8 Then he called Johanan, son of Kareah, his army leaders, and all the people, from the least to the greatest,
9 and said to them: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to offer your petition:
10 If indeed you will remain in this land, I will build you up, and not tear you down; I will plant you, not uproot you; for I repent of the evil I have done you.
11 Do not fear the king of Babylon, as you do now. Do not fear him—oracle of the Lord—for I am with you to save you, to rescue you from his power.
12 I will take pity on you, so that he will have pity on you and let you return to your land.
13 But if you keep saying, “We will not stay in this land,” thus disobeying the voice of the Lord, your God,
14 and saying, “No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we will not see war, nor hear the trumpet alarm, nor hunger for bread. There we will live!”