“Then Jeremiah said
To King Zedekiah.
‘Thus says Yahweh!
The God of hosts!
The God of Israel!
If you will surrender
To the officials
Of the king of Babylon,
Then your life
Shall be spared.
This city
Shall not be burned
With fire.
You
With your house
Shall live.’”
Jeremiah told King Zedekiah what Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, had said. If he surrendered to the officials of the Babylonian king, then his life would be spared. Jerusalem would not be burned down. He and his whole household would be able to live. In other words, Jeremiah was telling the king of Judah to surrender to the king of Babylon.