Jeremiah 21

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when king Zedekiah sent Pashhur, the son of Malchiah, and Zephaniah, the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to him, saying:

The worde which came vnto Ieremiah from the Lord, when king Zedekiah sent vnto him Pashur, the sonne of Malchiah, and Zephaniah, the sonne of Maaseiah the Priest, saying,

2 “Question the Lord on our behalf, for Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, is fighting against us. Perhaps it may be that the Lord will act toward us according to all his wonders, and he may withdraw from us.”

Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for vs, (for Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel maketh warre against vs) if so be that the Lord will deale with vs according to all his wonderous workes, that he may returne vp from vs.

3 And Jeremiah said to them: “This is what you shall say to Zedekiah:

Then said Ieremiah, Thus shall you say to Zedekiah,

4 Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans, who besiege you at the surrounding walls. And I will gather these things together in the midst of this city.

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will turne backe the weapons of warre that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the King of Babel, and against the Caldeans, which besiege you without the walles, and I will assemble them into the middes of this citie.

5 And I myself will make war against you: with an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm, and in fury, and in indignation, and in great wrath.

And I my selfe will fight against you with an outstretched hand, and with a mighty arme, eue in anger and in wrath, and in great indignation.

6 And I will strike the inhabitants of this city; men and beasts will die from a great pestilence.

And I will smite the inhabitants of this citie, both man, and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.

7 And afterward, thus says the Lord: I will give Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his servants, and his people, and those who have been left behind in this city after pestilence and the sword and famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their lives. And he will strike them with the edge of the sword. And he will not waver, and he will not be lenient, and he will not take pity.

And after this, sayeth the Lord, I will deliuer Zedekiah the King of Iudah, and his seruants, and the people, and such as are left in this citie, from the pestilence, from the sworde and from the famine into the hande of Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel, and into the hande of their enemies, and into the hande of those that seeke their liues, and he shall smite them with the edge of the sworde: he shall not spare them, neither haue pitie nor compassion.

8 And to this people, you shall say: Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

And vnto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord, Beholde, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

9 Whoever lives in this city will die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence. But whoever will have departed and fled away to the Chaldeans, who besiege you, will live, and his life will be to him like a spoil.

He that abideth in this citie, shall dye by the sword and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Caldeans, that besiege you, he shall liue, and his life shalbe vnto him for a pray.

10 For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, says the Lord. It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.

For I haue set my face against this citie, for euill and not for good, saith the Lord: it shalbe giuen into the hande of the King of Babel, and he shall burne it with fire.

11 And to the house of the king of Judah, you shall say: Listen to the word of the Lord,

And say vnto the house of the King of Iudah, Heare ye the worde of the Lord.

12 O house of David! Thus says the Lord: Judge with judgment from early morning, and rescue anyone who is oppressed by violence from the hand of a false accuser. Otherwise, my indignation may go forth like a fire, and may flare up, and there will be no one who can extinguish it, because of the evil of your intentions.

O house of Dauid, thus saith the Lord, Execute iudgement in the morning, and deliuer the oppressed out of the hande of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire and burne, that none can quench it, because of the wickednes of your workes.

13 Behold, I am against you, O inhabitants of a valley with firm and level ground, says the Lord. And you say: ‘Who can strike us? And who can enter into our houses?’

Beholde, I come against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rocke of the plaine, saith the Lord, which say, Who shall come downe against vs? or who shall enter into our habitations?

14 But I will visit against you according to the fruit of your intentions, says the Lord. And I will kindle a fire in its forest. And it shall devour everything around it.”

But I will visite you according to the fruite of your workes, saith the Lord, and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall deuoure rounde about it.