Jeremiah 21

1The word which came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying,

1This is the message that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to him.

2Inquire, I pray thee, of Jehovah for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us: peradventure Jehovah will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.

2They said, 'Please pray to the LORD for us, because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the LORD will perform one of his miracles for us and force him to withdraw.'

3Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:

3Jeremiah told them, 'Give this answer to Zedekiah:

4Thus saith Jehovah, 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.

4'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I will take the weapons of war that are in your hands and turn them against you—the very ones you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians who are surrounding your walls. I will gather those weapons right into the center of this city.

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

5I myself will fight against you with a powerful hand and a strong arm, in terrible anger and great fury.

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

6I will strike everyone living in this city, both people and animals. They will die from a terrible plague.

7And afterward, saith Jehovah, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, even 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 mercy.

7Afterward, says the LORD, I will hand over King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and everyone else who survives the plague, the sword, and the hunger. I will give them to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will kill them with the sword; he will show them no mercy, pity, or compassion.'

8And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

8'And tell the people, 'This is what the LORD says: See, I am giving you a choice between the way of life and the way of death.

9He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth out, and passeth over to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.

9Anyone who stays in this city will die by the sword, by hunger, or by plague. But anyone who goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are surrounding you will live; they will escape with their lives.'

10For I have set my face upon this city for evil, and not for good, saith Jehovah: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

10'For I have decided to bring disaster and not good on this city, says the LORD. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it to the ground.'

11And touching the house of the king of Judah, hear ye the word of Jehovah:

11'And to the royal house of Judah, say: Hear the word of the LORD.

12O house of David, thus saith Jehovah, Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

12Family of David, this is what the LORD says: Give justice every morning to those who need it! Rescue those who are being robbed by oppressors. If you don't, my anger will break out like a fire that no one can put out, because of the evil things you have done.

13Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain, saith Jehovah; you that say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?

13I am against you, Jerusalem, you who sit above the valley and on the rocky plain, says the LORD. You say, 'Who can attack us? Who can break into our homes?'

14And I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith Jehovah; and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is round about her.

14I will punish you as your actions deserve, says the LORD. I will start a fire in your forest that will burn up everything around you.'