And when Zedekiah the king of Judah with his soldiers saw them, they fled, and departed out of the city by night through the king's garden, and through the port that is between the two walls, and so they went toward the wilderness.

They came to Gedaliah unto Mizphah: Namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathah the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of Maachathi, with their companions.

Yea all the Jews also that dwelt in Moab, under the Ammonites, in Idumaea and in all the countries, when they heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan governor upon them that were left in Judah:

All the Jews, I say, returned out of all places where they were fled unto: and came in to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah unto Mizphah, and gathered wine and other fruits, and that very much.

Then said Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Johanan the son of Kareah, "Thou shalt not do it, for they are but lies, that men say of Ishmael."

And when they came in the midst of the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, with them that were sworn unto him, slew them: even at the midst of the pit.

But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all they which had been captains over the king's Host with him, heard of all the wickedness that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done;

they took their companions, and went out for to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the waters of Rabim in Gibeon.

Now when all the people, whom Ishmael led captive, saw Johanan the son of Kareah and all the other Captains of the Host, they were glad.

So all the people that Ishmael had carried away from Mizphah, were brought again. And when they returned, they came to Johanan the son of Kareah.

Then Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the Host that were with him, took the remnant of the people, whom Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had led away when he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom they also had rescued from him: fighting men, women and children, and gelded men: Whom they brought again from Gibeon.

And went from thence, and sat them down at Geruth Chimham, which lieth beside Bethlehem, that they might go into Egypt for fear of the Chaldeans:

of whom they were afraid, because that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah Ahikam's son, whom the king of Babylon had made governor in the land.

And they said to Jeremiah, "The LORD of truth and faithfulness be our record, that we will do all that the LORD thy God commandeth us;

For all they, that of set purpose undertake to go into Egypt, there to ease themselves of their misery, shall perish with the sword, with hunger and pestilence. Not one of them shall remain; there shall none escape the plague, that I will bring upon them.

But Baruch the son of Neriah provoketh thee against us, that he might bring us into the captivity of the Chaldeans: that they might slay us, and carry us away prisoners unto Babylon."

But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, carried away all the remnant in Judah, that were come together again from the Heathen among whom they had been scattered, to dwell in the land of Judah:

Men, women, children, the king's daughters; all those that Nebuzaradan the chief captain had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam; They carried away also the prophet Jeremiah, Baruch the son of Neriah,

and so came in to Egypt: for they were not obedient unto the commandment of God. Thus came they to Tahpenes.

Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel, "Ye have seen all the misery that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; so that this day they are desolate, and no man dwelling therein:

and that because of the great blasphemies, which they committed, to provoke me unto anger. In that they went back to do sacrifice, and worship unto strange gods: whom neither they, nor ye, nor your fathers have known.

But they would not follow nor hearken, to turn from their wickedness, and to do no more sacrifice unto strange gods.

Wherefore mine indignation and wrath was kindled, and it burnt up the cities of Judah, the fields with the streets of Jerusalem, so that they were made waste and desolate, as it is come to pass this day.

As for the remnant of Judah that purposely went into Egypt, there to ease them of their misery: I will take them and they shall all be destroyed. In the land of Egypt shall they perish, being consumed with the sword and with hunger. For from the least unto the most, they shall perish with the sword and with hunger. Moreover, they shall be reviled, abhorred, shamed and confounded.

So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone to dwell in Egypt shall be left to come again into the land of Judah although they think to come thither again, and to dwell there. For none shall come again, but such as are fled away."

for I will watch, to plague them, and not for their wealth. And all the men of Judah that be in the land of Egypt, shall perish with the sword and with hunger, until they be utterly destroyed.

But alas, how happeneth it, that I see you so afraid? Why shrink ye back? Wherefore are your worthies slain? Yea, they run so fast away, that none of them looketh behind him. Fearfulness is fallen upon every one of them, sayeth the LORD.

The lightest of foot shall not flee away, and the worthies shall not escape. Toward the north by the water of Euphrates, they shall stumble and fall.

It is Egypt that riseth up like a flood, and casteth out the waters with so great noise. For they say, 'We will go up, and will cover the earth; we will destroy the cities, with them that dwell therein.'

The Heathen shall hear of thy shame, and the land shall be full of thy confusion: for one strong man shall stumble upon another. How then should they not fall both together?"

How happeneth it that thy mighty worthies are fallen? Why stood they not fast? Even because the LORD thrust them down.

They did cry, even there, 'O Pharaoh king of Egypt, thou troublous king; the time will bring sedition.'

Her waged soldiers that be with her, are like fat calves. They also shall flee away together, and not abide: for the day of their slaughter and the time of their visitation shall come upon them.

The cry of their enemies shall make a noise, as the blast of a trumpet. For they shall enter in with their host, and come with axes, as it were hewers-down of wood.

And they shall cut down her wood, sayeth the LORD, without any discretion. For they shall be more in number than the grasshoppers, so that no man shall be able to tell them.

"Thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, there shall waters arise out of the North: And shall grow to a great flood, running over and covering the land, the cities, and them that dwell therein. And the men shall cry, and all they that dwell in the land

Moab can boast no more of Heshbon, for they have devised against it. 'Come,' shall they say, 'let us root them out, that they may be no more among the number of the Gentiles; yea, that they may no more be thought upon.' Thus the sword shall persecute thee:

All her neighbours shall mourn for her, and all they that know her name, shall say, 'O how happeneth it, that the strong staff and the goodly rod is thus broken?'

and Kerioth, upon Bozrah and all the cities of the land of Moab, whether they lie far or near.

Wherefore my heart mourneth for Moab, like a crowd playing a heavy song: and for the men's sake of the brick wall my heart mourneth also, even as a pipe that pipeth a doleful song. For they shall be very few, and destroyed.

They shall climb over the walls, and win the strongholds. Then the mighty men's hearts in Moab shall be like the heart of a woman travailing with child.

They that are able to flee, shall stand under the shadow of Heshbon. For there shall go a fire out of Heshbon, and a flame from Zion, and shall burn up that proud people of Moab, both before and behind.

Heshbon shall mourn, for it shall be rooted out of the ground, sayeth the LORD. The cities of Rabbah shall cry out, and gird themselves with sackcloth. They shall mourn, and run about the walls; for their king shall be led away prisoner: yea his priests and princes with him.

If the grape gathers come upon thee, should they not leave some grapes? If the night robbers came upon thee, should they not take so much as they thought were enough?

For thus hath the LORD spoken: Behold, they that men thought were unmete to drink of the cup, have drunken with the first: and thinkest thou then to be free? No, no: thou shalt neither be quit nor free, but thou must drink also.

Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken upon Idumaea: and his purpose, that he hath devised upon the citizens of Teman. The least of the flock shall tear them in pieces, and look: what fair thing they have, they shall make it waste, and themselves also.

"Upon Damascus, Hamath and Arpad shall come confusion, for they shall hear evil tidings: they shall be tossed to and fro like the sea that cannot stand still.

Their tents and their flocks shall they take away; yea, their hangings and their vessel. Their Camels also shall they carry away with them. They shall come about them on every side with a fearful cry.

For out of the north there shall come a people against her, which shall make her land so waste that nobody shall dwell therein, neither man nor beast; for they shall flee and depart from thence.

In those days, and at that time, sayeth the LORD, the children of Israel shall come; they and the children of Judah, weeping and making haste, and shall seek the LORD their God.

They shall ask the way to Zion; thither shall they turn their faces, and come and hang upon thee, in a covenant that never shall be broken.

My people hath been a lost flock. My shepherds have deceived them, and have made them go astray upon the hills. They have gone from the mountains to the little hill, and forgotten their fold.

All they that came upon them, have devoured them: and their enemies said, 'We have made no fault against them, for they have displeased the LORD, yea even the LORD which is the beauty of their righteousness, and that defended their fathers.'

And the Chaldeans shall be spoiled; and all they that spoil them, shall be satisfied, sayeth the LORD.

Your mothers shall be sore confounded; and they that bare you, shall come to shame. She shall be the least set by among the nations, void, waste, and dried up.

No man shall be able to dwell there, for the fear of the LORD, but she shall be whole desolate. All they that go by Babylon, shall stand still, and be abashed, and shall wonder at all her plagues.

They shall root out the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in Harvest. For fear of the sword of the enemy, every man shall get him to his own people, and every man shall flee to his own land.

These things shall come upon her at the last: they shall break into her privy chambers, they shall leave her as bare as stones that be laid together upon heaps. They shall so destroy her that nothing shall be left.

They shall slay all her mighty soldiers, and put them to death. Woe be unto them, for the day and the time of their visitation is at hand.

"Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: The children of Israel and Judah suffer violence together. All they that have them in captivity, keep them fast and will not let them go.

The sword upon their soothsayers: as for those, they shall become fools. The sword upon their worthies: so that they shall stand in fear.

The sword upon their horsemen and chariots, and upon all the common people that dwell under them: so that they all shall become like women. The sword upon their treasure: so that it shall be stolen away.

The sword upon their waters: so that they shall be dried up. For the land worshippeth images, and delighteth in strange wonderful things.

They bear bows and bucklers, cruel are they and unmerciful. Their voice roareth like the raging sea, they ride upon horses, and come weaponed to fight against thee, O Babylon.

Therefore hear the counsel that the LORD hath given upon Babylon, and the device that he hath taken upon the land of the Chaldeans. The least among the people shall tear them in pieces, and look: what pleasant thing they have, they shall lay it waste.

I will send also into Babylon fanners, to fan her out, and to destroy her land: for in the day of her trouble they shall be about her on every side.

As for Israel and Judah, they shall not be forsaken of their God, of the LORD of Hosts, of the holy one of Israel: no, though they have filled all their land full of sin.

"Babylon hath been in the LORD's hand a golden cup, that maketh all lands drunken. Of her wine have all people drunken, therefore are they out of their wits.

'We would have made Babylon whole,' say they, 'but she is not recovered. Therefore will we let her alone, and go every man into his own country. For her judgment is come in to heaven, and is gone up to the clouds.'

By the reason of wisdom, all men are become fools. Confounded be all the casters of images: for the thing that they make is but deceit, and hath no breath.

Therefore will I reward the city of Babylon and all her citizens the Chaldeans, with all the evil which they have done unto Zion. Yea, that ye yourselves shall see it, sayeth the LORD.

Set up a token in the land, blow the trumpets among the Heathen, provoke the nations against her, call the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz against her: set the prince against her, bring as great a sort of horses against her, as if they were grasshoppers.

The Worthies of Babylon shall leave the battle, and keep themselves in strongholds, their strength hath failed them, they shall be like women. Their dwelling places shall be burnt up, their bars shall be broken.

They shall roar together like lions, and as the young lions when they be angry, so shall they bend themselves.

In their heat I shall set drink before them, and they shall be drunken for joy: Then shall they sleep an everlasting sleep, and never wake, sayeth the LORD.

"Wherefore, behold, sayeth the LORD, the time cometh that I will visit the images of Babylon, and through the whole land they shall mourn and fall.

when the LORD destroyeth them, and when he driveth out the high stomach and proud boasting, wherewith they have been as furious as the waves of great water floods, and made great crakes with their words.

Yea, sayeth the LORD, I will make their princes, their wise men, their chief rulers and all their worthies, drunken: so that they shall sleep an everlasting sleep and never wake. Thus sayeth the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts.

So they carried the king away prisoner to Riblah, unto the king of Babylon in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.

They took away also the Caldrons, shovels, flesh hooks, sprinklers, spoons, and all the brazen vessel that was occupied in the service;

{Gimel} Judah is taken prisoner, because she was defiled: and for serving so many strange gods, she dwelleth now among the heathen. She findeth no rest: all they that persecuted her, took her in strait places where she could not escape.

{Vav} All the beauty of the daughter of Zion is away, her princes are become like harts that find no pasture. They are driven away before their enemy, so that they have no more power.

{Khet} Jerusalem sinned ever more and more, therefore is she come in decay. All they that had her in honour, despise her: for they have seen her filthiness. Yea she sigheth and is ashamed of herself.

{Kuf} I called for my lovers, but they beguiled me; for my Priests and counselors, but they perished: even while they sought for meat, to save their lives.

{Shin} They hear my mourning, but there is none that will comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble, and are glad thereof, because thou hast done it. But thou shalt bring forth the time, when they also shall be like unto me.

{Tet} Her ports are cast down to the ground, her bars are broken and smitten in sunder: her king and princes are carried away to the gentiles. They have neither law nor Prophets, nor yet any vision from the LORD.

{Yod} The Senators of the daughter Zion sit upon the ground in silence: they have strawed ashes upon their heads, and girded themselves with sackcloth. The maidens of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.

{Lamed} Even when they spake to their mothers, "Where is meat and drink?" For while they so said, they fell down in the streets of the city, like as they had been wounded, and some died in their mothers' bosom.

{Nun} Thy prophets have looked out vain and foolish things for thee: they have not showed thee of thy wickedness, to keep thee from captivity; but have overladen thee, and through falsity scattered thee abroad.

{Samekh} All they that go by thee clap their hands at thee - hissing and wagging their heads upon the daughter Jerusalem - and say, "Is this the city that men call so fair, wherein the whole land rejoiceth?"

He hath set me in darkness, as they that be dead forever.

I am laughed to scorn of all my people; they make songs upon me all the day long.

They have put down my life into a pit, and laid a stone upon me.

They poured water upon my head, then thought I, "Now am I undone."

Thou hast well considered how they go about to do me harm, and that all their counsels are against me.

The lips of mine enemies, and their devices that they take against me, all the day long.

Thou seest also their sitting down and their rising up. They make their songs of nothing but me.

{Beth} The children of Zion that were always in honour, and clothed with the most precious gold: how are they now become like the earthen vessels which be made with the potter's hand?

{He} They that were wont to fair delicately, perish in the streets; they that afore were brought up in purple, make now much of dung.

{Tet} They that be slain with the sword, are happier than such as die of hunger, and perish away famishing for the fruits of the field.