¹It came to pass, when the children of Israel were taken captive by the king of the Chaldeans, that God spake unto Jeremiah, saying: Jeremiah, mine elect, arise and depart from this city, thou and Baruch; for I am about to destroy it, because of the multitude of the iniquities of those who dwell therein.

²For thy prayers are as a pillar of strength in the midst thereof, and as a wall that cannot be broken round about it.

³Now therefore arise and depart, before the host of the Chaldeans compasseth it round about.

⁴And Jeremiah answered, saying: I beseech thee, O Lord, suffer me, thy servant, to speak in thy presence.

⁵And the LORD said unto him: Speak, mine elect, Jeremiah.

⁶And Jeremiah spake, saying: O Lord Almighty, wouldest thou deliver the chosen city into the hands of the Chaldeans, that the king with the multitude of his people might boast and say: I have prevailed over the holy city of God?

⁷Nay, my Lord; but if it be thy will, let it be destroyed by thine own hands.

⁸And the LORD said unto Jeremiah: Since thou art mine elect, arise and depart from this city, thou and Baruch; for I am about to destroy it, because of the multitude of the iniquities of those who dwell therein.

⁹For neither the king nor his host shall be able to enter therein, unless I first open the gates thereof.

¹⁰Arise, therefore, and go unto Baruch, and tell him these words.

¹¹And when thou hast arisen at the sixth hour of the night, go forth upon the walls of the city, and I will shew thee that unless I first destroy the city, they cannot enter therein.

¹²And when the LORD had spoken these things, he departed from Jeremiah.

¹³In those days the LORD spake unto Jeremiah, saying: Arise and depart from this city with Baruch; for I am about to destroy it, because of the multitude of the iniquities of those who dwell therein.

¹⁴For thy prayers are as pillars of strength in the midst thereof, and as a wall that cannot be broken round about it.

¹⁵Now therefore depart from it, before the host of the Chaldeans compasseth it round about.

¹⁶And Jeremiah spake, saying: I beseech thee, O Lord, suffer me, thy servant, to speak in thy presence.

¹⁷And the LORD said: Speak.

¹⁸And Jeremiah said: O Lord, wouldest thou deliver this city into the hands of the Chaldeans, that they might boast that they had prevailed against it?

¹⁹My Lord, if it be thy will, rather let it be destroyed by thine own hands, and not by the Chaldeans.

²⁰And God said: Thou, arise and depart.

²¹But they shall not boast. Unless I open the gates, they are not able to enter therein.

²²Wherefore go unto Baruch and tell him.

²³And at the sixth hour of the night, go up upon the walls of the city and behold that unless I open the gates, they are not able to enter therein.

²⁴And when he had spoken these things, he departed from him.