What does Jeremiah 38:16 mean?

So King Zedekiah secretly promised Jeremiah, 'As surely as the Lord lives, who gave us life, I won’t have you killed or hand you over to the people who want you dead.' Jeremiah 38:16 - Modern Text Bible

(Zedekiah swears to Jeremiah in private that he won’t betray him to his enemies, trying to reassure the prophet of his safety.)