With tears Jeremiah entreated the king to save himself and his people. With anguish of spirit he assured him that he could not escape with his life, and that all his possessions would fall to the king of Babylon. He could save the city if he would. But he had started upon the wrong track and would not retrace his steps. He decided to follow the counsel of false prophets and of men whom he really despised and who ridiculed his weakness of character in yielding so readily to their wishes. He yielded the noble freedom of his manhood to become a cringing slave to public opinion. While he had no fixed purpose of evil, he also had no resolution to stand boldly for the right. While he was convicted of the truth as spoken by Jeremiah, he did not possess the moral stamina to obey his counsel, but advanced steadily in the wrong direction. {4T 183.2}

Under tårer bønfaldt Jeremias kongen om at redde sig selv og folket. Under smerte forsikrede han ham at han ikke kunne undfly med sit liv og at alle hans ejendomme ville tilfalde Babylons konge. Han kunne ikke redde byen, hvis han ville. Men han var begyndt på det forkerte spor og (184) ville ikke gå samme vej tilbage. Han ønskede at følge falske profeters og menneskers råd, hvem han virkelig foragtede og som gjorde nar af hans karaktersvaghed, for ikke at kunne opgive deres ønsker så hurtigt. Han opgav sin manddoms prægtigste frihed for at blive krybende slave for offentlig modstand. Selvom han ikke havde noget decideret ondt øjemed, havde han heller ikke fasthed til at stå frimodigt for det rigtige. Selvom han var overbevist om den sandhed, som Jeremias udtalte, havde han ikke moralsk modstandskraft til at adlyde hans råd, men fortsatte stadig på den forkerte vej.