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 which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashhur the son of Malchiah, and Zephaniah the 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.”

'Inquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; peradventure the LORD will deal with us according to all His wondrous works, that he may go up from us.'

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

Then said Jeremiah unto them: Thus shall ye 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 saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, that besiege you without the walls, and I will gather 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 myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even 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 will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they shall die of 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 afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and 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, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life; and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have 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.

And unto this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the LORD: 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.

He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth out, and falleth away to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.

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 evil, and not for good, saith the LORD; it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

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

And unto the house of the king of Judah: Hear ye 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, thus saith the LORD: Execute justice in the morning, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest My fury go forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, 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 thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; ye that say: 'Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter 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 will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD; and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is round about her.