| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah, asking, | 1The message that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Malchijah's son Pashhur and Maaseiah's son Zephaniah the priest: |
| 2"Ask the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonderful works so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us." | 2Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is fighting against us. Perhaps the LORD will do some of his miraculous acts for us, and Nebuchadnezzar will depart from us." |
| 3But Jeremiah answered, "This is what you are to say to Zedekiah: | 3Jeremiah told them, "This is what you are to say to Zedekiah, |
| 4 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I will repel the weapons of war in your hands, those you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall, and I will bring them into the center of this city. | 4This is what the LORD God of Israel says: "I'm about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls. I'll gather them into the center of this city. |
| 5I will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, with anger, rage, and great wrath. | 5Because of my anger, wrath, and great fury, I'll fight against you myself with an outstretched hand and a strong arm. |
| 6I will strike the residents of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a great plague. | 6I'll strike down the residents of this city, both people and animals, and they'll die from a terrible plague. |
| 7Afterward"--this is the LORD's declaration--" 'King Zedekiah of Judah, his officers, and the people--those in this city who survive the plague, the sword, and the famine--I will hand over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, to their enemies, yes, to those who want to take their lives. He will put them to the sword; he won't spare them or show pity or compassion.' | 7Afterwards," declares the LORD, "I'll give King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and the people—those who are left in this city from the plague, the sword, and the famine—into the control of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, right into the hand of their enemies and the hand of those who want to kill them. He'll execute them with swords and won't pity them. He won't spare them, nor will he have compassion on them."' |
| 8"But you must say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: Look, I am presenting to you the way of life and the way of death. | 8"You are to say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: "I'm about to set before you the way of life and the way of death. |
| 9Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine, and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live and will retain his life like the spoils of war. | 9Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, by famine, and by the plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live. He will save his life as a spoil of war. |
| 10For I have turned against this city to bring disaster and not good"--this is the LORD's declaration. " 'It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, who will burn it down.' | 10Indeed, I'm firmly decided—I'm sending calamity to this city, not good," declares the LORD. "It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will set it on fire."' |
| 11"And to the house of the king of Judah say this: 'Hear the word of the LORD! | 11"To the house of the king of Judah say, 'Hear this message from the LORD. |
| 12House of David, this is what the LORD says: Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My anger will flare up like fire and burn unquenchably because of their evil deeds. | 12This is what the LORD says, house of David: "Judge appropriately every morning, and deliver those who have been robbed from the oppressor, so my anger does not break out like fire and burn with no one to put it out because of your evil deeds. |
| 13Beware! I am against you, you who sit above the valley, you atop the rocky plateau-- this is the LORD's declaration-- you who say, "Who can come down against us? Who can enter our hiding places?" | 13"Look, I'm against you, city dwelling in the valley, rock of the plain," declares the LORD, "those of you who say, 'Who can come down against us and who can enter our habitations?' |
| 14I will punish you according to what you have done-- this is the LORD's declaration. I will kindle a fire in its forest that will consume everything around it.'" | 14But I'll punish you according to what you have done," declares the LORD. "I'll start a fire in her forest, and it will consume everything around her."'" |
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