A reading from the book of Jeremiah.

Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah,

reigned instead of Kunaya, the son of Jeholyakim.

But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord that he spoke through

Jeremiah the prophet. King Zedekiah sent Jehucal, the son of Shalimaya, and Zefaniah the

priest, the son of Measea, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, please pray for us to the Lord

our God. Now Jeremiah was still going in and out among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison.

The army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem

heard news about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet.

Thus says the Lord, God of Israel.

Thus shall you say to the King of Judah who sent you to me to inquire of me.

Behold, Pharaoh's army that came to help you is about to return to Egypt to its own land, and the Chaldeans shall

come back and fight against this city. They shall capture it and burn it with fire. Thus says the

Lord, do not deceive yourselves, saying the Chaldeans will surely go away from us, for they

will not go away. For even if you should defeat the whole army of Chaldeans will surely go away from us, for they will not go away. For even if you should defeat

the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded

men, every man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire. Now when the

Caldean army had withdrawn from Jerusalem at the approach of Pharaoh's

army, Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to receive his portion there

among the people. When he was at the Benjamin gate, a sentry there named Eryja the son of

Shalamaya, son of Hananiah,

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