Jeremiah 21:2

2 "Ask the LORD to help us. Nebuchadnezzar is attacking us. He is king of Babylonia. In the past the LORD did wonderful things for us. Maybe he'll do them again. Then Nebuchadnezzar will pull his armies back from us."

Jeremiah 21:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 21:2

Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us
Or, "seek the Lord now for us" F14; seek the Lord by prayer and supplication for me and my people, for this city and the inhabitants of it; entreat him that he would appear for us, and deliver us out of the hands of the enemy; for this they said in the name of the king that sent them, who knew that the prophet had an interest at the throne of grace, and was a favourite of heaven; and therefore desired him to be an intercessor for them: for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us;
the same that is elsewhere called Nebuchadnezzar, commonly called by the Greeks Nebuchodonosor; he was now come up to Jerusalem, and was besieging it, as had been predicted: if so be the Lord will deal with us according to all his wondrous
works;
which he had done in times past for that nation; as by bringing them out of Egypt; driving out the Canaanites before them; delivering them out of the hands of their neighbours, time after time, when oppressed by them; and particularly by destroying the Assyrian army in Hezekiah's time, which was besieging the city of Jerusalem, and causing their king to depart and flee in haste; and their present case being similar to that, it is very likely that that was more especially in view: that he may go up from us;
namely, the king of Babylon; that he may rise up, and raise the siege, and depart into his own country, as Sennacherib did.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 (wndeb an vrd) "interroga nunc pro nobis", Vatablus: Pagninus; "inquire nunc", Montanus.

Jeremiah 21:2 In-Context

1 A message came to me from the LORD. It came when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur to me. Pashhur was the son of Malkijah. Zedekiah sent the priest Zephaniah along with him. Zephaniah was the son of Maaseiah. They said to me,
2 "Ask the LORD to help us. Nebuchadnezzar is attacking us. He is king of Babylonia. In the past the LORD did wonderful things for us. Maybe he'll do them again. Then Nebuchadnezzar will pull his armies back from us."
3 But I answered them, "Tell Zedekiah and his people,
4 'The LORD is the God of Israel. He says, "The king of Babylonia and his armies are all around this city. They are getting ready to attack you. You have weapons of war in your hands to fight against them. But I am about to turn your weapons against you. And I will bring your enemies inside this city.
5 " ' "I myself will fight against you. I will reach out my powerful hand and mighty arm. I will come against you with all of my burning anger.
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