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,
2 “Please
inquire 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.”
3 Then
Jeremiah said to them, “Tell
Zedekiah:
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
Chaldeans who
besiege you
outside the walls;
and I will gather
them into the
middle 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.
6 I
will strike the
inhabitants of
this city, both
man and animal.
They will die
of a great
pestilence.
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.” ’
8 “You
shall say to this
people, ‘The LORD
says: “Behold, I
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
Chaldeans who
besiege you, he
will live, and
he will escape
with his life.
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.” ’
11 “Concerning
the house of
the king of
Judah, hear the
LORD’s word:
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.
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?”
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.’ ”