“Thus says Yahweh!
The God of Israel!
‘Go!
Speak to King Zedekiah
Of Judah!
Say to him!’
‘Thus says Yahweh!
I am going
To give this city
Into the hand
Of the king of Babylon.
He shall burn it
With fire.
You yourself
Shall not escape
From his hand.
But you shall surely
Be captured.
You shall be
Handed over to him.
You shall see
The king of Babylon
Eye to eye.
You shall speak
With him
Face to face.
You shall go
To Babylon.’”
Yahweh, the God of Israel, spoke directly to Jeremiah. Jeremiah was to go and tell King Zedekiah about the coming defeat of Jerusalem and his own personal fate. Yahweh told Jeremiah exactly what to say to the king. Yahweh was going to hand over the city of Jerusalem to the king of Babylon, who was then going to burn it down. As for King Zedekiah, he was not going to escape. He was going to be captured. Then he would be turned over to King Nebuchadnezzar. He would then see him eye to eye and speak to him face to face. He would be sent off to Babylon. This prophecy is much like the same prophecy that Jeremiah had given to King Zedekiah earlier in chapter 32.