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Jeremiah’s Message for Zedekiah
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Loʀᴅ when
AKing Zedekiah sent to him
BPashhur the son of Malchijah, and
CZephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, saying,
2 “Please
Ainquire of the Loʀᴅ on our behalf, for
BNebuchadnezzar king of
CBabylon is warring against us; perhaps the Loʀᴅ will deal with us
Daccording to all His
1wonderful acts, so that
the enemy will withdraw from us.”
3 Then Jeremiah said to them, “You shall say to Zedekiah as follows:
4 ‘Thus says the Loʀᴅ God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to
Aturn 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
Bgather them into the center of this city.
5 “I
AMyself will war against you with an
Boutstretched hand and a mighty arm, even in
Canger and wrath and great indignation.
6 “I will also strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die of a great
Apestilence.
7 “Then afterwards,” declares the Loʀᴅ, “
AI 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
Bwill not spare them nor have pity nor compassion.” ’
8 “You shall also say to this people, ‘Thus says the Loʀᴅ, “Behold, I
Aset before you the way of life and the way of death.
9 “He who
Adwells in this city will die by the
Bsword 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 “For I have
Aset My face against this city for
1harm and not for good,” declares the Loʀᴅ. “It will be
Bgiven into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will
Cburn it with fire.” ’
11 “Then
say to the household of the
Aking of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the Loʀᴅ,
12 O
Ahouse of David, thus says the Loʀᴅ:
“
BAdminister justice
1every
Cmorning;
And deliver the
person who has been robbed from the
2power of
his oppressor,
DThat My wrath may not go forth like fire
And
Eburn with none to extinguish
it, Because of the evil of their deeds.
13 “Behold,
AI am against you, O
Bvalley dweller,
O
1rocky plain,” declares the Loʀᴅ,
“You men who say, ‘
CWho will come down against us?
Or who will enter into our habitations?’
14 “But I will punish you
Aaccording to the
1results of your deeds,” declares the Loʀᴅ,
“And I will
Bkindle a fire in its forest
That it may devour all its environs.” ’ ”