Jeremiah 38:1–40:16
38 Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, aJucal 1the son of Shelemiah, and bPashhur the son of Malchiah cheard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord: d‘He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes over to the Chaldeans shall live; his life shall be as a prize to him, and he shall live.’ 3 Thus says the Lord: e‘This city shall surely be fgiven into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.’ ”
4 Therefore the princes said to the king, “Please, glet this man be put to death, for thus he 2weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man does not seek the 3welfare of this people, but their harm.”
5 Then Zedekiah the king said, “Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you.” 6 hSo they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah 4the king’s son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire.
7 iNow Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, one of the 5eunuchs, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon. When the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin, 8 Ebed-Melech went out of the king’s house and spoke to the king, saying: 9 “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon, and he is likely to die from hunger in the place where he is. For there is jno more bread in the city.” 10 Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he dies.” 11 So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there old clothes and old rags, and let them down by ropes into the dungeon to Jeremiah. 12 Then Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Please put these old clothes and rags under your armpits, under the ropes.” And Jeremiah did so. 13 So they pulled Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the dungeon. And Jeremiah remained kin the court of the prison.
Zedekiah’s Fears and Jeremiah’s Advice
14 Then Zedekiah the king sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance of the house of the Lord. And the king said to Jeremiah, “I will lask you something. Hide nothing from me.”
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, mwho 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 nsurrender 6 oto 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. 18 But if you do not 7surrender to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans; they shall burn it with …
Psalm 74
A Plea for Relief from Oppressors
A 1Contemplation of Asaph.
1 O God, why have You cast us off forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.
3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
4 aYour enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
bThey set up their banners for signs.
5 They seem like men who lift up
Axes among the thick trees.
6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
With axes and hammers.
7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
8 cThey said in their hearts,
“Let us 2destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
dThere is no longer any prophet;
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
10 O God, how long will the adversary 3reproach?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
11 eWhy do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
12 For fGod is my King from of old,
Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 gYou divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the 4sea serpents in the waters.
14 You broke the heads of 5Leviathan in pieces,
And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 hYou broke open the fountain and the flood;
iYou dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day is Yours, the night also is jYours;
kYou have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have lset all the borders of the earth;
mYou have made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord,
And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
20 nHave respect to the covenant;
For the 6dark places of the earth are full of the 7haunts of 8cruelty.
21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
Remember how the foolish man 9reproaches You daily.
23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.
Psalm 79
A Dirge and a Prayer for Israel, Destroyed by Enemies
A Psalm of Asaph.
1 O God, the 1nations have come into aYour inheritance;
Your holy temple they have defiled;
bThey have laid Jerusalem 2in heaps.
2 cThe dead bodies of Your servants—
They have given as food for the birds of the heavens,
The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.
3 Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem,
And there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a reproach to our dneighbors,
A scorn and derision to those who are around us.
5 eHow long, Lord?
Will You be angry forever?
Will Your fjealousy burn like fire?
6 gPour out Your wrath on the 3nations that hdo not know You,
And on the kingdoms that ido not call on Your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob,
And laid waste his dwelling place.
8 jOh, do not remember 4former iniquities against us!
Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us,
For we have been brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation,
For the glory of Your name;
And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins,
kFor Your name’s sake!
10 lWhy should the 5nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Let there be known among the nations in our sight
The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed.
11 Let mthe groaning of the prisoner come before You;
According to the greatness of Your 6power
Preserve those who are appointed to die;
12 And return to our neighbors nsevenfold into their bosom
oTheir reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.
13 So pwe, Your people and sheep of Your pasture,
Will give You thanks forever;
qWe will show forth Your praise to all generations.