14. “I'm not trying to join them!” I answered. But Irijah wouldn't listen, and he took me to the king's officials.
15-16. They were angry and ordered the soldiers to beat me. Then I was taken to the house that belonged to Jonathan, one of the king's officials. It had been turned into a prison, and I was kept in a basement room.After I had spent a long time there,
17. King Zedekiah secretly had me brought to his palace, where he asked, “Is there any message for us from the Lord?”“Yes, there is, Your Majesty,” I replied. “The Lord is going to let the king of Babylonia capture you.”
18. Then I continued, “Your Majesty, why have you put me in prison? Have I committed a crime against you or your officials or the nation?
19. Have you locked up the prophets who lied to you and said that the king of Babylonia would never attack Jerusalem?
20. Please, don't send me back to that prison at Jonathan's house. If you do, I will die.”
21. King Zedekiah had me taken to the prison cells in the courtyard of the palace guards. He told the soldiers to give me a loaf of bread from one of the bakeries every day until the city ran out of grain.