CHAPTER 21
This is the word
that
came
to
Jeremiah
from
the LORD
when King
Zedekiah
sent
to him
Pashhur
son
of Malchijah
and the priest
Zephaniah
son
of Maaseiah,
saying,
“Please
inquire
of the LORD
on our behalf,
since
Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
is waging war
against us.
Perhaps
the LORD
will perform
for us
something like all
His past wonders,
so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw
from us.”
‘This is what
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
says:
I will turn
against you
the weapons
of war
in your hands,
with which
you
are fighting
the king
of Babylon
and the Chaldeans
who besiege
you
outside
the wall,
and I will assemble
their forces
in
the center
of this
city.
And I Myself
will fight
against you
with an outstretched
hand
and a mighty
arm,
with anger,
fury,
and great
wrath.
I will strike down
the residents
of this
city,
both man
and beast.
They will die
in a terrible
plague.
After that,
declares
the LORD,
I will hand over
King
Zedekiah
of Judah,
his officers,
and the people
in this
city
who survive
the plague
and sword
and famine,
to
King
Nebuchadnezzar
of Babylon
and to
their enemies
who seek
their lives.
He will put
them to the sword;
he will not
spare
them
or
show pity
or
compassion."
You are also to say
to
this
people,
‘This is what
the LORD
says:
Behold,
I set
before
you
the way
of life
and the way
of death.
Whoever stays
in this
city
will die
by sword
and famine
and plague,
but whoever goes out
and surrenders
to
the Chaldeans
who besiege
you
will live
and retain
his life
like a spoil of war.
For
I have set
My face
against this
city
to bring disaster
and not
good,
declares
the LORD.
It will be handed over to
the king
of Babylon,
who will destroy it
with fire.’
O house
of David,
this is what
the LORD
says:
‘Administer
justice every morning,
and rescue
the victim of robbery
from the hand
of his oppressor,
or
My wrath
will go forth
like fire
and burn
with none
to extinguish it
because of
their evil
deeds.
Behold,
I am against you, Jerusalem,
you who sit
above the valley,
atop the rocky
plateau—
declares
the LORD—
you who say,
“Who
can come
against us?
Who
can enter
our habitations?”
I will punish
you
as your deeds deserve,
declares
the LORD.
I will kindle
a fire
in your forest
that will consume
everything
around
you.’”