13. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the cistern: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
14. Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entrance that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask of you a thing; hide nothing from me.
15. Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto you, will you not surely put me to death? and if I give you counsel, will you not hearken unto me?
16. So Zedekiah the king swore secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD lives, that made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men that seek your life.
17. Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel;
18. But if you will 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 you shall not escape out of their hand.
19. And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that have fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.
20. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver you. Obey, I beseech you, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto you: so it shall be well unto you, and your soul shall live.
21. But if you refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:
22. 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, Your friends have set upon you, and have prevailed against you: your feet have sunk in the mire, and they have turned away from you.
23. So they shall bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans: and you shall not escape out of their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.
24. Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and you shall not die.
25. But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come unto you, and say unto you, Declare unto us now what you have said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put you to death; also what the king said unto you: