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 word which came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh, —when King Zedekiah sent unto him Pashhur, son of Malchiah, and Zephaniah, son 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.”
Enquire for us I pray thee of Yahweh, in that, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, maketh war against us, —Peradventure Yahweh will deal with us according to all his wonders, so that he go up from us.
3 And Jeremiah said to them: “This is what you shall say to Zedekiah:
Then said Jeremiah unto them, —Thus, shall ye say unto 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 Yahweh, God of Israel—Behold me! turning back the weapons of war that are in your hand, wherewith, ye, are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans, who are besieging you outside the wall, —and I will gather them into the midst of this city.
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 myself, will fight against you, with a hand outstretched, and with an arm of strength, —and with anger and with wrath and with 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 city, both man and beast, —of a great pestilence, shall they die.
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 that, Declareth Yahweh—Will I deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants, and the people—even such as are left in this city from the pestilence from the sword and from the famine, —into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, even into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them who are seeking their life, —and he will smite them with the edge of the sword, he will not have pity on them nor will he spare nor will he have 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 unto this people, shalt thou say, Thus, saith Yahweh, —Behold me! setting 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 remaineth in this city, shall die—by the sword or by the famine or by the pestilence, —Whereas, he that goeth forth and falleth unto the Chaldeans, who are besieging you, —then shall he live, and, his life, shall become to him, a spoil;
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 have set my face against this city, for calamity and not for blessing, Declareth Yahweh, —Into the hand of the king of Babylon, shall it be given up, and he will burn it with fire.
11 And to the house of the king of Judah, you shall say: Listen to the word of the Lord,
Now, as to the house of the king of Judah, —hear ye the word of Yahweh: —
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 David! Thus, saith Yahweh, Administer justice betimes, And deliver the robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, —Lest mine indignation come forth like fire And burn and there be none to quench it, Because of the wickedness of your doings:
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?’
Behold me! against thee, O thou dweller in the vale on the level rock, Declareth Yahweh, —Ye who are saying, Who shall come down upon us? Who shall enter 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.”
Yet will I bring punishment upon you according to the fruit of your doings, Declareth Yahweh, —and will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all things round about her.
