19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “But I’m afraid of the Judeans who have already deserted to the Chaldeans. If they get hold of me, they’ll rough me up good.”

20-22 Jeremiah assured him, “They won’t get hold of you. Listen, please. Listen to God’s voice. I’m telling you this for your own good so that you’ll live. But if you refuse to turn yourself over, this is what God has shown me will happen: Picture this in your mind—all the women still left in the palace of the king of Judah, led out to the officers of the king of Babylon, and as they’re led out they are saying:

“‘They lied to you and did you in,
    those so-called friends of yours;
And now you’re stuck, about knee-deep in mud,
    and your “friends,” where are they now?’

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19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid(A) of the Jews who have gone over(B) to the Babylonians, for the Babylonians may hand me over to them and they will mistreat me.”

20 “They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey(C) the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well(D) with you, and your life(E) will be spared. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the Lord has revealed to me:

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