16. Jeremiah was put into a dungeon cell, where he remained for many days.
17. Later King Zedekiah secretly requested that Jeremiah come to the palace, where the king asked him, “Do you have any messages from the lord?”“Yes, I do!” said Jeremiah. “You will be defeated by the king of Babylon.”
18. Then Jeremiah asked the king, “What crime have I committed? What have I done against you, your attendants, or the people that I should be imprisoned like this?
19. Where are your prophets now who told you the king of Babylon would not attack you or this land?
20. Listen, my lord the king, I beg you. Don’t send me back to the dungeon in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for I will die there.”
21. So King Zedekiah commanded that Jeremiah not be returned to the dungeon. Instead, he was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace. The king also commanded that Jeremiah be given a loaf of fresh bread every day as long as there was any left in the city. So Jeremiah was put in the palace prison.