The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Jeremiah 21
1 The word whichcame to Jeremiahfrom
Yahweh, when King Zedekiah sent to him
Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah
the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying,
2 “Please inquire of Yahweh for us; for
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes
war against us. Perhaps Yahweh 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 ‘Yahweh, 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 Yahweh, “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 ofthe sword.
He will not spare them, have pity, or have
mercy.” ’
8 “You shall say to this people, ‘Yahweh
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 Yahweh. “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 Yahweh’s word:
12 House of David, Yahweh 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 Yahweh.
‘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 Yahweh;
‘and I will kindle a fire in her forest,
and it will devour all that is around
her.’ ”