Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Jedekiah the son of Josiah, which was made king through Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, reigned in the land of Judah, in the stead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people in the land would obey the words of the LORD, which he spake by the Prophet Jeremiah. Nevertheless Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the Priest to the Prophet Jeremiah, saying, "O pray thou unto the LORD our God for us." read more.
Now Jeremiah walked free among the people at that time, and was not put in prison as yet. Pharaoh's host also was come out of Egypt: which when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem perceived, they departed from thence. Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah the Prophet, saying, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: This answer shall ye give to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me for counsel, 'Behold, Pharaoh's host which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into his own land: but the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, win it, and set fire upon it.

But he fell from him, and sent his Ambassadors into Egypt that he might have horses and much people. Should that prosper? Should he be kept safe, that doth such things? Or should he escape, that breaketh his covenant? As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, he shall die at Babylon: in the place where the king dwelleth, that made him king, whose oath he hath despised, and whose covenant he hath broken. Neither shall Pharaoh, with his great host and multitude of people, maintain him in the war: when they cast up ditches, and set up bulwarks to destroy much people.


And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest which shall ask counsel for him, after the manner of the light, before the LORD: And at the mouth of Eleazar shall both he and all the children of Israel with him, and all the congregation, go in and out."

After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, "Who shall go up first unto the Cananites to fight against them?"

And while Saul talked unto the priest, the people that were in the host of the Philistines ran more and more. And Saul said unto the priest, "Withdraw thine hand."

And Saul asked of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? And wilt thou deliver them into mine hands?" But he answered him not at that time. Then said Saul, "Let the people come hither out of all quarters, and know and see, in whom this sin is chanced this day: for as truly as the LORD liveth, which hath saved Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall die for it." But no man answered him of all the people. read more.
Then he said unto all Israel, "Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on another." And the people said unto Saul, "What thou thinkest best, that do." And Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, "Give perfect knowledge." And Saul and Jonathan were caught, and the people escaped free.

Then David asked the LORD's advice, saying, "Shall I go and smite the Philistines?" And the LORD said unto David, "Go, and smite the Philistines and save Keilah." Then said David's men unto him, "See, we be afraid here in Judah. What shall we then be, when we come to Keilah, to the host of the Philistines?" Then David asked the LORD again. And the LORD answered him and said, "Up, and go to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hands." read more.
And so David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and drave away their cattle and slew a great slaughter of them. And so David saved the inhabiters of Keilah. And it chanced when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah that he brought an ephod in his hand. And it was told Saul, that David was come to Keilah. Then said Saul, "God hath delivered him into mine hand. For he is shut in, that he is come into a town with gates and bars." And Saul called all the people to war, for to go to Keilah to besiege David and his men. But David had knowledge that Saul imagined mischief against him, and said therefore to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." Then said David, "O LORD God of Israel, thy servant heareth that Saul is about to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Or will Saul come as thy servant heareth say? LORD God of Israel, tell thy servant." And the LORD said, "He will come." Then said David, "Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?" And the LORD said, "They will deliver you."

And David asked the LORD, saying, "Shall I follow after this company? And shall I overtake them?" And he said to him, "Follow, for thou shalt overtake them and recover the prey."

After this David asked the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Juda? And the LORD said, "Go." And David answered, "Whither shall I go?" He answered, "Unto Hebron."

And David asked of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go to the Philistines? And wilt thou deliver them into my hands?" And the LORD said unto David, "Go, for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hands."

And David asked the LORD, and he said, "Go not. But compass them on the back side and come down upon them from the pear trees.

And Jehoshaphat said, "Is there never a Prophet of the LORD's here, more, that we might enquire of him?" And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one, by whom we may ask counsel of the LORD: one Micaiah the son of Imlah. But I hate him: for he never prophesieth good unto me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so." Then the king of Israel called unto one of his chamberlains and said, "Fetch Micaiah the son of Imlah hither at once." read more.
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat either in his seat and their apparel on them, in a void place beside the entering of the gate of Samaria, and all the Prophets prophesying before them. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron and said, "Thus sayeth the LORD, 'With these horns thou shalt winnow the Syrians until thou have made an end of them." And all the Prophets prophesied even so, saying, "Go to Ramoth in Gilead and prosper, for the LORD shall deliver it into the hands of the king." And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah, said unto him, "See, the words of the Prophets speak good unto the king with one voice: let thy words, I pray thee, be like the words of one of them, and speak that is good." And Micaiah said, "As surely as the LORD liveth, what the LORD putteth in my mouth, that will I speak." And when he was come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth in Gilead to battle, or shall we be still?" And he said unto him, "Go and prosper, the LORD deliver it unto the hands of the king." And the king said unto him, "How often shall I adjure thee, that thou tell me nothing but truth, in the name of the LORD?" Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have no shepherds. And the LORD said, 'Those have no master; let them return, every man to his house in peace.'" Then said the king of Israel to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell thee, that he would prophesy no good unto me, but evil?" And Micaiah said, "Hear therefore the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sit on his seat and all his company of heaven standing about him, on his righthand and on his left. And the LORD said, 'Who shall deceive Ahab that he may go and be slain at Ramoth in Gilead?' And one said on this manner and another on that. Then came forth a spirit and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will deceive him.' And the LORD said, 'Wherewith?' And he said, 'I will go out and be a false spirit in the mouths of all Prophets.' And the LORD said, 'Thou shalt deceive him and also prevail, go forth and do even so.' Now therefore behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets: when in very deed the LORD hath spoken evil toward thee." Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "How is the spirit of the LORD gone from me, to speak in thee?" And Micaiah said, "Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thee." And the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and carry him back again into Amon the governor of the city, and unto Joab the king's son, and say, 'Thus sayeth the king. Put ye this fellow in the prison house and feed him with bread and water straightly, until I return in peace.'" Then Micaiah said, "If thou come safe again, the LORD hath not spoken in me." And he said moreover, "Hearken to the people every one of you."

But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there here no prophet of the LORD's, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?" And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat which poured water on the hands of Elijah." And Jehoshaphat said, "The word of the LORD is with him." And so the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him. And Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother." And the king of Israel said unto him, "Oh nay, but hath the LORD called these three kings to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites?" read more.
And Elisha said, "As sure as the LORD of Hosts liveth - in whose sight I stand - and it were not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor yet see ye." But now bring me a minstrel. And as the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD was upon him. And he said, "Thus biddeth the LORD, 'Make this brook full of ditches.' For thus sayeth the LORD, 'Ye shall see neither wind nor rain, and yet this brook shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, and your beasts and your cattle also.' And this is yet but a small thing in the sight of the LORD: But he will give the Moabites into your hands also. And ye shall destroy all strong towns and all goodly cities, and shall fall all pleasant trees and stop all the wells of water, and mar all good plots of ground with stones."

And David asked God, saying, "Shall I go against the Philistines and wilt thou deliver them into mine hands?" And the LORD said to him: "Go, for I will deliver them into thine hand."

Then David asked God, And God said to him, "Go not after them, but turn away from them, and come upon them straight from the pear trees.

"Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: This answer shall ye give to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me for counsel, 'Behold, Pharaoh's host which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into his own land: but the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, win it, and set fire upon it. For thus sayeth the LORD: Deceive not your own minds, thinking on this manner, 'Tush, the Chaldeans go now their way from us.' No, they shall not go their way. read more.
For though ye had slain the whole host of the Chaldeans that besiege you, and every one of the slain lay in his tent, yet should they stand up, and set fire upon this city.'"


Pharaoh's host also was come out of Egypt: which when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem perceived, they departed from thence. Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah the Prophet, saying, "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: This answer shall ye give to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me for counsel, 'Behold, Pharaoh's host which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into his own land: read more.
but the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, win it, and set fire upon it. For thus sayeth the LORD: Deceive not your own minds, thinking on this manner, 'Tush, the Chaldeans go now their way from us.' No, they shall not go their way. For though ye had slain the whole host of the Chaldeans that besiege you, and every one of the slain lay in his tent, yet should they stand up, and set fire upon this city.'" Now when the Host of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of the Egyptian's army,


"Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: This answer shall ye give to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me for counsel, 'Behold, Pharaoh's host which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into his own land: but the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, win it, and set fire upon it. For thus sayeth the LORD: Deceive not your own minds, thinking on this manner, 'Tush, the Chaldeans go now their way from us.' No, they shall not go their way. read more.
For though ye had slain the whole host of the Chaldeans that besiege you, and every one of the slain lay in his tent, yet should they stand up, and set fire upon this city.'"

And he did that displeased the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet at the mouth of the LORD.

where Zedekiah the king of Judah caused him to be laid, because he had prophesied of this manner, "Thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will deliver this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, which shall take it. As for Zedekiah the king of Judah, he shall not be able to escape the Chaldeans, but surely he shall come into the hands of the king of Babylon: which shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and one of them shall look another in the face. And Zedekiah shall be carried unto Babylon, and there shall he be, until the time that I visit him, sayeth the LORD. But if thou takest in hand to fight against the Chaldeans, thou shalt not prosper."

And like as thou knowest the naughty figs, which may not be eaten they are so evil: Even so will I, sayeth the LORD, let Zedekiah the king of Judah - yea, and all his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem that remain over in this land, and them also that dwell in Egypt - to be vexed and plagued in all kingdoms and lands. And will make them to be a reproof, a common byword, a laughingstock and shame, in all the places where I shall scatter them. I will send the sword, hunger and pestilence among them, until I have clean consumed them out of the land, that I gave unto them and their fathers."

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. Why wilt thou and thy people perish with the sword, with hunger, with pestilence: like as the LORD hath devised for all people that will not serve the king of Babylon? Therefore give no ear unto those Prophets that tell you, 'Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon.' 'For they preach you lies, read more.
neither have I sent them, sayeth the LORD: howbeit they are bold, falsely for to prophesy in my name: that I might the sooner drive you out, and that ye might perish with your preachers.'" I spake to the Priests also, and to all the people, "Thus sayeth the LORD: Hear not the words of those Prophets, that preach unto you, and say, 'Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house shall shortly be brought hither again from Babylon.' For they prophesy lies unto you. Hear them not, but serve the king of Babylon, that ye may live. Wherefore will ye make this city to be destroyed? But if they be true Prophets in very deed, and if the word of the LORD be committed unto them, then let them pray the LORD of Hosts that the remnant of the ornaments, which are in the house of the LORD, and remain yet in the house of the king of Judah and at Jerusalem, be not carried to Babylon also. For thus hath the LORD of Hosts spoken concerning the pillars, the laver, the seat and the residue of the ornaments that yet remain in this city, which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon took not, when he carried away Jechoniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the power of Judah and Jerusalem, from Jerusalem unto Babylon, captive. Yea thus hath the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel spoken, as touching the residue of the ornaments of the LORD's house of the king of Judah's house, and of Jerusalem: They shall be carried unto Babylon, and there they shall remain until I visit them, sayeth the LORD. Then will I bring them hither again."

Then Zedekiah the king sent for him and called him, and asked him quietly in his own house, saying, "Thinkest thou this business, that now is in hand, cometh of the LORD?" Jeremiah answered, "Yea, that it doth: and thou, said he, shalt be delivered in to the king of Babylon's power."

Then Zedekiah the king sent and caused Jeremiah the prophet be called unto him, into the third entry, that was by the house of the LORD. And the king said unto Jeremiah, "I will ask thee somewhat, but hide nothing from me." Then Jeremiah answered Zedekiah, "If I be plain unto thee, thou wilt cause me suffer death: If I give thee counsel, thou wilt not follow me." 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." read more.
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 if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans which shall set fire upon it, and thou shalt not be able to escape them." And Zedekiah said unto Jeremiah, "I am afraid for the Jews, that are fled unto the Chaldeans, lest I come in their hands, and so they to have me in derision." 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. But if thou wilt not go forth, the LORD hath told me this plainly: Behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall go out to the king of Babylon's princes. For they think, that thou art deceived: and that the men in whom thou didst put thy trust, have gotten thee under, and set thy feet fast in the mire, and gone their way from thee. Therefore all thy wives with their children shall flee unto the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape their hands, but shalt be the king of Babylon's prisoner, and this city shall be burnt." Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, "Look that nobody know of these words, and thou shalt not die. But if the princes perceive that I have talked with thee, and come unto thee, saying, 'O speak, what said the king to thee? hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death. Tell us, we pray thee: what said the king to thee?' See thou give them this answer, 'I have humbly besought the king, that he will let me lie no more in Jonathan's house, that I die not there.'" Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him. And he told them, after the manner as the king bade him. Then they held their peace, for they perceived nothing. So Jeremiah abode still in the fore entry of the prison, until the day that Jerusalem was won.