Jeremiah 21:1-9

1 The word which was made of the Lord to Jeremy (The word of the Lord which was made to Jeremiah), when king Zedekiah sent to him Pashur, the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah, the priest, the son of Maaseiah, and (they) said,

2 Ask thou the Lord for us, for Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, fighteth against us; if in hap the Lord do with us by all his marvels, and he go away from us (if perhaps the Lord shall do one of his marvels, or one of his miracles, for us, and he shall go away from us).

3 And Jeremy said to them, Thus ye shall say to Zedekiah,

4 The Lord God of Israel saith these things, Lo! I shall turn (back upon you) the instruments of battle that be in your hands, and with which ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against Chaldees, that besiege you in the compass of [the] walls (and against the Chaldeans, who besiege you all around the walls); and I shall gather those together in the midst of this city.

5 And I shall overcome you in [a] hand stretched forth, and in [a] strong arm (And I shall overcome you with a hand stretched forth, and with a strong arm), and in strong vengeance, and in indignation, and in great wrath;

6 and I shall smite the dwellers of this city (and I shall strike down the inhabitants of this city), (yea,) men and beasts shall die by great pestilence.

7 And after these things, saith the Lord, I shall give Zedekiah, king of Judah, and his servants, and his people, and (those) that be left in this city from pestilence, and sword, and hunger, in(to) the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and in(to) the hand of their enemies, and in(to) the hand of men seeking the life of them; and he shall smite them by the sharpness of sword (and he shall strike them down by the sharpness of the sword); and he shall not be bowed, neither shall spare, neither shall have mercy.

8 And thou shalt say to this people, The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I give before you the way of life, and the way of death.

9 He that dwelleth in this city, shall die by sword, and hunger, and pestilence; but he that goeth out, and fleeth over to [the] Chaldees that besiege you, shall live, and his life shall be as a prey to him. (He who liveth in this city, shall die by the sword, and hunger, and pestilence; but he who goeth out, and fleeth over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, shall live, but his own life shall be his only prey.)

Jeremiah 21:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

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.