Yirmeyah 21

1 1 The Davar which came unto Yirmeyah from Hashem, when HaMelech Tzidkiyah sent unto him Pashchur Ben Malkiyah, and Tzephanyah Ben Ma’aseiyah the kohen, saying,

2 Inquire, now, of Hashem for us; for Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel maketh war against us; if it be so that Hashem will deal with us according to all His nifle’ot (wondrous deeds), that he may withdraw from us.

3 Then said Yirmeyah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Tzidkiyah;

4 Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel; Hineni, I will turn back against you the weapons of milchamah (war) that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against Melech Bavel, and against the Kasdim (Chaldeans), which besiege you outside the chomah (wall), and I will assemble them inside this city.

5 And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched yad (hand) and with a zero’a chazakah (strong arm), even in anger, and in chemah, and in ketzef gadol (great wrath).

6 And I will strike down the inhabitants of this city, both ha’adam and habehemah; they shall die of dever gadol (great plague).

7 And afterward, saith Hashem, I will deliver Tzidkiyah Melech Yehudah, and his avadim, and HaAm, and such as are survivors in this city from dever, from the cherev, and from the ra’av (famine), into the yad Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel, and into the yad of their oyevim (enemies), and into the yad of those that seek their nefesh; and he shall strike them down with the edge of the cherev; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have rachamim.

8 And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Hashem; Hineni, I set before you the Derech HaChayyim and the Derech HaMavet.

9 He that abideth in this city shall die by cherev, and by ra’av (famine), and by dever (plague); but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Kasdim (Chaldeans) that besiege you, he shall live, and his nefesh shall be unto him as plunder.

10 For I have set my face against this city for ra’ah, and not for tovah, saith Hashem; it shall be given into the yad Melech Bavel, and he shall set eish to it to burn it down.

11 And touching the Bais Melech Yehudah, say, Hear ye the Devar Hashem;

12 O Bais Dovid, thus saith Hashem; Execute mishpat in the boker, and save him that is robbed out of the yad oshek (hand of the oppressor), lest My chemah (fury) go out like eish, and burn that none can quench it, because of the wickedness of your deeds.

13 Hineni, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the emek (valley), and tzur (rock) of the plain, saith Hashem; which say, Who shall come down against us? Or who shall enter into our me’onot (dwelling places, homes)?

14 But I will visit you in punishment according to the p’ri (fruit) of your deeds, saith Hashem; and I will kindle an eish in the ya’ar (forest) thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.

Yirmeyah 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.