The Lord Responds to Zedekiah’s Hope for Help

37:3 King Zedekiah sent4 Jehucal5 son of Shelemiah and the priest Zephaniah6 son of Maaseiah to the prophet Jeremiah. He told them to say, “Please pray to the Lord our God on our behalf.” 37:4 (Now Jeremiah had not yet been put in prison.7 So he was still free to come and go among the people as he pleased.8 37:5 At that time the Babylonian forces9 had temporarily given up their siege against Jerusalem.10 They had had it under siege, but withdrew when they heard that the army of Pharaoh had set out from Egypt.11) 37:6 The Lord gave the prophet Jeremiah a message for them. He told him to tell them,12 37:7 “The Lord God of Israel says, ‘Give a message to the king of Judah who sent you to ask me to help him.13 Tell him, “The army of Pharaoh that was on its way to help you will go back home to Egypt.14 37:8 Then the Babylonian forces15 will return. They will attack the city and will capture it and burn it down. 37:9 Moreover, I, the Lord, warn you not to deceive yourselves into thinking that the Babylonian forces16 will go away and leave you alone. For they will not go away.17 37:10 For even if you were to defeat all the Babylonian forces18 fighting against you so badly that only wounded men were left lying in their tents, they would get up and burn this city down.” ’ ”19