Jeremiah 21:1-7 - A Message For Zedekiah

¹ These are the words that the LORD spake unto Jeremiah, what time as king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashhur the son of Malchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, priest, saying, ² "Ask counsel at the LORD, we Pray thee, of our behalf, for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon beseigeth us: if the LORD peradventure will deal with us, according to his marvelous power, and take him from us."

³ Then spake Jeremiah, "Give Zedekiah this answer, ⁴ 'Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: behold, I will turn back the weapons, that ye have in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans, which besiege you round about the walls, and I will bring them together into the midst of this city, ⁵ and I myself will fight against you, with an outstretched hand, and with a mighty arm, in great displeasure and terrible wrath: ⁶ and will smite them, that dwell in this city, yea both man and cattle shall die of the pestilence. ⁷ And after this, sayeth the LORD, I shall deliver Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his servants, his people - and such as are escaped in the city, from the pestilence, sword, and hunger - into the power of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon: yea into the hands of their enemies; into the hands of those that follow upon their lives, which shall smite them with the sword. They shall not pity them, they shall not spare them, they shall have no mercy upon them.'

¹ These are the words which the LORD spake unto Jeremiah, what time as Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and all his Hosts, out of all the kingdoms that were under his power, and all his people, fought against Jerusalem, and all the cities thereof. ² "Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: Go, and speak to Zedekiah the king of Judah, and tell him, 'The LORD sendeth thee this word: Behold, I will deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall burn it, ³ and thou shalt not escape his hands, but shalt be led away prisoner, and delivered into his power. Thou shalt look the king of Babylon in the face and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and then shalt thou go to Babylon.

⁴ Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah thou king of Judah. Thus sayeth the LORD unto thee: Thou shalt not be slain with the sword, ⁵ but shalt die in peace. Like as thy forefathers the kings, thy progenitors, were burnt: so shalt thou be burnt also, and in the mourning they shall say, 'Oh, lord.' For thus have I determined, sayeth the LORD.'"

⁶ Then spake Jeremiah the prophet all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem: ⁷ what time as the king of Babylon's host besieged Jerusalem, and the remnant of the cities: Namely, Lachish and Azekah, which yet remained of the strong defended cities of Judah.