Bible Reading for August 23

Bible Reading for August 23

Jeremiah Chapter 38

1 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and 
Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the 
words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,

2 Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the 
sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to 
the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and 
shall live.

3 Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of 
the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.

4 Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this 
man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war 
that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking 
such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this 
people, but the hurt.

5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king 
is not he that can do any thing against you.

6 Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the 
son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down 
Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so 
Jeremiah sunk in the mire.

7 Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the 
king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king 
then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;

8 Ebedmelech went forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king, 
saying,

9 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done 
to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is 
like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more 
bread in the city.

10 Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from 
hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the 
dungeon, before he die.

11 So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the 
king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten 
rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

12 And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old 
cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And 
Jeremiah did so.

13 So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the 
dungeon: 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 entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said 
unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.

15 Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt 
thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou 
not hearken unto me?

16 So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the 
LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, 
neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life.

17 Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of 
hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king 
of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not 
be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:

18 But if thou wilt 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 thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

19 And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews 
that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, 
and they mock me.

20 But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, 
the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto 
thee, and thy soul shall live.

21 But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath 
shewed 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, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against 
thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back.

23 So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the 
Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be 
taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city 
to be burned with fire.

24 Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and 
thou shalt not die.

25 But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come 
unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said 
unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; 
also what the king said unto thee:

26 Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the 
king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die 
there.

27 Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told 
them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they 
left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.

28 So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that 
Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.

Jeremiah Chapter 39

1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came 
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and 
they besieged it.

2 And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth 
day of the month, the city was broken up.

3 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the 
middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, 
Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king 
of Babylon.

4 And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, 
and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city 
by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two 
walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

5 But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in 
the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up 
to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where 
he gave judgment upon him.

6 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before 
his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah.

7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to 
carry him to Babylon.

8 And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the 
people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.

9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into 
Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those 
that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained.

10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the 
people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards 
and fields at the same time.

11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to 
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying,

12 Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him 
even as he shall say unto thee.

13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, 
Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's princes;

14 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and 
committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that 
he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.

15 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in 
the court of the prison, saying,

16 Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD 
of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this 
city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that 
day before thee.

17 But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt 
not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.

18 For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, 
but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy 
trust in me, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah Chapter 40

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that Nebuzaradan 
the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken 
him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of 
Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon.

2 And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The 
LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.

3 Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said: 
because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his voice, 
therefore this thing is come upon you.

4 And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon 
thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, 
come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to 
come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: 
whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.

5 Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah 
the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made 
governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: 
or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain 
of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.

6 Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and 
dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.

7 Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even 
they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the 
son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and 
women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not 
carried away captive to Babylon;

8 Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of 
Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the 
son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah 
the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and 
to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the 
land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans, 
which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and 
oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have 
taken.

11 Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the 
Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that 
the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set 
over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan;

12 Even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were 
driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and 
gathered wine and summer fruits very much.

13 Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the 
forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,

14 And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of 
the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But 
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.

15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah secretly, 
saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the son of 
Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay thee, that 
all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be scattered, and the 
remnant in Judah perish?

16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, 
Thou shalt not do this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.

Jeremiah Chapter 41

1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of 
Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the 
king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to 
Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.

2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were 
with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with 
the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over 
the land.

3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah, 
at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war.

4 And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no 
man knew it,

5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, 
even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, 
and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to 
bring them to the house of the LORD.

6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, 
weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met them, he 
said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.

7 And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael 
the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, 
he, and the men that were with him.

8 But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: 
for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, 
and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their brethren.

9 Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the men, 
whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was it which Asa the king had 
made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah 
filled it with them that were slain.

10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that 
were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people that 
remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had 
committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of 
Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the 
Ammonites.

11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the 
forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of 
Nethaniah had done,

12 Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of 
Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.

13 Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael 
saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that 
were with him, then they were glad.

14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah 
cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.

15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, 
and went to the Ammonites.

16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the 
forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had 
recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he 
had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and the 
women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought again from 
Gibeon:

17 And they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is 
by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,

18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them, because 
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom 
the king of Babylon made governor in the land.

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