Jeremiah 21
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from YHWH, when king Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying,
The word that has been to Jeremiah from YHWH, in King Zedekiah’s sending to him Pashhur son of Malchiah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,
2 "Please inquire of YHWH for us; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us: perhaps YHWH will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us."
“Please inquire of YHWH for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has fought against us; perhaps YHWH deals with us according to all His wonders, and causes him to go up from off us.”
3 Then Jeremiah said to them, "You shall tell Zedekiah:
And Jeremiah says to them, “Thus you say to Zedekiah,
4 'Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel, "Look, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you, without the walls; and I will gather them into the midst of this city.
Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Behold, I am turning around the weapons of battle That [are] in your hand, With which you fight the king of Babylon, And the Chaldeans, who are laying siege against you, At the outside of the wall, And I have gathered them into the midst of this city,
5 I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation.
And I have fought against you, With an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm, And in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath,
6 I will strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and animal: they shall die of a great pestilence.
And I have struck the inhabitants of this city, Both man and beast, They die by a great pestilence.
7 Afterward," says YHWH, "I will 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 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life: and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy."'
And after this,” A declaration of YHWH, “I give Zedekiah king of Judah, And his servants, and the people, And those left in this city, From the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, Into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, And into the hand of their enemies, And into the hand of those seeking their life, And he has struck them by the mouth of the sword, He has no pity on them, Nor does he spare, nor does he have mercy.”
8 To this people you shall say, "Thus says YHWH: 'Look, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
“And you say to this people, Thus said YHWH: Behold, I am setting before you the way of life, And the way of death!
9 He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he who goes out, and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be to him for a prey.
Whoever is abiding in this city—dies, By sword, and by famine, and by pestilence, And whoever is going forth, And has fallen to the Chaldeans, Who are laying siege against you—lives, And his life has been for a spoil to him.
10 For I have set my face on this city for evil, and not for good,' says YHWH: 'it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.'
For I have set My face against this city for calamity, And not for good,” A declaration of YHWH. “It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon, And he has burned it with fire.
11 Touching the house of the king of Judah, hear the word of YHWH:
And as for the house of the king of Judah,” Hear a word of YHWH;
12 'House of David, thus says YHWH, "Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
O house of David, thus said YHWH: “Decide judgment in the morning, And deliver the plundered from the hand of the oppressor, Lest My fury go forth as fire, And has burned, and none is quenching, Because of the evil of your doings.
13 Look, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain," says YHWH; "you that say, 'Who shall come down against us? Or who shall enter into our habitations?'
Behold, I [am] against you,” A declaration of YHWH, “O inhabitant of the valley, rock of the plain, Who are saying, Who comes down against us? And who comes into our habitations?
14 I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings," says YHWH; "and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is around her."'"
And I have laid a charge against you, According to the fruit of your doings,” A declaration of YHWH, “And I have kindled a fire in its forest, And it has consumed all its outskirts!”
