Yēlìmǐshū 21

1 Yēhéhuá de huà líndào Yēlìmǐ . nàshí , Xīdǐjiā wáng dǎfa Mǎjīyǎ de érzi Bāshīhùĕr, hé Mǎxīyǎ de érzi jìsī xī fān yǎ , qù jiàn Yēlìmǐ , shuō ,

2 Qǐng nǐ wèi wǒmen qiú wèn Yēhéhuá . yīnwei Bābǐlún wáng Níbùjiǎnísǎ lái gōngjī wǒmen , huòzhĕ Yēhéhuá zhào tā yīqiè qímiào de zuòwéi dāi wǒmen , shǐ Bābǐlún wáng líkāi wǒmen shang qù .

3 Yēlìmǐ duì tāmen shuō , nǐmen dāng duì Xīdǐjiā zhèyàng shuō ,

4 Yēhéhuá Yǐsèliè de shén rúcǐ shuō , wǒ yào shǐ nǐmen shǒu zhōng de bīngqì , jiù shì nǐmen zaì chéng waì yǔ Bābǐlún wáng hé wéi kùn nǐmen de Jiālèdǐ rén dǎzhàng de bīngqì fān zhuǎn guo lái , yòu yào shǐ zhèxie dōu jùjí zaì zhè chéng zhōng .

5 Bìngqiĕ wǒ yào zaì nùqì , fèn nù , hé dà nǎohèn zhōng , yòng shēn chūlai de shǒu , bìng dà néng de bǎngbì , qīnzì gōngjī nǐmen .

6 Yòu yào jī dá zhè chéng de jūmín , lián rén daì shēngchù dōu bì zāoyù dà wēnyì sǐwáng .

7 Yǐhòu wǒ yào jiāng Yóudà wáng Xīdǐjiā hé tāde chénpú bǎixìng , jiù shì zaì chéng neì , cóng wēnyì , dāo jiàn , jīhuāng zhōng shèngxia de rén , dōu jiāo zaì Bābǐlún wáng ní bù Jiǎní sā de shǒu zhōng hé tāmen chóudí , bìng xún suǒ qí méng de rén shǒu zhōng . Bābǐlún wáng bì yòng dāo jī shā tāmen , bù gù xī , bùkĕ lián . zhè shì Yēhéhuá shuō de .

8 Nǐ yào duì zhè bǎixìng shuō , Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , kàn nǎ , wǒ jiāng shēngmìng de lù hé sǐwáng de lù bǎi zaì nǐmen miànqián .

9 Zhù zaì zhè chéng lǐ de bì zāo dāo jiàn , jīhuāng , wēnyì ér sǐ . dàn chū qù guī jiàng/xiáng wéi kùn nǐmen Jiālèdǐ rén de bì dé cún huó , yào yǐ zìjǐ de méng wèi lue wù .

10 Yēhéhuá shuō , wǒ xiàng zhè chéng biàn liǎn , jiàng huò bú jiàng fú . zhè chéng Bìjiāo zaì Bābǐlún wáng de shǒu zhōng , tā bì yòng huǒ fùnshāo .

11 Zhìyú Yóudà wáng de jiā , nǐmen dāng tīng Yēhéhuá de huà .

12 Dàwèi jiā a , Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , nǐmen mĕi zǎochen yào shīxíng gōngping , zhĕngjiù beì qiǎngduó de tuōlí qīyē rén de shǒu , kǒngpà wǒde fèn nù yīn nǐmen de è xíng fā zuò , rú huǒ zhe qǐ , shènzhì wú rén néng yǐ xī miè .

13 Yēhéhuá shuō , zhù shān gǔ hépíng yuán pánshí shang de jūmín , nǐmen shuō , shuí néng xià lái gōngjī wǒmen . shuí néng jìnrù wǒmen de zhù chù ne . kàn nǎ , wǒ yǔ nǐmen wèi dí .

14 Yēhéhuá yòu shuō , wǒ bì àn nǐmen zuò shì de jié guǒ xíngfá nǐmen . wǒ yĕ bì shǐ huǒ zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng de lín zhōng zhe qǐ , jiāng tā sìwéi suǒyǒude jǐn xíng shāo miè .

Yēlìmǐshū 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

The only way of deliverance is to be surrendering to the Babylonians. (1-10) The wickedness of the king and his household. (11-14)

Verses 1-10 When the siege had begun, Zedekiah sent to ask of Jeremiah respecting the event. In times of distress and danger, men often seek those to counsel and pray for them, whom, at other times, they despise and oppose; but they only seek deliverance from punishment. When professors continue in disobedience, presuming upon outward privileges, let them be told that the Lord will prosper his open enemies against them. As the king and his princes would not surrender, the people are exhorted to do so. No sinner on earth is left without a Refuge, who really desires one; but the way of life is humbling, it requires self-denial, and exposes to difficulties.

Verses 11-14 The wickedness of the king and his family was the worse because of their relation to David. They were urged to act with justice, at once, lest the Lord's anger should be unquenchable. If God be for us, who can be against us? But if he be against us, who can do any thing for us?

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 21

This chapter contains Jeremiah's answer to King Zedekiah's message to him; in which he assures him of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and gives advice both to the people and the king. The names of the persons sent to him are mentioned, Jer 21:1; and the errand they were sent upon, to desire the prophet to pray to the Lord, that the king of Babylon might be obliged to depart from Jerusalem, Jer 21:2; the answer from the Lord by him is, that their opposition to the king of Babylon should be fruitless; that he should be so far from quitting the siege, that he should enter the city, Jer 21:3,4; yea, that the Lord himself would fight against them, and destroy men and beast with the pestilence; and that such who escaped the sword, famine, and pestilence, should fall into the hands of the king of Babylon, Jer 21:5-7; and then some advice is given to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to go out and give up themselves to the Chaldeans; which was the best way to save their lives, since the city would certainly fall into their hands, and be burnt by them, Jer 21:8-10; and as for the royal family, they are advised to do justice and deliver the oppressed; the not doing of which, it is suggested, was the cause of their ruin, Jer 21:11,12; and the chapter is closed with a denunciation of destruction upon the city, notwithstanding the vain trust and confidence of the inhabitants of it, Jer 21:13,14.