The prophet Jeremiah answered them, &#8220;Agreed!<n id="1" /> I will indeed pray to the <sc>Lordsc> your God as you have asked. I will tell you everything the <sc>Lordsc> replies in response to you.<n id="2" /> I will not keep anything back from you.&#8221;

All the people who are determined to go and settle in Egypt will die from war, starvation, or disease. No one will survive or escape the disaster I will bring on them.&#8217;

Instead Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led off all the Judean remnant who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered.<n id="1" />

They also led off all the men, women, children, and royal princesses<n id="1" /> that Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, had left with Gedaliah,<n id="2" /> the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. This included the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch son of Neriah.

<p class="bodytext">Then all the men who were aware that their wives were sacrificing to other gods, as well as all their wives, answered Jeremiah. There was a great crowd of them representing all the people who lived in northern and southern Egypt.<n id="1" /> They answered,

Some who survive in battle will return to the land of Judah from the land of Egypt. But they will be very few indeed!<n id="1" /> Then the Judean remnant who have come to live in the land of Egypt will know whose word proves true,<n id="2" /> mine or theirs.&#8217;

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> told Jeremiah,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Tell Baruch,<n id="2" /> &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8220;I am about to tear down what I have built and to uproot what I have planted. I will do this throughout the whole earth.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Look! Enemies are gathering in the north like water rising in a river.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They will be like an overflowing stream.p> <p class="poetry">They will overwhelm the whole country and everything in it like a flood.p> <p class="poetry">They will overwhelm the cities and their inhabitants.p> <p class="poetry">People will cry out in alarm.p> <p class="poetry">Everyone living in the country will cry out in pain.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Call for archers<n id="1" /> to come against Babylon!p> <p class="poetry">Summon against her all who draw the bow!p> <p class="poetry">Set up camp all around the city!p> <p class="poetry">Do not allow anyone to escape!p> <p class="poetry">Pay her back for what she has done.p> <p class="poetry">Do to her what she has done to others.p> <p class="poetry">For she has proudly defied me,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the Holy One of Israel.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Beware! I am opposed to you, Babylon!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You are like a destructive mountain that destroys all the earth.p> <p class="poetry">I will unleash my power against you;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I will roll you off the cliffs and make you like a burned-out mountain.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The Babylonians broke the two bronze pillars in the temple of the <sc>Lordsc>, as well as the movable stands and the large bronze basin called the &#8220;The Sea.&#8221;<n id="1" /> They took all the bronze to Babylon.

The bronze of the items that King Solomon made for the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple (including the two pillars, the large bronze basin called &#8220;The Sea,&#8221; the twelve bronze bulls under &#8220;The Sea,&#8221; and the movable stands<n id="1" />) was too heavy to be weighed.

in Nebuchadnezzar&#8217;s twenty-third year,<n id="1" /> Nebuzaradan, the captain of the royal guard, carried into exile 745 Judeans. In all 4,600 people went into exile.p>

<p class="bodytext">I also told the priests and all the people, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8216;Do not listen to what your prophets are saying. They are prophesying to you that<n id="1" /> the valuable articles taken from the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple will be brought back from Babylon very soon.<n id="2" /> But they are prophesying a lie to you.

I sent all my servants the prophets to warn you over and over again. They said, &#8220;Every one of you, stop doing the evil things you have been doing and do what is right.<n id="1" /> Do not pay allegiance to other gods<n id="2" /> and worship them. Then you can continue to live in this land that I gave to you and your ancestors.&#8221; But you did not pay any attention or listen to me.

All the officials sent Jehudi, who was the son of Nethaniah and the grandson of Cushi, to Baruch. They ordered him to tell Baruch, &#8220;Come here and bring with you<n id="1" /> the scroll you read in the hearing of the people.&#8221;<n id="2" /> So Baruch son of Neriah went to them, carrying the scroll in his hand.<n id="3" />

So these officials said to the king, &#8220;This man must be put to death. For he is demoralizing<n id="1" /> the soldiers who are left in the city as well as all the other people there by these things he is saying.<n id="2" /> This<n id="3" /> man is not seeking to help these people but is trying to harm them.&#8221;<n id="4" />

But now, Jeremiah, today I will set you free<n id="1" /> from the chains on your wrists. If you would like to come to Babylon with me, come along and I will take care of you.<n id="2" /> But if you prefer not to come to Babylon with me, you are not required to do so.<n id="3" /> You are free to go anywhere in the land you want to go.<n id="4" /> Go wherever you choose.&#8221;<n id="5" />

Before Jeremiah could turn to leave, the captain of the guard added, &#8220;Go back<n id="1" /> to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed to govern<n id="2" /> the towns of Judah. Go back and live with him<n id="3" /> among the people. Or go wherever else you choose.&#8221; Then the captain of the guard gave Jeremiah some food and a present and let him go.

<p class="bodytext">Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him led off all the people who had been left alive at Mizpah. They had rescued them from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after he killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. They led off the men, women, children, soldiers, and court officials whom they had brought away from Gibeon.