Jeremiah 21:1-7 - A Message For Zedekiah

¹ The word which came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh, - when King Zedekiah sent unto him Pashhur, son of Malchiah, and Zephaniah, son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying: ² Enquire for us I pray thee of Yahweh, in that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, maketh war against us, - Peradventure Yahweh will deal with us according to all his wonders, as that he go up from us.

³ Then said Jeremiah unto them, - Thus, shall ye say unto Zedekiah: ⁴ Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel - Behold me! turning back the weapons of war that are in your hand, wherewith, ye, are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans, who are besieging you outside the wall, - and I will gather them into the midst of this city. ⁵ And I myself, will fight against you, with a hand outstretched, and with an arm of strength, - and with anger and with wrath and with great indignation; ⁶ and I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast, - of a great pestilence, shall they die. ⁷ And after that, Declareth Yahweh - Will I 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, even into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them who are seeking their life, - and he will smite them with the edge of the sword, he will not have pity on them nor will he spare nor will he have compassion.

¹ The word which came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh, - when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his force and all the kingdoms of the earth the dominion of his hand, and all the peoples were fighting against Jerusalem and against all her cities, saying: ² Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, Go and speak unto Zedekiah king of Judah, - and say unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire; ³ And, thou, shalt not escape out of his hand, For thou shalt be, taken, And into his hand, shalt thou be delivered, - And, thine own eyes, into the eyes of the king of Babylon, shall look, And his mouth, with thy mouth, shall speak And Babylon, shalt thou enter.

⁴ Nevertheless, hear the word of Yahweh, O Zedekiah, king of Judah, - Thus, saith Yahweh Concerning thee, Thou shalt not die, by the sword; ⁵ In peace, shalt thou die, And with the burnings made for thy fathers the former kings who were before thee, so, shall they make a burning unto thee, And, with an, Alas lord! shall they lament thee, - Because of the word, I, have spoken, Declareth Yahweh.

⁶ Then spake Jeremiah the prophet, unto Zedekiah king of Judah all these words in Jerusalem; ⁷ when, the force of the king of Babylon, was fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, - against Lachish and against Azekah, for they, remained among the cities of Judah as fortified cities.