21But if you refuse to go forth, this is the word that Yahweh has showed me:
22behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah`s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon`s princes, and those women shall say, Your familiar friends have set you on, and have prevailed over you: [now that] your feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back.
23They shall bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans; and you shall not escape out of their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.
24Then said Zedekiah to Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and you shall not die.
25But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don`t hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also what the king said to you:
26then you shall tell them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan`s house, to die there.
27Then came all the princes to Jeremiah, and asked him; and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.