Jeremiah 21

1 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:

The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, when king Sedecias sent unto him Phassur, the son of Melchias, and Sophonias, the son of Maasias the priest, saying:

2 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.

Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon maketh war against us: if so be the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful works, that he may depart from us.

3 Then said Jeremiah unto them, —Thus, shall ye say unto Zedekiah:

And Jeremias said to them: Thus shall you say to Sedecias:

4 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.

Thus saith 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, that besiege you round about the walls: and I will gather them together in the midst of this city.

5 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;

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

6 and I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast, —of a great pestilence, shall they die.

And I will strike the inhabitants of this city, men and beasts shall die of a great pestilence.

7 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.

And after this, saith the Lord, I will give Sedecias the king of Juda, and his servants, and his people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, and the sword, and the famine, into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword, and he shall not be moved to pity, nor spare them, nor shew mercy on them.

8 And unto this people, shalt thou say, Thus, saith Yahweh, —Behold me! setting before you the way, of life, and the way of death:

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

9 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;

He that shall abide in this city, shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that shall go out and flee over to the Chaldeans, that besiege you, shall live, and his life shall be to him as a spoil.

10 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.

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

11 Now, as to the house of the king of Judah, —hear ye the word of Yahweh: —

And to the house of the king of Juda: Hear ye the word of the Lord,

12 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:

O house of David, this saith the Lord: Judge ye judgement in the morning, and deliver him that is oppressed by violence out of the hand of the oppressor: lest my indignation go forth like a fire, and be kindled, and there be none to quench it, because of the evil of your ways.

13 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?

Behold I come to thee that dwellest in a valley upon a rock above a plain, saith the Lord: and you say: Who shall strike us? and who shall enter into our houses?

14 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.

But I will visit upon you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof: and it shall devour all things round about it.