1Then all the captains of the forces , and Johanan the son of Kareah , and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah , and all the people from the least even unto the greatest , came near , 2and said unto Jeremiah the prophet , Let , we pray thee , our supplication be presented before thee , and pray for us unto Jehovah thy God , even for all this remnant ( for we are left but a few of many , as thine eyes do behold us ), 3that Jehovah thy God may show us the way wherein we should walk , and the thing that we should do . 4Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them , I have heard you ; behold , I will pray unto Jehovah your God according to your words ; and it shall come to pass that whatsoever thing Jehovah shall answer you , I will declare it unto you ; I will keep nothing back from you . 5Then they said to Jeremiah , Jehovah be a true and faithful witness amongst us , if we do not according to all the word wherewith Jehovah thy God shall send thee to us . 6Whether it be good , or whether it be evil , we will obey the voice of Jehovah our God , to whom we send thee ; that it may be well with us , when we obey the voice of Jehovah our God .
Jeremiah's Prophetic Response
7And it came to pass after ten days , that the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah . 8Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah , and all the captains of the forces that were with him , and all the people from the least even to the greatest , 9and said unto them , Thus saith Jehovah , the God of Israel , unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him : 10If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you , and not pull you down , and I will plant you , and not pluck you up ; for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you . 11Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid ; be not afraid of him , saith Jehovah : for I am with you to save you , and to deliver you from his hand . 12And I will grant you mercy , that he may have mercy upon you , and cause you to return to your own land. 13But if ye say , We will not dwell in this land; so that ye obey not the voice of Jehovah your God , 14saying , No ; but we will go into the land of Egypt , where we shall see no war , nor hear the sound of the trumpet , nor have hunger of bread ; and there will we dwell : 15now therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah , O remnant of Judah : Thus saith Jehovah of hosts , the God of Israel , If ye indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt , and go to sojourn there ; 16then it shall come to pass , that the sword , which ye fear , shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt ; and the famine , whereof ye are afraid , shall follow hard after you there in Egypt ; and there ye shall die . 17So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there : they shall die by the sword , by the famine , and by the pestilence ; and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them . 18For thus saith Jehovah of hosts , the God of Israel : As mine anger and my wrath hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem , so shall my wrath be poured forth upon you , when ye shall enter into Egypt ; and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment , and a curse , and a reproach ; and ye shall see this place no more .
The People's Rejection of God's Word
19Jehovah hath spoken concerning you , O remnant of Judah , Go ye not into Egypt : know certainly that I have testified unto you this day . 20For ye have dealt deceitfully against your own souls ; for ye sent me unto Jehovah your God , saying, Pray for us unto Jehovah our God ; and according unto all that Jehovah our God shall say, so declare unto us , and we will do it . 21And I have this day declared it to you ; but ye have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah your God in anything for which he hath sent me unto you . 22Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword , by the famine , and by the pestilence , in the place whither ye desire to go to sojourn there .