Jeremiah 21

1 The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, in the king Zedekiah's sending unto him Pashhur son of Malchiah, and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,

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

2 'Inquire, we pray thee, for us at Jehovah, for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath fought against us; perhaps Jehovah doth deal with us according to all His wonders, and doth cause him to go up from off us.'

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

3 And Jeremiah saith unto them, 'Thus do ye say unto Zedekiah,

Then Jeremiah said to them, “Tell Zedekiah:

4 Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel: Lo, I am turning round the weapons of battle That [are] in your hand, With which ye do 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,

‘Yahweh, 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 Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls; and I will gather them into the middle of this city.

5 And I — I have fought against you, With a stretched-out hand, and with a strong arm, And in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath,

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

6 And I have smitten the inhabitants of this city, Both man and beast, By a great pestilence do they die.

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

7 And after this — an affirmation of Jehovah, 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 Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, And into the hand of their enemies, And into the hand of those seeking their life, And he hath smitten them by the mouth of the sword, He hath no pity on them, Nor doth he spare, nor hath he mercy.

Afterward,” says Yahweh, “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.”’

8 And unto this people thou dost say, Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am setting before you the way of life, And the way of death!

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

9 Whoso is abiding in this city — dieth, By sword, and by famine, and by pestilence, And whoso is going forth, And hath fallen unto the Chaldeans, Who are laying siege against you — liveth, And his life hath been to him for a spoil.

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 Chaldeans who besiege you, he will live, and he will escape with his life.

10 For I have set My face against this city for evil, And not for good — an affirmation of Jehovah. Into the hand of the king of Babylon it is given, And he hath burned it with fire.

For I have set my face on this city for evil, and not for good,” says Yahweh. “It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.”’

11 And as to the house of the king of Judah, Hear ye a word of Jehovah;

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

12 O house of David, thus said Jehovah: Decide ye judgment at morning, And deliver the plundered from the hand of the oppressor, Lest My fury go forth as fire, And hath burned, and none is quenching, Because of the evil of your doings.

House of David, Yahweh 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.

13 Lo, I [am] against thee — an affirmation of Jehovah, O inhabitant of the valley, rock of the plain, Who are saying, Who cometh down against us? And who cometh into our habitations?

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

14 And I have laid a charge against you, According to the fruit of your doings, An affirmation of Jehovah, And I have kindled a fire in its forest, And it hath consumed — all its suburbs!

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