Armiya 37
Zedekiah Ibn Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah Ibn Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah. 2But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, listened to the words of Allah, which he spoke by the prophet Armiya. 3Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal Ibn Shelemiah, and Zephaniah Ibn Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Armiya, saying, Pray now to Allah our God for us. 4Now Armiya came in and went out among the people; for they had not put him into prison. 5Firaun's army had come forth out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they broke up from Jerusalem. 6Then came the word of Allah to the prophet Armiya, saying, 7Thus says Allah, the God of Israel, Thus shall you tell the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: Behold, Firaun's army, which has come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land. 8The Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with fire. 9Thus says Allah, Do not deceive yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart. 10For even if you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yes, they would rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire. 11It happened that, when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Firaun's army, 12then Armiya went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Binyamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people. 13When he was in the gate of Binyamin, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah Ibn Shelemiah, Ibn Hananiah; and he laid hold on Armiya the prophet, saying, You are falling away to the Chaldeans. 14Then Armiya said, It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he did not listen to him; so Irijah laid hold on Armiya, and brought him to the princes. 15The princes were angry with Armiya, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison. 16When Armiya came into the dungeon-house, and into the cells, and Armiya remained there many days; 17Then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from Allah? Armiya said, There is. He said also, You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon. 18Moreover Armiya said to king Zedekiah, Wherein have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison? 19Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land? 20Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there. 21Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Armiya into the court of the guard; and they gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was spent. Thus Armiya remained in the court of the guard.