A Message For Zedekiah
1 The message that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Malchijah's son Pashhur and Maaseiah's son Zephaniah the priest:
1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord when (A)King Zedekiah sent to him (B)Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and (C)Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, saying,
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur(A) son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah(B) son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah, asking,
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the priest the son of Maaseiah, saying,
2 "Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is fighting against us. Perhaps the LORD will do some of his miraculous acts for us, and Nebuchadnezzar will depart from us."
2 Inquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.
2 “Please (D)inquire of the Lord on our behalf, for (E)Nebuchadnezzar king of (F)Babylon is warring against us; perhaps the Lord will deal with us (G)according to all His (a)wonderful acts, so that the enemy will withdraw from us.”
3 Jeremiah told them, "This is what you are to say to Zedekiah,
3 Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:
3 Then Jeremiah said to them, “You shall say to Zedekiah as follows:
3 But Jeremiah answered, “This is what you are to say to Zedekiah:
3 Then Jeremiah said to them, “Say this to Zedekiah:
4 "This is what the LORD God of Israel says: "I'm about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls. I'll gather them into the center of this city.
4 Thus saith the LORD 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, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.
4 ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to (H)turn back the weapons of war which are in your hands, with which you are warring against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall; and I will (I)gather them into the center of this city.
4 ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will repel the weapons of war in your hands,(D) those you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans(b) who are besieging you outside the wall, and I will bring them into the center of this city.(E)
4 ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “Behold, I will turn back and dull the edge of the weapons of war that are in your hands, [those] with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the (b)Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls; and I will bring them into the center of this city (Jerusalem).
5 Because of my anger, wrath, and great fury, I'll fight against you myself with an outstretched hand and a strong arm.
5 And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.
5 I (J)Myself will war against you with an (K)outstretched hand and a mighty arm, even in (L)anger and wrath and great indignation.
5 I will fight against you(F) with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm,(G) with anger, rage, and great wrath.
5 I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm in anger, in fury, and in great indignation and wrath.
6 I'll strike down the residents of this city, both people and animals, and they'll die from a terrible plague.
6 And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.
6 I will also strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die of a great (M)pestilence.
6 I will strike the residents of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a great plague.
6 I will also strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die of a great virulent disease.
7 Afterwards," declares the LORD, "I'll give King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and the people those who are left in this city from the plague, the sword, and the famine into the control of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, right into the hand of their enemies and the hand of those who want to kill them. He'll execute them with swords and won't pity them. He won't spare them, nor will he have compassion on them."'
7 And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and 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.
7 Then afterwards,” declares the Lord, “(N)I will give over Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people, even those who survive in this city from the pestilence, the sword and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their foes and into the hand of those who seek their lives; and he will strike them down with the edge of the sword. He (O)will not spare them nor have pity nor compassion.”’
7 Afterward’”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“‘King Zedekiah of Judah, his officers, and the people—those in this city who survive the plague, the sword, and the famine—I will hand over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,(H) to their enemies, yes, to those who want to take their lives. He will put them to the sword; he won’t spare them or show pity or compassion.’(I)
7 Then afterward,” says the Lord, “I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the virulent disease, the sword, and the famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemy, into the hand of those who seek their lives. And he will strike them with the edge of the sword; he will not spare them nor have mercy and compassion on them.”’
The Way Of Life And The Way Of Death
8 "You are to say to this people, "This is what the LORD says: "I'm about to set before you the way of life and the way of death.
8 And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
8 “You shall also say to this people, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I (P)set before you the way of life and the way of death.
8 “But you must say to this people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look, I am presenting to you the way of life and the way of death.(J)
8 “And to this people you (Jeremiah) shall also say, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
9 Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, by famine, and by the plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live. He will save his life as a spoil of war.
9 He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
9 He who (Q)dwells in this city will die by the (R)sword and by famine and by pestilence; but he who goes out and falls away to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and he will have his own life as booty.
10 Indeed, I'm firmly decided I'm sending calamity to this city, not good," declares the LORD. "It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will set it on fire."'
10 For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
10 For I have (S)set My face against this city for (b)harm and not for good,” declares the Lord. “It will be (T)given into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will (U)burn it with fire.”’
10 For I have turned(c) against this city to bring disaster(L) and not good’”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “‘It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, who will burn it down.’(M)
10 For I have set My face against this city to do harm and not good,” says the Lord. “It shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it with fire.”’
A Series Of Messages For The House Of The King Of Judah
11 "To the house of the king of Judah say, "Hear this message from the LORD.
11 And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
11 “And to the house of the king of Judah say this: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!
11 “And concerning the royal house of the king of Judah [you shall say], ‘Hear the word of the Lord,
12 This is what the LORD says, house of David: "Judge appropriately every morning, and deliver those who have been robbed from the oppressor, so my anger does not break out like fire and burn with no one to put it out because of your evil deeds.
12 O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
12 O (W)house of David, thus says the Lord:“(X)Administer justice (c)every (Y)morning;And deliver the person who has been robbed from the (d)power of his oppressor,(Z)That My wrath may not go forth like fireAnd (AA)burn with none to extinguish it,Because of the evil of their deeds.
12 House of David, this is what the Lord says:Administer justice every morning,and rescue the victim of robberyfrom the hand of his oppressor,(N)or My anger will flare up like fireand burn unquenchablybecause of their evil deeds.
12 O house of David, thus says the Lord:“Administer justice in the morning,And rescue the one who has been robbed from the hand of his oppressor,That My wrath will not roar up like fireAnd burn so [hotly] that none can extinguish it,Because of the evil of their deeds.
Judgment On The Royal House Of Judah
13 "Look, I'm against you, city dwelling in the valley, rock of the plain," declares the LORD, "those of you who say, "Who can come down against us and who can enter our habitations?'
13 Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?
13 “Behold, (AB)I am against you, O (AC)valley dweller,O (e)rocky plain,” declares the Lord,“You men who say, ‘(AD)Who will come down against us?Or who will enter into our habitations?’
13 Beware! I am against you,(O)you who sit above the valley,you atop the rocky plateau—this is the Lord’s declaration—you who say, “Who can come down against us?(P)Who can enter our hiding places?”
13 “Understand this, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley,O rock of the plain,” says the Lord—“You who say, ‘Who will come down against us?Or who will enter into our dwelling places?’
14 But I'll punish you according to what you have done," declares the LORD. "I'll start a fire in her forest, and it will consume everything around her."'"
14 But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.
14 “But I will punish you (AE)according to the (f)results of your deeds,” declares the Lord,“And I will (AF)kindle a fire in its forestThat it may devour all its environs.”’”
14 I will punish you according to what you have done(Q)—this is the Lord’s declaration.I will kindle a fire in its forest(R)that will consume everything around it.’”(S)
14 “But I will punish you in accordance with the [appropriate] consequences of your decisions and your actions,” says the Lord.“I will kindle a fire in your forest,And it will devour all that is around you.”’”