The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 21 The announcement of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar

 The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 21

The announcement of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchiah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, saying:

2 “Inquire now of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the Lord will work for us according to all His wonders, and cause him to withdraw from us.”

3 Then Jeremiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to Zedekiah:

4 Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls, and I will gather them into the midst of this city.’” 

5 And I will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, with anger, and with indignation, and with great fury.

6 And I will strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they shall die of a great pestilence.

7 And after this, says the Lord, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and those who remain in this city from the pestilence, and 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 lives; and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, nor have pity, nor show mercy.

8 And to this people you shall say: Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

9 He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, or by famine, or by pestilence; But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and their life will be given as a prize.

10 For I have set my face against this city for evil and not for good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.

11 And you shall say to the house of the king of Judah: Hear the word of the Lord.

12 O house of David, thus says the Lord: Judge righteously in the morning, and deliver the plundered from the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with no one to quench it, because of the wickedness of your deeds.

13 Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, O rock of the plain, declares the Lord: against you who say, “Who will come down against us?” Or, “Who will enter our dwellings?”

14 And I will punish you according to the fruit of your deeds, declares the Lord; and I will kindle a fire in her forest, which will consume everything around her.