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The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when kingZedekiahsent 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 Nebuchadrezzarking 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 saidJeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:
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Thus saith the LORDGod 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 outstretchedhand and with a strongarm, even in anger, and in fury, and in greatwrath.
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And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a greatpestilence.
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And afterward,saith the LORD, I will deliverZedekiahking 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 Nebuchadrezzarking 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 setbefore 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.