Zedekiah Consults With Jeremiah

Though the political leaders had accused Jeremiah of treason and tried to destroy him, the king had allowed him to be saved.  Knowing he was a prophet of God, Zedekiah was concerned that his prophecies might be true and asked to speak to him privately, In Jeremiah 38:14.  “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.”

After the attempts to kill him, Jeremiah didn’t trust Zedekiah very much, but upon being assured he would not be killed, jeremiah repeated his warning that to resist Nebuchadnezzars forces would result in the destruction of the city, in Jeremiah 38:15-18.  “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?

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.

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: 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.”

Zedekiah made it clear that though he was king, he didn’t have the support of his people and was afraid that if he surrendered, they would sell him out.  Jeremiah told him they wouldn’t, but that God would not protect them if they fough the Babylonians, in Jeremiah 38:19-23.  “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.

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.  But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath showed me: 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.  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. “

Fearing the politician’s reaction, Zedekiah swore Jeremiah to secrecy. When he was asked about what they had talked about, Jeremiah told the politicians what the king told him to say.  As a result, Jeremiah was allowed to live, remaining in the prison until Jerusalem fell, eleven years after Zedekiah became king, as Jeremiah 38:24-28 tells us.  “Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.  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: 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.

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