Jeremiah 42:1-12

All the army officers, led by Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, accompanied by all the people, small and great, came to Jeremiah the prophet and said, “We have a request. Please listen. Pray to your GOD for us, what’s left of us. You can see for yourself how few we are! Pray that your GOD will tell us the way we should go and what we should do.” Jeremiah the prophet said, “I hear your request. And I will pray to your GOD as you have asked. Whatever GOD says, I’ll pass on to you. I’ll tell you everything, holding nothing back.” They said to Jeremiah, “Let GOD be our witness, a true and faithful witness against us, if we don’t do everything that your GOD directs you to tell us. Whether we like it or not, we’ll do it. We’ll obey whatever our GOD tells us. Yes, count on us. We’ll do it.” Ten days later GOD’s Message came to Jeremiah. He called together Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers with him, including all the people, regardless of how much clout they had. He then spoke: “This is the Message from GOD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your prayer. He says, ‘If you are ready to stick it out in this land, I will build you up and not drag you down, I will plant you and not pull you up like a weed. I feel deep compassion on account of the doom I have visited on you. You don’t have to fear the king of Babylon. Your fears are for nothing. I’m on your side, ready to save and deliver you from anything he might do. I’ll pour mercy on you. What’s more, he will show you mercy! He’ll let you come back to your very own land.’