Jeremiah continues announcing that those who remain in Jerusalem will die by war, famine, or disease, while those who surrender to the Babylonians will live.

Several officials hear the message and accuse Jeremiah of weakening the soldiers and discouraging the population.

They ask King Zedekiah to have Jeremiah killed. The weak king tells them that Jeremiah is in their hands.

The officials lower Jeremiah by ropes into a cistern belonging to a royal prince. There is no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sinks into the mire.

An Ethiopian court official named Ebed-melech hears what has happened. He approaches the king and argues that the officials have acted wickedly and that Jeremiah may die of hunger.

Zedekiah authorizes a rescue. Ebed-melech takes men with him, gathers old cloths and rags to protect Jeremiah under the ropes, and pulls the prophet from the cistern.

Jeremiah remains confined in the court of the guard rather than being released.

Zedekiah later summons him secretly and asks for a truthful word from God. Jeremiah again tells the king that surrender will preserve his life and the city, while continued resistance will lead to destruction.

The king fears his own people and refuses to act decisively. Jeremiah survives the cistern, but Jerusalem remains on the path toward the judgment he has been warning about for years.