| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said: | 1The LORD spoke to Jeremiah when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. Zedekiah sent them to Jeremiah to ask, |
| 2"Inquire now of the LORD for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the LORD will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us." | 2"Please ask the LORD to come and help us, because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is attacking us. Maybe the LORD will perform one of his miracles as in times past and make him stop attacking us and leave." |
| 3But Jeremiah answered them, "Tell Zedekiah, | 3Jeremiah answered them, "Tell Zedekiah |
| 4This 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. | 4that 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. |
| 5I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in furious anger and in great wrath. | 5In anger, in fury, and in wrath I myself will fight against you with my mighty power and great strength! |
| 6I will strike down those who live in this city--both man and beast--and they will die of a terrible plague. | 6I will kill everything living in Jerusalem, people and animals alike! They will die from terrible diseases. |
| 7After that, declares the LORD, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague, sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will put them to the sword; he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.' | 7Then I, the LORD, promise that I will hand over King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and any of the people who survive the war, starvation, and disease. I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will slaughter them with the sword. He will not show them any mercy, compassion, or pity.' |
| 8"Furthermore, tell the people, 'This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. | 8"But tell the people of Jerusalem that the LORD says, 'I will give you a choice between two courses of action. One will result in life; the other will result in death. |
| 9Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives. | 9Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians who are besieging it will live. They will escape with their lives. |
| 10I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the LORD. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.' | 10For I, the LORD, say that I am determined not to deliver this city but to bring disaster on it. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon and he will destroy it with fire.'" |
| 11"Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, 'Hear the word of the LORD. | 11The LORD told me to say to the royal court of Judah, "Listen to what the LORD says, |
| 12This is what the LORD says to you, house of David: "'Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done-- burn with no one to quench it. | 12O royal family descended from David. The LORD says: 'See to it that people each day are judged fairly. Deliver those who have been robbed from those who oppress them. Otherwise, my wrath will blaze out against you. It will burn like a fire that cannot be put out because of the evil that you have done. |
| 13I am against you, Jerusalem, you who live above this valley on the rocky plateau, declares the LORD-- you who say, "Who can come against us? Who can enter our refuge?" | 13Listen, you who sit enthroned above the valley on a rocky plateau. I am opposed to you,' says the LORD. 'You boast, "No one can swoop down on us. No one can penetrate into our places of refuge." |
| 14I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the LORD. I will kindle a fire in your forests that will consume everything around you.'" | 14But I will punish you as your deeds deserve,' says the LORD. 'I will set fire to your palace; it will burn up everything around it.'" |
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