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Jeremiah 21

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The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,

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Enquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the Lord will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.

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Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:

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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.

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And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.

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And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.

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And afterward, saith the Lord, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.

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And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

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He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.

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For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

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And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of the Lord;

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O house of David, thus saith the Lord; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

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Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the Lord; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?

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But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.

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Jeremiah 21

King Zedekiah sends officials to ask Jeremiah whether YHWH will save Jerusalem from the Babylonian siege, and the prophet announces that YHWH will fight against the city and its people, delivering them into Nebuchadnezzar's hand, establishing that the king's question reveals a fundamental misunderstanding—YHWH is not Jerusalem's defender but judge, executing judgment through the Babylonian army. Jeremiah offers a stark choice: those who surrender to the Babylonians will live, while those who resist will die by sword, famine, and pestilence, a message that appears politically treasonous yet represents prophetic truth that the city cannot be defended through military means because YHWH has abandoned it to judgment. The chapter establishes the tension between political responsibility and prophetic truth: offering surrender as the path to survival seems to betray the king and kingdom, yet refusing to proclaim this truth would be betraying both YHWH's word and ultimately the people who need to know that resistance is futile. YHWH's instruction that Jeremiah address the royal household with a reminder of Davidic covenantal obligations establishes that covenant fidelity (not military might) is the foundation of security, and the people's rejection of covenant has rendered all political and military strategies powerless against the judgment now unavoidable.

Jeremiah 21:1

King Zedekiah's inquiry through Pashhur and Zephaniah represents a final, desperate plea for divine intervention against the Babylonian siege. The specific naming of the messengers and their mission shows that the inquiry is official and urgent. Zedekiah's hope is that Jeremiah, despite earlier persecution, will announce God's deliverance through miraculous military intervention. The inquiry reveals that Zedekiah simultaneously resists Jeremiah's prophecies and yet seeks divine favor through the prophet. This chapter demonstrates that judgment is now imminent: the Babylonian siege has begun, and the kingdom's fate hangs in the balance.

Jeremiah 21:2

The request that God perform wonderful deeds, make the enemy withdraw, and act according to God's wondrous works shows Zedekiah's underlying assumption: that God will intervene militarily for Jerusalem despite the nation's apostasy. The invocation of God's past wonders suggests that Zedekiah hopes for repetition of earlier miracles (like the deliverance in Hezekiah's time). The request assumes that God's faithfulness to the temple and city is unconditional and will override the judgment that Jeremiah has announced. This verse shows the false hope that grips Jerusalem even as judgment closes in.

Jeremiah 21:3

God's response through Jeremiah—that He will turn back the weapons of war and gather them in Jerusalem—reverses Zedekiah's hope completely. Instead of weapons being used against the enemy, they will be turned against Judah itself. God will gather the very means of defense inside the city but will use them to accomplish judgment rather than protection. The response maintains that God will indeed act powerfully but for judgment rather than salvation. This verse shows the futility of Zedekiah's appeal: the king has miscalculated which side God is on.

Jeremiah 21:4

The explicit statement that God fights against the people with an outstretched hand and mighty arm uses the language of divine power normally associated with delivering the people (as in the Exodus). Here, that same power is directed against Judah. The irony is devastating: God's mighty deeds will be executed against the covenant people, not against their enemies. The image suggests that God's power will be applied comprehensively and irresistibly to accomplish Judah's defeat.

Jeremiah 21:5

God's wrath, fury, and great displeasure directed against the inhabitants emphasizes the emotional dimension of judgment—this is not merely impersonal disaster but divine anger at betrayal. The scale of the judgment—striking people and animals alike—emphasizes that judgment affects all life. The great pestilence suggests disease accompanying or following siege warfare, adding to the comprehensiveness of calamity.

Jeremiah 21:6

The expansion of judgment—affecting even the survivors in the city—shows that escape is not possible. Even those who avoid plague and sword will face the Babylonian enemy. The king, servants, and people face the same comprehensive judgment. The lack of hope for escape anywhere in the city emphasizes that Zedekiah's hope for miraculous deliverance is completely unfounded.

Jeremiah 21:7

The specific statement that God will hand Zedekiah himself, his servants, and the people over to Nebuchadnezzar announces that the king and kingdom will be captured. The terms of capture—to be struck by the sword without pity or mercy—emphasize that military ruthlessness will be absolute. The announcement of no restraint or compassion shows that Zedekiah's expectation of honorable treatment is false. The judgment will be harsh and complete.

Jeremiah 21:8

The offer of a choice—the way of life and the way of death—presents the fundamental decision before the people. Those who remain in the city face sword, plague, and famine. Those who go out to the Babylonians and surrender will live. The choice is between death through resistance and life through submission. This verse shows that even now, God offers an escape route for those willing to abandon the false hope of military resistance.

Jeremiah 21:9

The explicit promise that whoever goes out to the Babylonians will live shows that surrender, though counterintuitive and shameful, is the pathway to survival. The repetition of the promise—"his life shall be given him as a prize"—emphasizes that survival itself is the reward for surrender. This verse directly contradicts the expected behavior of a king and people; normally, surrender is regarded as the ultimate shame. Yet here, it is presented as wisdom and the condition for survival.

Jeremiah 21:10

God's declaration that His face is turned against the city for evil, not good, and that the city will be handed to the king of Babylon reverses all of Zedekiah's expectations. The turning away of God's face represents the withdrawal of divine favor and protection. The inevitability of capture—the city will be taken—leaves no room for hope in military resistance. This verse closes off any remaining possibility that miraculous deliverance will occur.

Jeremiah 21:11

The shift to address the royal house shows that the message extends beyond Zedekiah to the entire kingdom's leadership. The command to hear God's word suggests that leadership still has the possibility of heeding, though judgment is now imminent. The phrase "house of the king" evokes the palace with its splendor and power, emphasizing the contrast between apparent strength and actual vulnerability to divine judgment.

Jeremiah 21:12

The call to administer justice in the morning (judicial work) and rescue the oppressed from the oppressor's hand presents a last-minute appeal for moral reformation. The specific mention of preventing fire suggests that if justice is not implemented, God will kindle a fire (of judgment) that will consume everything. The verse shows that even at the moment of judgment, God calls for repentance and reformation. The administration of justice would represent the reversal of the apostasy that brought judgment.

Jeremiah 21:13

God's threat to the inhabitants of the valley and rocky plateau who say that God cannot come up against them represents the arrogance of those who believe they are safe from judgment. The geographical reference to valleys and high places suggests either actual defensive positions or metaphorical pride. The confident assertion that God cannot attack shows the people's false sense of security. God's response—that He will punish them—corrects this fundamental misunderstanding.

Jeremiah 21:14

The final statement—that God will punish them according to the fruit of their doings and will kindle a fire in the forest of the city—shows that the people's own actions have created the condition for judgment. The image of fire consuming the city emphasizes the totality and irresistibility of coming judgment. The verse concludes by showing that the prophetic message, rejected and scorned, will nevertheless be fulfilled in its entirety.