"Go thy way, cry in the ears of Jerusalem, and say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: I remember thee for the kindness of thy youth, and because of thy steadfast love: in that thou followedst me through the wilderness, in an untilled land.

For my people hath done two evils: They have forsaken me, the well of the water of life; and digged them pits, yea, vile and broken pits, that hold no water.

Thou keepest thy foot from nakedness, and thy throat from thirst, and thinkest thus in thyself, 'Tush: I will take no sorrow; I will love the strange gods, and hang upon them.'

And all they that remain of this wicked generation, shall desire rather to die than to live: wheresoever they remain, and whereas I scatter them, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.

His wisdom maketh all men fools. And confounded be all casters of images, for that they cast is but a vain thing, and hath no life.

O LORD, thou art more righteous than that I should dispute with thee: Nevertheless, let me talk with thee in things reasonable. How happeneth it, that the way of the ungodly is so prosperous? And that it goeth so well with them, which without any shame offend and live in wickedness?

As for me, say I, I have forsaken mine own dwelling place, and left mine heritage. My life also that I love so well, have I given into the hands of mine enemies.

The deceitful maketh a nest, but bringeth forth no young: He cometh by riches, but not righteously. In the midst of his life must he leave them behind him, and at the last be found a very fool.

Thou art the comfort of Israel. All that forsake thee, shall be ashamed. And they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth. For they have lost the LORD that is the fountain of the water of life.

Wherefore came I forth of my mother's womb? To have experience of labour and sorrow? And to lead my life with shame?

"And unto this people thou shalt say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: behold, I lay before you the way of life and death.

Whoso abideth in this city shall perish: either with the sword, with hunger, or with pestilence. But whoso goeth out to hold on the Chaldeans part that besiege it, he shall save his life, and shall win his soul for a prey.

As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD, Though Jechoniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet of my right hand, yet will I pluck him off:

Write this man among the outlaws, for no prosperity shall this man have all his life long. Neither shall any of his seed be so happy as to sit upon the seat of David, and to bear rule in Judah."

All these things told I Zedekiah the king of Judah, and said, "Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, that ye may live.

Hear them not, but serve the king of Babylon, that ye may live. Wherefore will ye make this city to be destroyed?

"And as for thee, O my servant Jacob, fear not, sayeth the LORD; and be not afraid, O Israel. For lo, I will help thee also from far, and thy seed from the land of their captivity. And Jacob shall turn again, he shall be in rest, and have a prosperous life, and no man shall make him afraid.

Even so shall the LORD now also appear unto me from far, and say, 'I love thee with an everlasting love, therefore do I spread my mercy before thee.'

And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me all the days of their life, that they and their children after them may prosper.

yea, ye shall have no vineyards: but for all your time ye shall dwell in tents, that ye may live long in the land, wherein ye be strangers.'

Thus have we obeyed the commandment of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father, in all that he hath charged us, and so we drink no wine all our life long: we, nor our wives, our sons, and our daughters.

"Thus sayeth the LORD: Whoso remaineth in this city shall perish, either with the sword, with hunger or with pestilence: But whoso falleth unto the Chaldeans, shall escape, winning his soul for a prey, and shall live.

So the king swore an oath secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, "As truly as the LORD liveth, that made us these souls, I will not slay thee, nor give thee in to the hands of them that seek after thy life."

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, "Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: If cause be, that thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, thou shalt save thy life, and this city shall not be burnt, yea both thou and thy household shall escape with your lives.

But Jeremiah answered, "No, they shall not betray thee: O hearken unto the voice of the LORD, I beseech thee, which I speak unto thee; so shalt thou be well, and save thy life.

For doubtless I will save thee, so that thou shalt not perish with the sword: but thy life shall be saved, and that because thou hast put thy trust in me, sayeth the LORD.'"

Behold, sayeth the LORD, I will deliver Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies, that seek after his life: even as I gave Zedekiah the king of Judah into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, which sought after his life."

And seekest thou yet promotion? Look not for it, and desire it not. For I will bring a miserable plague upon all flesh, sayeth the LORD. But thy life will I give thee for a prey, wheresoever thou goest."

As truly as I live, sayeth the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts, it shall come as the mount of Tabor, and as Lebanon if it stood in the sea.

O Israel, shalt thou not laugh him to scorn, when he is taken among thieves? Yea, because of thy words that thou hast spoken against him, thou shalt be driven away.

Fly away from Babylon; every man save his life. Let no man hold his tongue to her wickedness, for the time of the LORD's vengeance is come; yea, he shall reward her again.

O my people, come out of Babylon: that every man may save his life from the fearful wrath of the LORD.

Moreover, he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, caused him to be bound with chains, to be carried unto Babylon, and let him live in prison till he died.

He changed also the clothes of his prison; yea, and he ate with him all his life long.

And he had a continual living given him of the king of Babylon; every day a certain thing allowed him all the days of his life, until he died.