“Jeremiah said

To King Zedekiah.

‘If I tell you,

You will put me

To death.

Will you not?

If I give you advice,

You will not listen to me!’

Then King Zedekiah

Swore an oath

In secret

To Jeremiah.

‘As Yahweh lives!

He gave us our lives!

I will not put you

To death.

I will not hand you over

To these men

Who seek your life.’”

Jeremiah was cautious with King Zedekiah. He was afraid that he would be put to death. So Jeremiah told the king that if he told him anything, the king would kill him anyway. If he gave him any advice, the king was not going to listen to him, no matter what. However, the king tried to reassure Jeremiah. He swore to the living God Yahweh that he was not going to kill him or turn him over to those who wanted to kill him.