²⁵ I will deliver^(A) you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Babylonians.^[a]

²⁰ I will deliver^(A) into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them.^(B) Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.^(C)

²¹ “I will deliver Zedekiah^(D) king of Judah and his officials^(E) into the hands of their enemies^(F) who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon,^(G) which has withdrawn^(H) from you.

⁷ After that, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah^(A) king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague,^(B) sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon^(C) and to their enemies^(D) who want to kill them.^(E) He will put them to the sword;^(F) he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’^(G)

¹⁵ Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin^(A) captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother,^(B) his wives, his officials and the prominent people^(C) of the land. ¹⁶ The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand skilled workers and artisans.^(D)

¹⁶ But King Zedekiah swore this oath secretly^(A) to Jeremiah: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has given us breath,^(B) I will neither kill you nor hand you over to those who want to kill you.”^(C)