵּד לָהֶם כְּכָל־־־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּחֲרִשׁוּ מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי לֹא־־־־־נִשְׁמַע הַדָּבָר

Indeed, all the princes came to Jeremiah, and they asked him; and he told them according to all these matters that the king had commanded, and they were silent in his regard, as the matter had not been heard. Jeremiah’s conversation with the king remained secret, and therefore the princes left him alone. The princes were apparently zealous, fanatical defenders of the realm, who could not or would not surrender under any circumstances. Unfortunately, the king feared them and capitulated to their policy.

וַיֵּשֶׁב יִרְמְיָהוּ בַּחֲצַר הַמַּטָּרָה עַד יוֹם אֲשֶׁר־נִלְכְּדָה יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר נִלְכְּדָה יְרוּשָׁלִָם

Jeremiah remained in the court of internment until the day that Jerusalem was captured. It was when Jerusalem was captured: