Jeremiah 21

1The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, when king Sedecias sent unto him Phassur, the son of Melchias, and Sophonias, the son of Maasias the priest, saying:

2Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon maketh war against us: if so be the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful works, that he may depart from us.

3And Jeremias said to them: Thus shall you say to Sedecias:

4Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and the Chaldeans, that besiege you round about the walls: and I will gather them together in the midst of this city.

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

6And I will strike the inhabitants of this city, men and beasts shall die of a great pestilence.

7And after this, saith the Lord, I will give Sedecias the king of Juda, and his servants, and his people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, and the sword, and the famine, into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword, and he shall not be moved to pity, nor spare them, nor shew mercy on them.

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

9He that shall abide in this city, shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that shall go out and flee over to the Chaldeans, that besiege you, shall live, and his life shall be to him as a spoil.

10For 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.

11And to the house of the king of Juda: Hear ye the word of the Lord,

12O house of David, this saith the Lord: Judge ye judgement in the morning, and deliver him that is oppressed by violence out of the hand of the oppressor: lest my indignation go forth like a fire, and be kindled, and there be none to quench it, because of the evil of your ways.

13Behold I come to thee that dwellest in a valley upon a rock above a plain, saith the Lord: and you say: Who shall strike us? and who shall enter into our houses?

14But I will visit upon 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.

1Verbum quod factum est ad Jeremiam a Domino, quando misit ad eum rex Sedecias Phassur filium Melchiæ, et Sophoniam filium Maasiæ sacerdotem, dicens:

2Interroga pro nobis Dominum, quia Nabuchodonosor, rex Babylonis, præliatur adversum nos: si forte faciat Dominus nobiscum secundum omnia mirabilia sua, et recedat a nobis.

3Et dixit Jeremias ad eos: Sic dicetis Sedeciæ:

4Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël: Ecce ego convertam vasa belli quæ in manibus vestris sunt, et quibus vos pugnatis adversum regem Babylonis et Chaldæos qui obsident vos in circuitu murorum: et congregabo ea in medio civitatis hujus.

5Et debellabo ego vos in manu extenta, et in brachio forti, et in furore, et in indignatione, et in ira grandi.

6Et percutiam habitatores civitatis hujus: homines et bestiæ pestilentia magna morientur.

7Et post hæc, ait Dominus, dabo Sedeciam regem Juda, et servos ejus, et populum ejus, et qui derelicti sunt in civitate hac a peste, et gladio, et fame, in manu Nabuchodonosor regis Babylonis, et in manu inimicorum eorum, et in manu quærentium animam eorum: et percutiet eos in ore gladii, et non flectetur, neque parcet, nec miserebitur.

8Et ad populum hunc dices: Hæc dicit Dominus: Ecce ego do coram vobis viam vitæ, et viam mortis.

9Qui habitaverit in urbe hac morietur gladio, et fame, et peste: qui autem egressus fuerit, et transfugerit ad Chaldæos qui obsident vos, vivet, et erit ei anima sua quasi spolium.

10Posui enim faciem meam super civitatem hanc in malum, et non in bonum, ait Dominus: in manu regis Babylonis dabitur, et exuret eam igni.

11Et domui regis Juda: [Audite verba Domini,

12domus David. Hæc dicit Dominus: Judicate mane judicium, et eruite vi oppressum de manu calumniantis, ne forte egrediatur ut ignis indignatio mea, et succendatur, et non sit qui extinguat, propter malitiam studiorum vestrorum.

13Ecce ego ad te, habitatricem vallis solidæ atque campestris, ait Dominus: qui dicitis: Quis percutiet nos? et quis ingredietur domos nostras?

14Et visitabo super vos juxta fructum studiorum vestrorum, dicit Dominus: et succendam ignem in saltu ejus, et devorabit omnia in circuitu ejus.]

1The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when king Zedekiah sent Pashhur, the son of Malchiah, and Zephaniah, the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to him, saying:

2“Question the Lord on our behalf, for Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, is fighting against us. Perhaps it may be that the Lord will act toward us according to all his wonders, and he may withdraw from us.”

3And Jeremiah said to them: “This is what you shall say to Zedekiah:

4Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans, who besiege you at the surrounding walls. And I will gather these things together in the midst of this city.

5And I myself will make war against you: with an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm, and in fury, and in indignation, and in great wrath.

6And I will strike the inhabitants of this city; men and beasts will die from a great pestilence.

7And afterward, thus says the Lord: I will give Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his servants, and his people, and those who have been left behind in this city after pestilence and the sword and famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their lives. And he will strike them with the edge of the sword. And he will not waver, and he will not be lenient, and he will not take pity.

8And to this people, you shall say: Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

9Whoever lives in this city will die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence. But whoever will have departed and fled away to the Chaldeans, who besiege you, will live, and his life will be to him like a spoil.

10For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, says the Lord. It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.

11And to the house of the king of Judah, you shall say: Listen to the word of the Lord,

12O house of David! Thus says the Lord: Judge with judgment from early morning, and rescue anyone who is oppressed by violence from the hand of a false accuser. Otherwise, my indignation may go forth like a fire, and may flare up, and there will be no one who can extinguish it, because of the evil of your intentions.

13Behold, I am against you, O inhabitants of a valley with firm and level ground, says the Lord. And you say: ‘Who can strike us? And who can enter into our houses?’

14But I will visit against you according to the fruit of your intentions, says the Lord. And I will kindle a fire in its forest. And it shall devour everything around it.”