38:1 玛坦的儿子示法提雅，巴施户珥的儿子基大利，示利米雅的儿子犹甲，玛基雅的儿子巴示户珥听见耶利米对众人所说的话，说，

Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,

 

38:2 耶和华如此说，住在这城里的必遭刀剑，饥荒，瘟疫而死。但出去归降迦勒底人的必得存活，就是以自己命为掠物的，必得存活。

Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.

 

38:3 耶和华如此说，这城必要交在巴比伦王军队的手中，他必攻取这城。

Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.

 

38:4 于是首领对王说，求你将这人治死。因他向城里剩下的兵丁和众民说这样的话，使他们的手发软。这人不是求这百姓得平安，乃是叫他们受灾祸。

Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.

 

38:5 西底家王说，他在你们手中，无论何事，王也不能与你们反对。

Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.

 

38:6 他们就拿住耶利米，下在哈米勒的儿子（或作王的儿子）玛基雅的牢狱里。那牢狱在护卫兵的院中。他们用绳子将耶利米系下去。牢狱里没有水，只有淤泥，耶利米就陷在淤泥中。

Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the *: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.

 

38:7 在王宫的太监古实人以伯米勒，听见他们将耶利米下了牢狱（那时王坐在便雅悯门口），

Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;

 

38:8 以伯米勒就从王宫里出来，对王说，

Ebedmelech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, saying,

 

38:9 主我的王阿，这些人向先知耶利米一味地行恶，将他下在牢狱中。他在那里必因饥饿而死，因为城中再没有粮食。

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 like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.

 

38:10 王就吩咐古实人以伯米勒说，你从这里带领三十人，趁着先知耶利米未死以前，将他从牢狱中提上来。

Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.

 

38:11 于是以伯米勒带领这些人同去，进入王宫，到库房以下，从那里取了些碎布和破烂的衣服，用绳子缒下牢狱去到耶利米那里。

So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

 

38:12 古实人以伯米勒对耶利米说，你用这些碎布和破烂的衣服放在绳子上，垫你的胳肢窝。耶利米就照样行了。

And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.

 

38:13 这样，他们用绳子将耶利米从牢狱里拉上来。耶利米仍在护卫兵的院中。

So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the *.

 

38:14 西底家王打发人带领先知耶利米，进耶和华殿中第三门里见王。王就对耶利米说，我要问你一件事，你丝毫不可向我隐瞒。

Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.

 

38:15 耶利米对西底家说，我若告诉你，你岂不定要杀我吗。我若劝戒你，你必不听从我。

Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?

 

38:16 西底家王就私下向耶利米说，我指着那造我们生命之永生的耶和华起誓，我必不杀你，也不将你交在寻索你命的人手中。

So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

 

38:17 耶利米对西底家说，耶和华万军之神，以色列的神如此说，你若出去归降巴比伦王的首领，你的命就必存活，这城也不致被火焚烧，你和你的全家都必存活。

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

 

38:18 你若不出去归降巴比伦王的首领，这城必交在迦勒底人手中。他们必用火焚烧，你也不得脱离他们的手。

But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

 

38:19 西底家王对耶利米说，我怕那些投降迦勒底人的犹大人，恐怕迦勒底人将我交在他们手中，他们戏弄我。

And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

 

38:20 耶利米说，迦勒底人必不将你交出。求你听从我对你所说耶和华的话，这样你必得好处，你的命也必存活。

But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.

 

38:21 你若不肯出去，耶和华指示我的话乃是这样，

But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:

 

38:22 犹大王宫里所剩的妇女必都带到巴比伦王的首领那里。这些妇女必说，你知己的朋友催逼你，胜过你。见你的脚陷入淤泥中，就转身退后了。

And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.

 

38:23 人必将你的后妃和你的儿女带到迦勒底人那里。你也不得脱离他们的手，必被巴比伦王的手捉住。你也必使这城被火焚烧。

So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.

 

38:24 西底家对耶利米说，不要使人知道这些话，你就不至于死。

Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.

 

38:25 首领若听见了我与你说话，就来见你，问你说，你对王说什么话不要向我们隐瞒，我们就不杀你。王向你说什么话也要告诉我们。你就对他们说，我在王面前恳求不要叫我回到约拿单的房屋死在那里。

But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee:

 

38:26 你就对他们说，我在王面前恳求不要叫我回到约拿单的房屋死在那里。

Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.

 

38:27 随后众首领来见耶利米，问他，他就照王所吩咐的一切话回答他们。他们不再与他说话，因为事情没有泄漏。

Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.

 

38:28 于是耶利米仍在护卫兵的院中，直到耶路撒冷被攻取的日子。

So Jeremiah abode in the court of the * until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.