Jeremiah 21

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying,

THE WORD THAT CAME FROM THE LORD TO JEREMIAS, WHEN KING SEDEKIAS SENT TO HIM PASCHOR THE SON OF MELCHIAS, AND SOPHONIAS SON OF BASAEAS, THE PRIEST, SAYING,

2 “Please enquire of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us. Perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may withdraw from us.”

Enquire of the Lord for us; for the king of Babylon has risen up against us; if the Lord will do according to all his wonderful works, and [the king] shall depart from us.

3 Then Jeremiah said to them, “Tell Zedekiah:

And Jeremias said to them, Thus shall you say to Sedekias king of Juda,

4 ‘The LORD, the God of Israel says, “Behold, 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 Kasdim who besiege you outside the walls; and I will gather them into the middle of this city.

Thus says the Lord; Behold, I [will] turn back the weapons of war wherewith you fight against the Chaldeans that have besieged you from outside the wall, and I will gather 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, in wrath, and in great indignation.

And I will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, with wrath and great anger.

6 I will strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and animal. They will die of a great pestilence.

And I will strike all the dwellers in this city, [both] men and cattle, with grievous pestilence: and they shall die.

7 Afterward,” says the LORD, “I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, his servants, and the people, even those who 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. He will strike them with the edge of the sword. He will not spare them, have pity, or have mercy.”’

And after this, thus says the Lord; I will give Sedekias king of Juda, and his servants, and the people that is left in this city from the pestilence, and from the famine, and from the sword, into the hands of their enemies, that seek their lives: and they shall cut them in pieces with the edge of the sword: I will not spare them, and I will not have compassion upon them.

8 “You shall say to this people, ‘The LORD says: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

And you shall say to this people, Thus says the Lord; Behold, I have set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

9 He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, but he who goes out and passes over to the Kasdim who besiege you, he will live, and he will escape with his life.

He that remains in this city shall die by the sword, and by famine: but he that goes forth to advance to the Chaldeans that have besieged you, shall live, and his life shall be to him for a spoil, and he shall live.

10 For I have set my face on 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 evil, and not for good: it shall be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall consume it with fire.

11 “Concerning the house of the king of Judah, hear the LORD’s word:

O house of the king of Juda, hear you the word of the Lord.

12 House of David, the LORD says, ‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

O house of David, thus says the Lord; Judge judgement in the morning, and act rightly, and rescue the spoiled one from the hand of him that wrongs him, lest mine anger be kindled like fire, and it burn, and there be none to quench [it].

13 Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain,’ says the LORD. ‘You that say, “Who would come down against us?” or, “Who would enter into our homes?”

Behold, I am against you that dwell in the valley of Sor; in the plain country, [even against] them that say, Who shall alarm us? or who shall enter into our habitation?

14 I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings,’ says the LORD; ‘and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it will devour all that is around her.’”

And I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.