Jeremiah 21:4
New International Version
This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians who are outside the wall besieging you. And I will gather them inside this city.

New Living Translation
‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I will make your weapons useless against the king of Babylon and the Babylonians who are outside your walls attacking you. In fact, I will bring your enemies right into the heart of this city.

English Standard Version
‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls. And I will bring them together into the midst of this city.

Berean Standard Bible
this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will turn against you the weapons of war in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall, and I will assemble their forces in the center of this city.

King James Bible
Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.

New King James Version
‘Thus says the LORD 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 outside the walls; and I will assemble them in the midst of this city.

New American Standard Bible
‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: “Behold, I am going to turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you are making war against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall; and I will gather them into the middle of this city.

NASB 1995
‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to turn 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 gather them into the center of this city.

NASB 1977
‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to turn 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 shall gather them into the center of this city.

Legacy Standard Bible
‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to turn 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 gather them into the center of this city.

Amplified Bible
‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “Behold, I will turn back and dull the edge of the weapons of war that are in your hands, [those] with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls; and I will bring them into the center of this city (Jerusalem).

Christian Standard Bible
‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am about to repel the weapons of war in your hands, those you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall, and I will bring them into the center of this city.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I will repel the weapons of war in your hands, those you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall, and I will bring them into the center of this city.

American Standard Version
Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans that besiege you, without the walls; and I will gather them into the midst of this city.

English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands; wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans which besiege you, without the walls, and I will gather them into the midst of this city.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
'This is what the LORD God of Israel says: I'm going to take your weapons away from you. You are using these weapons to fight the king of Babylon as well as the Babylonians who are now blockading you outside the wall. I will bring the Babylonians inside this city.

Good News Translation
to tell Zedekiah that the LORD, the God of Israel, had said, "Zedekiah, I am going to defeat your army that is fighting against the king of Babylonia and his army. I will pile up your soldiers' weapons in the center of the city.

International Standard Version
This is what the LORD God of Israel says: "I'm about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls. I'll gather them into the center of this city.

Majority Standard Bible
this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will turn against you the weapons of war in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall, and I will assemble their forces in the center of this city.

NET Bible
that the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'The forces at your disposal are now outside the walls fighting against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonians who have you under siege. I will gather those forces back inside the city.

New Heart English Bible
'Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, "Look, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you, without the walls; and I will gather them into the midst of this city.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, who besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.

World English Bible
‘Yahweh, the God of Israel says, “Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls; and I will gather them into the middle of this city.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Behold, I am turning around the weapons of battle "" That [are] in your hand, "" With which you fight the king of Babylon, "" And the Chaldeans, who are laying siege against you, "" At the outside of the wall, "" And I have gathered them into the midst of this city,

Young's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel: Lo, I am turning round the weapons of battle That are in your hand, With which ye do fight the king of Babylon, And the Chaldeans, who are laying siege against you, At the outside of the wall, And I have gathered them into the midst of this city,

Smith's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah God of Israel: Behold me turning about the weapons of war which are in your hands which ye are fighting with them with the king of Babel, and the Chaldeans, pressing upon you without the wall, and I gathered you to the midst of this city.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Thus 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.

New American Bible
Thus 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,

New Revised Standard Version
Thus you shall say to Zedekiah: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I am going to turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls; and I will bring them together into the center of this city.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Thus says the LORD God of Israel: Behold, I will destroy the weapons of war which are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the city, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
‘Thus says LORD JEHOVAH, God of Hosts of Israel: behold, I turn back the weapons of war which are in your hands by which you fight with the King of Babel and with the Chaldeans who surround you outside of the city and I shall assemble them within this city.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, that besiege you without the walls, and I will gather them into the midst of this city.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war wherewith ye fight against the Chaldeans that have besieged you from outside the wall, and I will gather them into the midst of this city.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jerusalem will Fall to Babylon
3But Jeremiah answered, “You are to tell Zedekiah that 4this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will turn against you the weapons of war in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall, and I will assemble their forces in the center of this city. 5And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, with anger, fury, and great wrath.…

Cross References
2 Kings 25:1-4
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it. / And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. / By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. ...

2 Chronicles 36:17-19
So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, / who carried off everything to Babylon—all the articles of the house of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king and his officials. / Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value.

Ezekiel 21:22-24
In his right hand appears the portent for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to call for the slaughter, to lift a battle cry, to direct the battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect a siege wall. / It will seem like a false omen to the eyes of those who have sworn allegiance to him, but it will draw attention to their guilt and take them captive. / Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have drawn attention to your guilt, exposing your transgressions, so that your sins are revealed in all your deeds—because you have come to remembrance—you shall be taken in hand.

Isaiah 13:17-18
Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold. / Their bows will dash young men to pieces; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; they will not look with pity on the children.

Lamentations 2:3-4
In fierce anger He has cut off every horn of Israel and withdrawn His right hand at the approach of the enemy. He has burned in Jacob like a flaming fire that consumes everything around it. / He has bent His bow like an enemy; His right hand is positioned. Like a foe He has killed all who were pleasing to the eye; He has poured out His wrath like fire on the tent of the Daughter of Zion.

Jeremiah 32:3-5
For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying: “Why are you prophesying like this? You claim that the LORD says, ‘Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. / Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the hands of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. / He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will stay until I attend to him, declares the LORD. If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed.’”

Jeremiah 34:2-3
The LORD, the God of Israel, told Jeremiah to go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him that this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down. / And you yourself will not escape his grasp, but will surely be captured and delivered into his hand. You will see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face; and you will go to Babylon.

Jeremiah 37:8-10
Then the Chaldeans will return and fight against this city. They will capture it and burn it down. / This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves by saying, ‘The Chaldeans will go away for good,’ for they will not! / Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire army of the Chaldeans that is fighting against you, and only wounded men remained in their tents, they would still get up and burn this city down.”

Jeremiah 38:17-18
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive. / But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’”

Jeremiah 39:1-3
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city. / And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city was breached. / Then all the officials of the king of Babylon entered and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

Jeremiah 52:4-7
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it. / And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. / By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. ...

Ezekiel 17:15-21
But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’ / ‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. / Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. ...

Ezekiel 24:1-2
In the ninth year, on the tenth day of the tenth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, / “Son of man, write down today’s date, for on this very day the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem.

Daniel 5:30-31
That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain, / and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

Matthew 24:15-16
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), / then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.


Treasury of Scripture

Thus said the LORD 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 against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the middle of this city.

Behold.

Jeremiah 32:5
And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper?

Jeremiah 33:5
They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.

Jeremiah 37:8-10
And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire…

and I.

Jeremiah 39:3
And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.

Isaiah 5:5
And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Isaiah 13:4
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

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Jeremiah 21
1. Zedikiah sends to Jeremiah to enquire the event of Nebuchadnezzar's war.
3. Jeremiah foretells a hard siege and miserable captivity.
8. He counsels the people to fall to the Chaldeans;
11. and upbraids the King's house.














This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says
This phrase establishes the authority and divine origin of the message. The Hebrew term for "LORD" is "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, emphasizing His covenant relationship with Israel. "The God of Israel" reaffirms His unique relationship with His chosen people, reminding them of His past faithfulness and their obligations under the covenant. This introduction underscores the seriousness and divine authority behind the forthcoming message.

I will turn back the weapons of war in your hands
The phrase "turn back" in Hebrew is "haphak," which can mean to overturn or transform. Here, it signifies God's intervention to render the weapons ineffective. The "weapons of war" symbolize human efforts and reliance on military might. This highlights a key biblical theme: the futility of trusting in human strength over divine power. God is demonstrating that without His blessing, even the mightiest weapons are powerless.

which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians
The historical context is crucial here. The "king of Babylon" refers to Nebuchadnezzar, a powerful ruler whose empire was a tool of God's judgment. The Babylonians, or "Chaldeans," were known for their military prowess. This phrase underscores the dire situation facing Jerusalem, as they were attempting to resist a divinely ordained force. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience to God’s commands and the futility of opposing His will.

who are besieging you outside the wall
The siege is a literal and symbolic representation of judgment. In ancient warfare, a siege was a prolonged and devastating tactic, often leading to severe hardship. The "wall" represents the last line of defense, both physically and spiritually. This imagery conveys the inescapable nature of God’s judgment when His people persist in rebellion. It also serves as a call to repentance, urging the people to seek God’s mercy.

and I will gather them inside this city
The phrase "I will gather" uses the Hebrew "qabats," indicating an intentional act of bringing together. This is a divine action, showing that God is orchestrating events according to His sovereign plan. The "city" refers to Jerusalem, the heart of Israel’s spiritual and political life. This statement is both a warning and a prophecy of the impending capture and destruction of Jerusalem, emphasizing that God’s presence is not confined to a place but is contingent on the people’s faithfulness.

(4) Behold, I will turn back . . .--Jeremiah's answer is far other than they looked for, and had even ventured to suggest. The judgment could no longer be averted. The hand of Jehovah was against them, and would bring the Chaldaeans that were now outside the walls nearer and nearer, till they came within them. In the structure of the sentence, however, "without the walls "belongs to "wherewith ye fight." The defenders of the city were to be driven back within its gates from the outer line of fortifications.

Verse 4. - I will assemble them into the midst of this city; i.e. I will compel the warriors to give up resistance, and shut themselves up within the walls.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
‘This is what
כֹּֽה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the LORD,
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the God
אֱלֹהֵ֣י (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

says:
אָמַ֨ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

I will turn
מֵסֵב֮ (mê·sêḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5437: To turn about, go around, surround

against you
אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

the weapons
כְּלֵ֣י (kə·lê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

of war
הַמִּלְחָמָה֮ (ham·mil·ḥā·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

in your hands,
בְּיֶדְכֶם֒ (bə·yeḏ·ḵem)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 3027: A hand

with which
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you
אַתֶּ֜ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are fighting
נִלְחָמִ֣ים (nil·ḥā·mîm)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3898: To feed on, to consume, to battle

the king
מֶ֤לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Babylon
בָּבֶל֙ (bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

and the Chaldeans
הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים (hak·kaś·dîm)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3778: Chaldeans -- a region of southern Babylon and its inhab

who besiege
הַצָּרִ֣ים (haṣ·ṣā·rîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6696: To confine, bind, besiege

you
עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם (‘ă·lê·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

outside
מִח֖וּץ (mi·ḥūṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2351: Separate by a, wall, outside, outdoors

the wall,
לַֽחוֹמָ֑ה (la·ḥō·w·māh)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

and I will assemble
וְאָסַפְתִּ֣י (wə·’ā·sap̄·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 622: To gather for, any purpose, to receive, take away, remove

[their forces]
אוֹתָ֔ם (’ō·w·ṯām)
Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

in
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the center
תּ֖וֹךְ (tō·wḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

of this
הַזֹּֽאת׃ (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

city.
הָעִ֥יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 21:4 Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel (Jer.)
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