Jeremiah 21
21
Fate of Zedekiah and Jerusalem. 1The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah#Zedekiah: brother of Jehoiakim, appointed king by Nebuchadnezzar after he had carried Jehoiachin away to captivity (2 Kgs 24:17). Pashhur: different from the one in 20:1–3 but also one of Jeremiah’s enemies; cf. 38:1, 4. sent Pashhur, son of Malchiah, and the priest Zephaniah, son of Maaseiah, to him with this request: 2Inquire for us of the Lord, because Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will act for us in accord with his wonderful works by making him withdraw from us. 3But Jeremiah answered them: This is what you shall report to Zedekiah: 4Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I will turn against you the weapons with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls. These weapons I will pile up in the midst of this city,#Jer 37:8–10. 5and I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and mighty arm, in anger, wrath, and great rage!#Is 63:10; Lam 2:4–5. 6I will strike down the inhabitants of this city, human being and beast; they shall die in a great pestilence.#Jer 16:4. 7After that—oracle of the Lord—I will hand over Zedekiah, king of Judah, and his ministers and the people in this city who survive pestilence, sword, and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, to their enemies and those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword, without quarter, without mercy or compassion.#Jer 24:8–10; Dt 28:49–50. 8And to this people you shall say: Thus says the Lord: See, I am giving you a choice between the way to life and the way to death.#Jer 21:9; Dt 30:15, 19. 9Whoever remains in this city shall die by the sword or famine or pestilence. But whoever leaves and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you shall live and escape with his life. 10I have set my face against this city, for evil and not for good—oracle of the Lord. It shall be given into the power of the king of Babylon who shall set it on fire.#Jeremiah consistently pointed out the uselessness of resistance to Babylon, since the Lord had delivered Judah to Nebuchadnezzar (27:6). Because of this the prophet was denounced and imprisoned as a traitor (37:13–14).
Oracles Regarding the Kings#21:11–23:8] This section contains an editor’s collection of Jeremiah’s oracles against the kings of Judah. They are placed in the chronological order of the kings, and are prefaced by oracles against the kings of Judah in general (21:11–22:9).
11To the royal house of Judah:
Hear the word of the Lord,
12house of David!
Thus says the Lord:
Each morning dispense justice,
rescue the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor,
Or my fury will break out like fire
and burn with no one to quench it
because of your evil deeds.#Jer 4:4; 22:3; Zec 7:9.
13Beware! I am against you, Ruler of the Valley,
Rock of the Plain#Ruler of the Valley, Rock of the Plain: Mount Zion, surrounded by valleys, was regarded by the royal house as impregnable. Despite this natural fortification, God derides it as no more than a rock rising from the plain, useless against the attack of his fury.—oracle of the Lord.
You say, “Who will attack us,
who can storm our defenses?”
14I will punish you—oracle of the Lord—
as your deeds deserve!
I will kindle a fire in its forest#Its forest: probably the royal palace, built of cedar wood; cf. 22:14; in 1 Kgs 7:2 the palace is called “the house of the forest of Lebanon.”
that shall devour all its surroundings.#2 Kgs 25:9; 2 Chr 36:19.
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Jeremiah 21
21
Zedekiah’s Request Denied
1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur#1Ch 9:12; Neh 11:12; Jr 38:1 son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah#Jr 29:24–29; 37:3; 52:24–27 son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah, asking, 2“Inquire of the Lord on our behalf, since King Nebuchadnezzar#21:2 Lit Nebuchadrezzar#2Kg 24:11; 25:22; 2Ch 36:6–13 of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the Lord will perform for us something like all his past wondrous works so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”
3But Jeremiah answered, “This is what you are to say to Zedekiah: 4‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am about to repel the weapons of war in your hands,#Jr 32:5; 37:8–10 those you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans#21:4 = Babylonians who are besieging you outside the wall, and I will bring them into the center of this city.#Is 13:4 5I myself will fight against you#1Sm 4:1–5:12; Lm 2:5 with an outstretched hand and a strong arm,#Dt 5:15; 26:8; 1Kg 8:42; Ps 136:12 with anger, fury, and intense wrath. 6I will strike the residents of this city, both people and animals. They will die in a severe plague. 7Afterward — 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,#Jr 37:17; 39:5–9; 52:9 to their enemies, yes, to those who intend to take their lives. He will put them to the sword; he won’t spare them or show pity or compassion.’#2Ch 36:17
A Warning for the People
8“But tell this people, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.#Dt 30:15–19; Pr 12:28; Jr 8:3 9Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine, and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live and will retain his life like the spoils of war.#Jr 38:2; 39:18; 45:5 10For I have set my face against this city to bring disaster and not good#Jr 31:28; 39:16; 44:11,27; Am 9:4 — this is the Lord’s declaration. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, who will burn it.’#Jr 34:2,22; 37:8; 38:18
11“And to the house of the king of Judah say this: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! 12House of David, this is what the Lord says:
Administer justice every morning,
and rescue the victim of robbery
from his oppressor,#Dt 28:29; Ec 4:1; Jr 22:3
or my anger will flare up like fire
and burn unquenchably
because of your evil deeds.
13Beware! I am against you,#Ezk 13:8
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?#Jr 49:4
Who can enter our hiding places?”
14I will punish you according to what you have done#Is 3:10 —
this is the Lord’s declaration.
I will kindle a fire in your forest#Ezk 20:47
that will consume everything around it.’”#Jr 50:32
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