< Jeremiah 21 >

1 The word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malkijah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest to him, and they said,
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said,
2 “Seek advice from Yahweh on our behalf, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war on us. Perhaps Yahweh will do miracles for us, as in times past, and will make him withdraw from us.”
“Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”
3 So Jeremiah said to them, “This is what you must say to Zedekiah,
But Jeremiah answered, “You are to tell Zedekiah that
4 'Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: See, I am about to turn back the instruments of war that are in your hand, with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are closing you in from outside the walls! For I will gather them in the middle of this city.
this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will turn against you the weapons of war in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall, and I will assemble their forces in the center of this city.
5 Then I myself will fight against you with a raised hand and a strong arm, and with wrath, fury, and great anger.
And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, with anger, fury, and great wrath.
6 For I will attack the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a severe plague.
I will strike down the residents of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a terrible plague.’
7 After this—this is Yahweh's declaration—Zedekiah king of Judah, his servants, the people, and whoever remains in this city after the plague, the sword, and the famine, I will give them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those seeking their life. Then he will kill them with the edge of the sword. He will not pity them, spare them, or have compassion.'
‘After that,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officers, and the people in this city who survive the plague and sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will not spare them or show pity or compassion.’
8 Then to this people you must say, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to place before you the way of life and the way of death.
Furthermore, you are to tell this people that this is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
9 Anyone staying in this city will die by the sword, famine, and plague; but anyone going out and falling on his knees before the Chaldeans who have closed in against you will live. He will escape with his life.
Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who besiege you will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war.
10 For I have set my face against this city in order to bring disaster and not to bring good—this is Yahweh's declaration. It has been given into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it.'
For I have set My face against this city to bring disaster and not good, declares the LORD. It will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, who will destroy it with fire.’
11 Concerning the house of the king of Judah, listen to the word of Yahweh.
Moreover, tell the house of the king of Judah to hear the word of the LORD.
12 House of David, Yahweh says, 'Bring about justice in the morning. Rescue the one who has been robbed by the hand of the oppressor, or my fury will go out like fire and burn, and there is no one who can quench it, because of your evil deeds.
O house of David, this is what the LORD says: ‘Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My wrath will go forth like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of their evil deeds.
13 See, inhabitant of the valley! I am against you, rock of the plain—this is Yahweh's declaration— I am against anyone who is saying, “Who will come down to attack us?” or “Who will enter our houses?”
Behold, I am against you who dwell above the valley, atop the rocky plateau— declares the LORD— you who say, “Who can come against us? Who can enter our dwellings?”
14 I have assigned the fruit of your practices to come against you—this is Yahweh's declaration— and I will light a fire in the thickets, and it will consume everything around it.'”
I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the LORD. I will kindle a fire in your forest that will consume everything around you.’”

< Jeremiah 21 >