Jeremiah 21

1 This is the word [message, declaration] that came to Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed] from the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] when King [royal ruler] Zedekiah [Jehovah is righteous] sent [dispatched, commissioned] to him Pashhur [freedom, release] son of Malchijah [my king is Jehovah] and the priest [one who serves God] Zephaniah [God has treasured] son of Maaseiah [work of Jehovah]. They said, word study 2 “Please [we pray, I ask] inquire of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] on our behalf [for us, in our place], since Nebuchadnezzar [a powerful ruler] king of Babylon [a city and empire, meaning confusion or mixing] is waging war [fighting, battling] against us. Perhaps [if not, it may be] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will perform [do, make, bring about] for us something like [similar to, in the manner of] all His past wonders [miraculous works, amazing deeds], so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw [go up, ascend, retreat] from us.” word study 3 But Jeremiah [the prophet, whom Jehovah has appointed] answered, “You are to tell [speak to, command] Zedekiah [Jehovah is righteous, the last king of Judah] that word study 4 this is what the LORD [Yehovah, the God of covenant], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants], says: ‘I will turn [to surround, to change direction] against you the weapons [instruments of war, arms] of war in your hands [power, strength], with which you are fighting [waging war, battling] the king [ruler, monarch] of Babylon [a city and empire of confusion] and the Chaldeans [inhabitants of Chaldea, a region in Mesopotamia] who besiege [to confine, to lay siege] you outside [beyond, external to] the wall [a barrier, a protection], and I will assemble [to gather, to bring together] their forces [army, military] in the center [midst, middle] of this city [a place with walls, a community]. word study 5 And I Myself [the Lord, personally] will fight [engage in battle, contend with] against you with an outstretched [stretched out, extended] hand and a mighty [strong, powerful] arm, with anger [indignation, wrath], fury [intense rage], and great [abundant, overflowing] wrath [deep-seated indignation]. word study 6 I will strike down [smite, kill] the residents [inhabitants, dwellers] of this city [town, settlement], both man [human beings, people] and beast [animals, livestock]. They will die [perish, come to an end] in a terrible [great, severe] plague [pestilence, disease].’ word study 7 ‘After that [following this event, subsequently],’ declares the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], ‘I will hand over [deliver, give into the power of] Zedekiah king [ruler, monarch] of Judah [the tribe of Judah, the southern kingdom], his officers [servants, attendants], and the people [nation, community] in this city [Jerusalem, the capital] who survive [remain, are left] the plague [pestilence, disease] and sword [war, violence] and famine [hunger, scarcity], to Nebuchadnezzar [Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon] king of Babylon [the ruler of the Babylonian empire] and to their enemies [adversaries, foes] who seek [pursue, desire] their lives [souls]. He will put them to the sword [kill, slay]; he will not spare [show mercy, have pity] them or show pity [compassion, kindness] or compassion [mercy, love].’ word study 8 Furthermore, you are to tell this people [the nation of Israel, a people or nation] that this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: ‘Behold [look, see], I set before you [in front of you, to choose] the way [path, road, or manner of life] of life [being alive, spiritual life] and the way [path, road, or manner of action] of death [the end of physical life, eternal separation]. word study 9 Whoever stays [remains, abides, dwells] in this city [excitement, a place with a wall] will die [perish, come to an end] by sword [a cutting instrument, a weapon of war] and famine [hunger, a lack of food] and plague [pestilence, a disease], but whoever goes out [comes out, departs] and surrenders [falls, yields] to the Chaldeans [the inhabitants of Chaldea, a region in Mesopotamia] who besiege [confine, surround] you will live [have life, be revived]; he will retain [keep, preserve] his life [soul, living being] like a spoil [plunder, booty] of war. word study 10 For I have set [determined, fixed] My face [presence, countenance] against this city [Jerusalem, the capital] to bring [cause, inflict] disaster [evil, calamity] and not [absence of] good [welfare, prosperity], declares [utters, proclaims] the LORD [Yehovah]. It will be delivered [given, handed over] into the hand [power, authority] of the king [ruler, sovereign] of Babylon [the empire, the city of confusion], who will destroy [burn, annihilate] it with fire [flames, conflagration].’ word study 11 Moreover, tell the house [dwelling place, family home] of the king [royal person, ruler] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] to hear [listen and obey, give attention to] the word [message, thing, or affair] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 12 O house [family, descendants] of David, this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: ‘Administer [execute, carry out] justice [righteous judgment] every morning [at the break of day, a time of new beginnings], and rescue [deliver, snatch away] the victim of robbery [one who is plundered, robbed] from the hand [power, control] of his oppressor [one who presses upon or defrauds], or My wrath [intense anger, rage] will go forth like fire [burning, flame] and burn [consume, destroy] with no one to extinguish [quench, put out] it because of their evil [morally bad, wicked] deeds [actions, practices]. word study 13 Behold [look, take notice], I am against you who dwell [reside, inhabit] above the valley [lowland area], atop the rocky [solid, unshakeable] plateau [level area, plain]— declares the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]— you who say, “Who [what person, which one] can come against us [approach, attack]? Who can enter [go into, penetrate] our dwellings [homes, habitations, places of rest]?” word study 14 I will punish you as your deeds [according to the fruit of your doings] deserve, declares the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel]. I will kindle [set on fire, ignite] a fire in your forest [woodlands, Jaar] that will consume [devour, eat up] everything around [surrounding, encompassing] you.’” word study