Zedekiah responds to Jeremiah by making a very passionate oath: As the Lord lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hands of these men who seek your life.
Zedekiah makes this oath secretly to Jeremiah,
which reveals a great deal about the sincerity of the oath. If the king was truly willing to stand up for the Lord’s prophet, then surely he would make the oath in public for everyone to hear, especially those who seek to kill Jeremiah, but he simply does not have the courage to do so. It should also be noted that Zedekiah does not respond at all to Jeremiah’s accusation that the king will not listen to what the Lord has to say.
16 Le roi Sédécias jura secrètement à Jérémie, en disant: L'Eternel est vivant, lui qui nous a donné la vie! je ne te ferai pas mourir, et je ne te livrerai pas entre les mains de ces hommes qui en veulent à ta vie.