The flight to Egypt
1Then the army officers, especially Johanan, son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the smallest to the greatest came to speak to Jeremiah: 2“Listen to our plea and pray to Yahweh our God for us, this remnant of people, because really we are few from many, as you can see. 3May Yahweh your God show us the way we should go and what we should do.”
4Jeremiah the prophet answered them, “I have heard you. Yes, I am going to speak to Yahweh as you have requested. And whatever be the word of Yahweh, I shall let you know it without hiding anything.”
5They said to Jeremiah, “May Yahweh be a true and worthy witness against us if we do not act according to every word that Yahweh your God will say to us through you! 6Whether it be good or bad for us we will obey Yahweh our God to whom we are sending you, so it will be well with us for having obeyed the voice of Yahweh our God.”
7Ten days later the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah. 8He then called Johanan, son of Kareah and the army officers with him and all the people from the least to the greatest 9and said to them, “This is the word of Yahweh, God of Israel to whom you sent me with your petition: 10If you wish to live peacefully in this land I will build you up and not pull you down, I will plant you and not uproot you for I will relent of the harm I did you. 11You are afraid of the king of Babylon, but do not fear him – word of Yahweh – for I am with you to save you and rescue you from his hand. 12I will put mercy in his heart so that he may have mercy on you and let you live in your own land. 13But if you say: ‘No, we will no longer live in this land,’ disobeying the voice of Yahweh your God, 14and if you say: ‘No, we shall go to Egypt where we shall no more have wars or hear the trumpet call, where we shall not be hungry for bread!’ 15Then hear the word of Yahweh, remnant of Judah! Yahweh God of hosts and God of Israel speaks: “If you turn towards Egypt to go there and stay there, 16the sword you fear will strike you there in the land of Egypt and famine which you dread will be yours there in Egypt and you will die. 17All those who turn towards Egypt to enter and live there will die by sword, famine and pestilence. No one will escape or flee from the misfortune that I will bring upon them.”
18This is what Yahweh God of hosts and God of Israel says, “Just as my burning anger was poured out on the people of Jerusalem, so will my fury be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will become a curse and a reproach and you will never again see this place.” 19That is what Yahweh has foretold, O remnant of Judah. Do not go to Egypt; be quite sure that I have warned you today. 20You risked your lives when you sent me to Yahweh your God saying: ‘Pray for us to Yahweh our God and tell us all that Yahweh says and we shall do it.’ 21I have told you today though you still do not obey Yahweh your God in all that he told you through me. 22Be sure of this, it will be by the sword, famine and pestilence that you will die in the place where you want to go and live.”
