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,

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 “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 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 So Jeremiah said to them, “This is what you must say to Zedekiah,

And Jeremiah says to them, “Thus you say to Zedekiah,

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.

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 Then I myself will fight against you with a raised hand and a strong arm, and with wrath, fury, and great anger.

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 For I will attack the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a severe plague.

And I have struck the inhabitants of this city, Both man and beast, They die by a great pestilence.

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.'

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 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.

“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 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 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 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 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 Concerning the house of the king of Judah, listen to the word of Yahweh.

And as for the house of the king of Judah,” Hear a word of YHWH;

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, 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 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,” 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 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.'”

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!”