1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Yochanan the son of Kareah, and Yezanyahu the son of Hoshayah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,

2 And said unto Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) the prophet, “We beseech you, let our supplication be accepted before you, and pray for us unto יהוה your God (Elohim), even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as your eyes do behold us,)

3 That יהוה your God (Elohim) may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.”

4 Then Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) the prophet said unto them, “I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto יהוה your God (Elohim) according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing יהוה shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.”

5 Then they said to Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu), “יהוה be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for which יהוה your God (Elohim) shall send you to us.

6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of יהוה our God (Elohim), to whom we send you; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of יהוה our God (Elohim).”

7 And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of יהוה came unto Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu).

8 Then called he Yochanan 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 יהוה, the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael), unto whom you sent me to present your supplication before Him:

10 ‘If you 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 regret of the evil that I have done unto you.

11 ‘Be not afraid of the king of Babylon (Bavel), of whom you are afraid; be not afraid of him,’ saith יהוה, ‘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 you say, ‘We will not dwell in this land’, nor obey the voice of יהוה your God (Elohim),

14 Saying, ‘No, but we will go into the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim), 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 יהוה, you remnant of Judah (Yehudah)! Thus saith יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot), the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael): ‘If you wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt (Mitsrayim), and go to sojourn there;

16 Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which you feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim), and the famine, whereof you were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt (Mitsrayim); and there you shall die.

17 So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt (Mitsrayim) 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 יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot), the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael): ‘As Mine anger and My fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim); so shall My fury be poured forth upon you, when you shall enter into Egypt (Mitsrayim): and you shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and you shall see this place no more.’

19 יהוה hath said concerning you, O you remnant of Judah (Yehudah), ‘Go you not into Egypt (Mitsrayim)!’ Know certainly that I have admonished you this day.

20 For you dissembled in your hearts, when you sent me unto יהוה your God (Elohim), saying, ‘Pray for us unto יהוה our God (Elohim); and according unto all that יהוה our God (Elohim) shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.’

21 And now I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of יהוה your God (Elohim), nor any thing for which He hath sent me unto you.

22 Now therefore know certainly that you shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither you desire to go and to sojourn.”