Judgment Against Wicked Kings

22 This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the palace of the king^(A) of Judah and proclaim this message there:

² ‘Hear^(A) the word of the Lord to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne^(B)—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates.^(C)

²⁹ The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down,^(A) along with the houses^(B) where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings^(C) to other gods.^(D)

Jeremiah in Prison

37 Zedekiah^(A) son of Josiah was made king^(B) of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he reigned in place of Jehoiachin^[a](C) son of Jehoiakim. ² Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention^(D) to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.

³ King Zedekiah, however, sent^(E) Jehukal^(F) son of Shelemiah with the priest Zephaniah^(G) son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah the prophet with this message: “Please pray^(H) to the Lord our God for us.”

⁴ Now Jeremiah was free to come and go among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison.^(I)