Jeremiah 21

1 This is the message that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur, son of Malchijah, and the priest Zephaniah, son of Maaseiah to talk with him. They said,

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:

2 “Please speak with Lord on our behalf because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will do some miracle for us like all those miracles he used to do, so that Nebuchadnezzar will retreat from us.”

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.

3 But Jeremiah replied, “Tell Zedekiah this:

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

4 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I'm going to turn the weapons you're holding against you, the weapons you're using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonian army outside the wall besieging you. I'm going to bring them right into the center of this city.

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.

5 I myself will fight against you with all my power and might, with the full force of my furious anger.

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;

6 I will kill those living in this city, human beings and animals. They will die from a terrible plague.

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

7 After that, declares the Lord, I'm going to hand you over, Zedekiah king of Judah, as well as your officers and the people who are left in this city after the plague and war and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to your enemies who want you dead. He will attack you; he won't spare you or show you any pity or mercy.

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.

8 Tell the people this as well: This is what the Lord says: Look, I'm placing before you the path of life and the path of death.

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

9 If you stay in this city you'll die either by sword and famine and plague, but if you leave and surrender to the Babylonians who are besieging you, you will live. In fact it will be like gaining your life as plunder from a war.

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;

10 For I am determined to bring disaster on this city, and not blessings, declares the Lord. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, who will destroy it with fire.

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.

11 In addition tell the royal family of the king of Judah to listen to the Lord's message:

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

12 Descendants of David, this is what the Lord says: Make sure you judge fairly every day. Protect those who are being unjustly treated from those corrupt people, otherwise because of their evil actions my anger will blaze out like fire that can't be put out.

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:

13 Watch out, because I'm going to fight against you people who live above the valley on top of a flat rock, declares the Lord. You say, ‘Who can attack us? Who can break down our defenses?’

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?

14 I'm going to punish you as you deserve for what you've done, declares the Lord. I will set your forest on fire and it will burn up everything around you.”

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.