But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn(A) against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians[a] who are outside the wall besieging(B) you. And I will gather them inside this city. I myself will fight(C) against you with an outstretched hand(D) and a mighty arm(E) in furious anger and in great wrath. I will strike(F) down those who live in this city—both man and beast—and they will die of a terrible plague.(G) After that, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah(H) king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague,(I) sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon(J) and to their enemies(K) who want to kill them.(L) He will put them to the sword;(M) he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 21:4 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 9

Then Jeremiah said to them: “Thus you shall say to Zedekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: (A)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. (B)And I will bring them together into the midst of this city. I myself will fight against you (C)with outstretched hand and strong arm, (D)in anger and in fury and in great wrath. And I will strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast. They shall die of a great pestilence. Afterward, declares the Lord, (E)I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword. (F)He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion.’

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