DENISON

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Quicúmque mánserit in civitáte hac, moriétur gládio, et fame, et peste: qui autem profúgerit ad Chaldaeos, vivet, et erit ánima ejus sospes et vivens. Hæc dicit Dóminus: Tradéndo tradétur cívitas hæc in manu exércitus regis Babylónis, et cápiet eam. Et dixérunt príncipes regi: Rogámus ut occidátur homo iste: de indústria enim dissólvit manus virórum bellántium qui remansérunt in civitáte hac, et manus univérsi pópuli, loquens ad eos juxta verba hæc: síquidem homo iste non quærit pacem pópulo huic, sed malum. Et dixit rex Sedécias: Ecce ipse in mánibus vestris est: nec enim fas est regem vobis quidquam negáre. Tulérunt ergo Jeremíam, et projecérunt eum in lacum Mélchiæ fílii Ámelech, qui erat in vestíbulo cárceris: et submisérunt Jeremíam fúnibus in lacum, in quo non erat aqua, sed lutum: descéndit ítaque Jeremías in cœnum. XXXVIII. Audívit autem Abdémelech Æthiops, vir eunúchus, qui erat in domo regis, quod misíssent Jeremíam in lacum. Porro rex sedébat in porta Bénjamin: et egréssus est Abdémelech de domo regis, et locútus est ad regem, dicens: Dómine mi rex, male fecérunt viri isti ómnia quæcúmque perpetrárunt contra Jeremíam prophétam, mitténtes eum in lacum, ut moriátur ibi fame: non sunt enim panes ultra in civitáte. Præcépit ítaque rex Abdémelech Æthíopi, dicens: Tolle tecum hinc trigínta viros, et leva Jeremíam prophétam de lacu, ántequam moriátur. Assúmptis ergo Abdémelech secum viris, ingréssus est domum regis, quæ erat sub cellário, et tulit inde véteres pannos, et antíqua quæ computrúerant, et submísit ea ad Jeremíam in lacum per funículos. Dixítque Abdémelech Æthiops ad Jeremíam: Pone véteres pannos, et hæc scissa et pútrida, sub cúbito mánuum tuárum, et super funes. Fecit ergo Jeremías sic, et extraxérunt Jeremíam fúnibus, et eduxérunt eum de lacu: mansit autem Jeremías in vestíbulo cárceris. Et misit rex Sedécias, et tulit ad se Jeremíam prophétam ad óstium tértium quod erat in domo Dómini: et dixit rex ad Jeremíam: Intérrogo ego te sermónem, ne abscóndas a me áliquid. Dixit autem Jeremías ad Sedéciam: Si annuntiávero tibi, numquid non interfícies me? et si consílium dédero tibi, non me áudies. Jurávit ergo rex Sedécias Jeremíæ clam, dicens: Vivit Dóminus, qui fecit nobis ánimam hanc, si occídero te, et si tradídero te in manus virórum istórum qui quærunt ánimam tuam. Et dixit Jeremías ad Sedéciam: Hæc dicit Dóminus exercítuum, Deus Israël: Si proféctus exíeris ad príncipes regis Babylónis, vivet ánima tua, et cívitas hæc non succendétur igni: et salvus eris tu, et domus tua. Si autem non exíeris ad príncipes regis Babylónis, tradétur cívitas hæc in manus Chaldæórum, et succéndent eam

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igni: et tu non effúgies de manu eórum. Et dixit rex Sedécias ad Jeremíam: Sollícitus sum propter Judaeos qui transfugérunt ad Chaldaeos, ne forte tradar in manus eórum, et illúdant mihi. Respóndit autem Jeremías: Non te tradent. Audi, quæso, vocem Dómini, quam ego loquor ad te, et bene tibi erit, et vivet ánima tua. Quod si nolúeris égredi, iste est sermo quem osténdit mihi Dóminus: ecce omnes mulíeres quæ remansérunt in domo regis Juda educéntur ad príncipes regis Babylónis, et ipsæ dicent: Seduxérunt te, et prævaluérunt advérsum te, viri pacífici tui: demersérunt in cœno et in lúbrico pedes tuos, et recessérunt a te. Et omnes uxóres tuæ et fílii tui educéntur ad Chaldaeos: et non effúgies manus eórum, sed in manu regis Babylónis capíeris, et civitátem hanc combúret igni. Dixit ergo Sedécias ad Jeremíam: Nullus sciat verba hæc, et non moriéris. Si autem audíerint príncipes quia locútus sum tecum, et vénerint ad te, et díxerint tibi: Índica nobis quid locútus sis cum rege: ne celes nos, et non te interficiémus: et quid locútus est tecum rex: dices ad eos: Prostrávi ego preces meas coram rege, ne me redúci júberet in domum Jónathan, et ibi morérer. Venérunt ergo omnes príncipes ad Jeremíam, et interrogavérunt eum, et locútus est eis juxta ómnia verba quæ præcéperat ei rex: et cessavérunt ab eo: nihil enim fúerat audítum. Mansit vero Jeremías in vestíbulo cárceris usque ad diem quo capta est Jerúsalem: et factum est ut caperétur Jerúsalem. XXXIX Anno nono Sedéciæ regis Juda, mense décimo, venit Nabuchodonósor rex Babylónis, et omnis exércitus ejus, ad Jerúsalem, et obsidébant eam. Undécimo autem anno Sedéciæ, mense quarto, quinta mensis, apérta est cívitas: et ingréssi sunt omnes príncipes regis Babylónis, et sedérunt in porta média: Néregel, Seréser, Semegarnábu, Sarsáchim, Rabsáres, Néregel, Seréser, Rebmag, et omnes réliqui príncipes regis Babylónis. Cumque vidísset eos Sedécias rex Juda, et omnes viri bellatóres, fugérunt: et egréssi sunt nocte de civitáte per viam horti regis, et per portam quæ erat inter duos muros, et egréssi sunt ad viam desérti. Persecútus est autem eos exércitus Chaldæórum, et comprehendérunt Sedéciam in campo solitúdinis Jerichóntinæ, et captum adduxérunt ad Nabuchodonósor regem Babylónis, in Reblátha, quæ est in terra Emath: et locútus est ad eum judícia. Et óccidit rex Babylónis fílios Sedéciæ in Reblátha, in óculis ejus: et omnes nóbiles Juda óccidit rex Babylónis. Óculos quoque Sedéciæ éruit, et vinxit eum compédibus ut ducerétur in Babylónem. Domum quoque regis et domum vulgi succendérunt Chaldaei igni, et murum Jerúsalem subvertérunt. Et relíquias pópuli qui remánserant in civi-

[Jeremiah 38:2-39:9]

Whosoever shall remain in this city, shall die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence: but he that shall go forth to the Chaldeans, shall live, and his life shall be safe, and he shall live. 3 Thus saith the Lord: This city shall surely be delivered into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it. 4 And the princes said to the king: We beseech thee that this man may be put to death: for on purpose he weakeneth the hands of the men of war, that remain in this city, and the hands of the people, speaking to them according to these words: for this man seeketh not peace to this people, but evil. 5 And king Sedecias said: Behold he is in your hands: for it is not lawful for the king to deny you any thing. 6 Then they took Jeremias and cast him into the dungeon of Melchias the son of Amelech, which was in the entry of the prison: and they let down Jeremias by ropes into the dungeon, wherein there was no water, but mire. And Jeremias sunk into the mire. 7 Now Abdemelech the Ethiopian, an eunuch that was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremias in the dungeon: but the king was sitting in the gate of Benjamin. 8 And Abdemelech went out of the king's house, and spoke to the king, saying: 9 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done against Jeremias the prophet, casting him into the dungeon to die there with hunger, for there is no more bread in the city. 10 Then the king commanded Abdemelech the Ethiopian, saying: Take from hence thirty men with thee, and draw up Jeremias the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die. 11 So Abdemelech taking the men with him, went into the king's house that was under the storehouse: and he took from thence old rags, and old rotten things, and he let them down by cords to Jeremias into the dungeon. 12 And Abdemelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremias: Put these old rags and these rent and rotten things under thy arms, and upon the cords: and Jeremias did so. 13 And they drew up Jeremias with the cords, and brought him forth out of the dungeon. And Jeremias remained in the entry of the prison. 14 And king Sedecias sent, and took Jeremias the prophet to him to the third gate, that was in the house of the Lord: and the king said to Jeremias: I will ask thee a thing, hide nothing from me. 15 Then Jeremias said to Sedecias: If I shall declare it to thee, wilt thou not put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, thou wilt not hearken to me. 16 Then king Sedecias swore to Jeremias, in private, saying: As the Lord liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, nor will I deliver thee into the hands of these men that seek thy life. 17 And Jeremias said to Sedecias: Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: If thou wilt take a resolution and go out to the princes of the king of Babylon, thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burnt with fire: and thou shalt be safe, and thy house. 18 But if thou wilt not go out to the princes of the king of Babylon, this city shall be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire: and thou shalt not escape out of their hands. 19 And king Sedecias said to Jeremias: I am afraid because of the Jews that are fled over to the Chaldeans: lest I should be delivered into their hands, and they should abuse me. 20 But Jeremias answered: They shall not deliver thee: hearken, I beseech thee, to the word of the Lord, which I speak to thee, and it shall be well with thee, and thy soul shall live. 21 But if thou wilt not go forth, this is the word which the Lord hath shewn me: 22 Behold all the women that are left in the house of the king of Juda, shall be brought out to the princes of the king of Babylon: and they shall say: Thy men of peace have deceived thee, and have prevailed against thee, they have plunged thy feet in the mire, and in a slippery place, and they have departed from thee. 23 And all thy wives, and thy children shall be brought out to the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape their hands, but thou shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and he shall burn this city with fire. 24 Then Sedecias said to Jeremias: Let no man know these words, and thou shalt not die. 25 But if the princes shall hear that I have spoken with thee, and shall come to thee, and say to thee: Tell us what thou hast said to the king, hide it not from us, and we will not kill thee: and also what the king said to thee: 26 Thou shalt say to them: I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not command me to be carried back into the house of Jonathan, to die there. 27 So all the princes came to Jeremias, and asked him: and he spoke to them according to all the words that the king had commanded him: and they left him: for nothing had been heard. 28 But Jeremias remained in the entry of the prison, until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and it came to pass that Jerusalem was taken.

1 In the ninth year of Sedecias king of Juda, in the tenth month, came Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and all his army to Jerusalem, and they besieged it. 2 And in the eleventh year of Sedecias, in the fourth month, the fifth day of the month, the city was opened. 3 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate: Neregel, Sereser, Semegarnabu, Sarsachim, Rabsares, Neregel, Serezer, Rebmag, and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. 4 And when Sedecias the king of Juda and all the men of war saw them, they fled: and they went forth in the night out of the city by the way of the king's garden, and by the gate that was between the two walls, and they went; out to the way of the desert. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them: and they took Sedecias in the plain of the desert of Jericho, and when they had taken him, they brought him to Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon to Reblatha, which is in the land of Emath: and he gave judgment upon him. 6 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Sedecias, in Reblatha, before his eyes: and the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Juda. 7 He also put out the eyes of Sedecias: and bound him with fetters, to be carried to Babylon. 8 And the Chaldeans burnt the king's house, and the houses of the people with fire, and they threw down the wall of Jerusalem. 9 And Nabuzardan the general of the army carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city...

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-tate et pérfugas qui transfúgerant ad eum, et supérfluos vulgi qui remánserant, tránstulit Nabuzárdan, magíster mílitum, in Babylónem. Et de plebe páuperum, qui nihil pénitus habébant, dimísit Nabuzárdan magíster mílitum in terra Juda, et dedit eis víneas et cistérnas in die illa. Præcéperat autem Nabuchodonósor rex Babylónis de Jeremía Nabuzárdan magístro mílitum, dicens: Tolle illum, et pone super eum óculos tuos, nihílque ei mali fácias: sed ut volúerit, sic fácias ei. Misit ergo Nabuzárdan princeps milítiæ, et Nabusézban, et Rabsáres, et Néregel, et Seréser, et Rebmag, et omnes optimátes regis Babylónis, misérunt, et tulérunt Jeremíam de vestíbulo cárceris, et tradidérunt eum Godóliæ fílio Áhicam fílii Saphan, ut intráret in domum, et habitáret in pópulo. Ad Jeremíam autem factus fúerat sermo Dómini, cum clausus esset in vestíbulo cárceris, dicens: Vade, et dic Abdémelech Æthíopi, dicens: Hæc dicit Dóminus exercítuum, Deus Israël: Ecce ego indúcam sermónes meos super civitátem hanc in malum, et non in bonum, et erunt in conspéctu tuo in die illa. Et liberábo te in die illa, ait Dóminus, et non tráderis in manus virórum quos tu formídas: sed éruens liberábo te, et gládio non cades, sed erit tibi ánima tua in salútem, quia in me habuísti fidúciam, ait Dóminus. XL. Sermo qui factus est ad Jeremíam a Dómino, postquam dimíssus est a Nabuzárdan magístro milítiæ de Rama, quando tulit eum vinctum caténis in médio ómnium qui migrábant de Jerúsalem et Juda, et ducebántur in Babylónem. Tollens ergo princeps milítiæ Jeremíam, dixit ad eum: Dóminus Deus tuus locútus est malum hoc super locum istum: et addúxit, et fecit Dóminus sicut locútus est, quia peccástis Dómino, et non audístis vocem ejus: et factus est vobis sermo hic. Nunc ergo ecce solvi te hódie de caténis quæ sunt in mánibus tuis: si placet tibi ut vénias mecum in Babylónem, veni, et ponam óculos meos super te: si autem dísplicet tibi veníre mecum in Babylónem, réside: ecce omnis terra in conspéctu tuo est: quod elégeris, et quo placúerit tibi ut vadas, illuc perge: et mecum noli veníre, sed hábita apud Godóliam fílium Áhicam fílii Saphan, quem præpósuit rex Babylónis civitátibus Juda: hábita ergo cum eo in médio pópuli: vel quocúmque placúerit tibi ut vadas, vade. Dedit quoque ei magíster milítiæ cibária et munúscula, et dimísit eum. Venit autem Jeremías ad Godóliam fílium Áhicam in Masphath, et habitávit cum eo in médio pópuli qui re-

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-líctus fúerat in terra. Cumque audíssent omnes príncipes exércitus, qui dispérsi fúerant per regiónes, ipsi et sócii eórum, quod præfecísset rex Babylónis Godóliam fílium Áhicam terræ, et quod commendásset ei viros, et mulíeres, et párvulos, et de paupéribus terræ, qui non fúerant transláti in Babylónem, venérunt ad Godóliam in Masphath, et Ísmahel fílius Nathániæ, et Johánan et Jónathan fílii Cáree, et Sáreas fílius Thanehúmeth, et fílii Ophi, qui erant de Netopháthi, et Jezónias fílius Maacháthi, ipsi et viri eórum. Et jurávit eis Godólias fílius Áhicam fílii Saphan, et comítibus eórum, dicens: Nolíte timére servíre Chaldaeis : habitáte in terra, et servíte regi Babylónis, et bene erit vobis. Ecce ego hábito in Masphath, ut respóndeam præcépto Chaldæórum qui mittúntur ad nos: vos autem collígite vindémiam, et messem, et óleum, et cóndite in vasis vestris, et manéte in úrbibus vestris quas tenétis. Sed et omnes Judaei qui erant in Moab, et in fíliis Ammon, et in Idumaea, et in univérsis regiónibus, audíto quod dedísset rex Babylónis relíquias in Judaea, et quod præposuísset super eos Godóliam fílium Áhicam fílii Saphan, revérsi sunt, inquam, omnes Judaei de univérsis locis ad quæ profúgerant, et venérunt in terram Juda ad Godóliam in Masphath, et collegérunt vinum et messem multam nimis. Johánan autem fílius Cáree, et omnes príncipes exércitus qui dispérsi fúerant in regiónibus, venérunt ad Godóliam in Masphath, et dixérunt ei: Scito quod Baális, rex filiórum Ammon, misit Ísmahel fílium Nathániæ percútere ánimam tuam. Et non crédidit eis Godólias fílius Áhicam. Johánan autem fílius Cáree dixit ad Godóliam seórsum in Masphath, loquens: Ibo, et percútiam Ísmahel fílium Nathániæ, nullo sciénte, ne interfíciat ánimam tuam, et dissipéntur omnes Judaei qui congregáti sunt ad te, et períbunt réliquiæ Juda. Et ait Godólias fílius Áhicam ad Johánan fílium Cáree: Noli fácere verbum hoc: falsum enim tu lóqueris de Ísmahel. XXXIX. Et factum est in mense séptimo, venit Ísmahel fílius Nathániæ fílii Elisáma, de sémine regáli, et optimátes regis, et decem viri cum eo, ad Godóliam fílium Áhicam, in Masphath, et comedérunt ibi panes simul in Masphath. Surréxit autem Ísmahel fílius Nathániæ, et decem viri qui cum eo erant, et percussérunt Godóliam fílium Áhicam fílii Saphan gládio, et interfecérunt eum quem præfécerat rex Babylónis terræ. Omnes quoque Judaeos qui erant cum Godólia in Masphath, et Chaldaeos qui repérti sunt ibi, et viros bellatóres, percússit Ísmahel. Secúndo autem die

[Jeremiah 39:9-41:4]

...and the fugitives that had gone over to him, and the rest of the people that remained. 10 But Nabuzardan the general left some of the poor people that had nothing at all, in the land of Juda, and he gave them vineyards, and cisterns at that time. 11 Now Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had given charge to Nabuzardan the general concerning Jeremias, saying: 12 Take him, and set thy eyes upon him, and do him no harm: but as he hath a mind, so do with him. 13 Therefore Nabuzardan the general sent, and Nabusezban, and Rabsares, and Neregel, and Sereser, and Rebmag, and all the nobles of the king of Babylon, 14 Sent, and took Jeremias out of the court of the prison, and committed him to Godolias the son of Ahicam the son of Saphan, that he might go home, and dwell among the people. 15 But the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, when he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying: Go, and tell Abdemelech the Ethiopian, saying: 16 Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Behold I will bring my words upon this city unto evil, and not unto good: and they shall be accomplished in thy sight in that day. 17 And I will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord: and thou shalt not be given into the hands of the men whom thou fearest: 18 But delivering, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword: but thy life shall be saved for thee, because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord.

1 The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, after that Nabuzardan the general had let him go from Rama, when he had taken him, being bound with chains, among all them that were carried away from Jerusalem and Juda, and were carried to Babylon. 2 And the general of the army taking Jeremias, said to him: The Lord thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place, 3 And he hath brought it: and the Lord hath done as he hath said: because you have sinned against the Lord, and have not hearkened to his voice, and this word is come upon you. 4 Now then behold I have loosed thee this day from the chains which were upon thy hands: if it please thee to come with me to Babylon, come: and I will set my eyes upon thee: but if it do not please thee to come with me to Babylon, stay here: behold all the land is before thee, as thou shalt choose, and whither it shall please thee to go, thither go. 5 And come not with me: but dwell with Godolias the son of Ahicam the son of Saphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Juda: dwell therefore with him in the midst of the people: or whithersoever it shall please thee to go, go. And the general of the army gave him victuals and presents, and let him go. 6 And Jeremias went to Godolias the son of Ahicam to Masphath: and dwelt with him in the midst of the people that were left in the land. 7 And when all the captains of the army that were scattered through the countries, they and their companions, had heard that the king of Babylon had made Godolias the son of Ahicam governor of the country, and that he had committed unto him men and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, them that had not been carried away captive to Babylon: 8 They came to Godolias to Masphath: and Ismahel the son of Nathanias, and Johanan, and Jonathan, the sons of Caree, and Sareas the son of Thanehumeth, and the children of Ophi, that were of Netophathi, and Jezonias the son of Maachati, they and their men. 9 And Godolias the son of Ahicam the son of Saphan swore to them and to their companions, saying: Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. 10 Behold I dwell in Masphath, that I may answer the commandment of the Chaldeans that are sent to us: but as for you, gather ye the vintage, and the harvest, and the oil, and lay it up in your vessels, and abide in your cities which you hold. 11 Moreover all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the children of Ammon, and in Edom, and in all the countries, when they heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judea, and that he had made Godolias the son of Ahicam the son of Saphan ruler over them: 12 All the Jews, I say, returned out of all the places to which they had fled, and they came into the land of Juda to Godolias to Masphath: and they gathered wine, and a very great harvest. 13 Then Johanan the son of Caree, and all the captains of the army, that had been scattered about in the countries, came to Godolias to Masphath. 14 And they said to him: Know that Baalis the king of the children of Ammon hath sent Ismahel the son of Nathanias to kill thee. And Godolias the son of Ahicam believed them not. 15 But Johanan the son of Caree, spoke to Godolias privately in Masphath, saying: I will go, and I will kill Ismahel the son of Nathanias, and no man shall know it, lest he kill thee, and all the Jews be scattered, that are gathered unto thee, and the remnant of Juda perish. 16 And Godolias the son of Ahicam said to Johanan the son of Caree: Do not this thing: for what thou sayst of Ismahel is false.

1 And it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ismahel the son of Nathanias, the son of Elisama of the royal blood, and the nobles of the king, and ten men with him, came to Godolias the son of Ahicam into Masphath: and they ate bread there together in Masphath. 2 And Ismahel the son of Nathanias arose, and the ten men that were with him, and they struck Godolias the son of Ahicam, the son of Saphan with the sword, and slew him whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. 3 Ismahel slew also all the Jews that were with Godolias in Masphath, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the soldiers. 4 And on the second day...