The remaining people ask Jeremiah to pray about where to go. God answers after ten days: stay in the land and he will build them up, but do not go to Egypt. Jeremiah warns them that if they go, they will die by the sword.
1 Then all the captains of the forces , and Johanan the son of Kareah , and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah , and all the people from the least even unto the greatest , came near ,
2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet , Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God , even for all this remnant ;(for we are left but a few of many , as thine eyes do behold us:)
3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk , and the thing that we may do .
4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words ; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
5 Then they said to Jeremiah , The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.
6 Whether it be good , or whether it be evil , we will obey the voice of the LORD our God , to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God .
7 And it came to pass after ten days , that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah .
8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah , and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest ,
9 And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel , unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
10 If ye will still abide in this land , then will I build you, and not pull you down , and I will plant you, and not pluck you up : for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon , of whom ye are afraid ; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD : for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand .
12 And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land .
13 But if ye say , We will not dwell in this land , neither obey the voice of the LORD your God ,
14 Saying , No; but we will go into the land of Egypt , where we shall see no war , nor hear the sound of the trumpet , nor have hunger of bread ; and there will we dwell :
15 And now therefore hear the word of the LORD , ye remnant of Judah ; Thus saith the LORD of hosts , the God of Israel ; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt , and go to sojourn there;
16 Then it shall come to pass, that the sword , which ye feared , shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt , and the famine , whereof ye were afraid , shall follow close after you there in Egypt ; and there ye shall die .
17 So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword , by the famine , and by the pestilence : and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
18 For thus saith the LORD of hosts , the God of Israel ; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem ; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt : and ye shall be an execration , and an astonishment , and a curse , and a reproach ; and ye shall see this place no more.
19 The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah ; Go ye not into Egypt : know certainly that I have admonished you this day .
20 For ye dissembled in your hearts , when ye sent me unto the LORD your God , saying , Pray for us unto the LORD our God ; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say , so declare unto us, and we will do it.
21 And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God , nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you.
22 Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword , by the famine , and by the pestilence , in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn .