¹The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD , when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah , and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah , the priest , saying ,

²“Please enquire of the LORD for us ; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us . Perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works , that he may withdraw from us .”

³Then Jeremiah said to them, “Tell Zedekiah :

⁴‘The LORD , 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 .

⁵I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm , even in anger , in wrath , and in great indignation .

⁶I will strike the inhabitants of this city , both man and animal. They will die of a great pestilence .

⁷Afterward,” says the LORD , “I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah , his servants , and the people , even those who are left in this city from the pestilence , from the sword , and from the famine , into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies , and into the hand of those who seek their life . He will strike them with the edge of the sword . He will not spare them , have pity , or have mercy .”’

⁸“You shall say to this people , ‘The LORD says : “Behold , I set before you the way of life and the way of death .

⁹He who remains in this city will die by the sword , by the famine , and by the pestilence , but he who goes out and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you , he will live , and he will escape with his life .

¹⁰For I have set my face on this city for evil , and not for good ,” says the LORD . “It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.”’

¹¹“Concerning the house of the king of Judah , hear the LORD ’s word :

¹²House of David , the LORD says ,

‘Execute justice in the morning ,

and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor ,

lest my wrath go out like fire,

and burn so that no one can quench it ,

because of the evil of your doings .

¹³Behold , I am against you , O inhabitant of the valley ,

and of the rock of the plain ,’ says the LORD .

‘You that say, “Who would come down against us ?”

or , “Who would enter into our homes?”

¹⁴I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings ,’ says the LORD ;

‘and I will kindle a fire in her forest ,

and it will devour all that is around her .’”