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1 The word that has been to Jeremiah from YHWH, in King Zedekiah’s sending to him Pashhur son of Malchiah and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,
2 “Please inquire of YHWH for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has fought against us; perhaps YHWH deals with us according to all His wonders, and causes him to go up from off us.”
3 And Jeremiah says to them, “Thus you say to Zedekiah,
4 Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Behold, I am turning around the weapons of battle || That [are] in your hand, || With which you fight the king of Babylon, || And the Chaldeans, who are laying siege against you, || At the outside of the wall, || And I have gathered them into the midst of this city,
5 And I have fought against you, || With an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm, || And in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath,
6 And I have struck the inhabitants of this city, || Both man and beast, || They die by a great pestilence.
7 And after this,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “I give Zedekiah king of Judah, || And his servants, and the people, || And those left in this city, || From the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, || Into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, || And into the hand of their enemies, || And into the hand of those seeking their life, || And he has struck them by the mouth of the sword, || He has no pity on them, || Nor does he spare, nor does he have mercy.”
8 “And you say to this people, Thus said YHWH: Behold, I am setting before you the way of life, || And the way of death!
9 Whoever is abiding in this city—dies, || By sword, and by famine, and by pestilence, || And whoever is going forth, || And has fallen to the Chaldeans, || Who are laying siege against you—lives, || And his life has been for a spoil to him.
10 For I have set My face against this city for calamity, || And not for good,” || A declaration of YHWH. “It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon, || And he has burned it with fire.
11 And as for the house of the king of Judah,” || Hear a word of YHWH;
12 O house of David, thus said YHWH: “Decide judgment in the morning, || And deliver the plundered from the hand of the oppressor, || Lest My fury go forth as fire, || And has burned, and none is quenching, || Because of the evil of your doings.
13 Behold, I [am] against you,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “O inhabitant of the valley, rock of the plain, || Who are saying, Who comes down against us? And who comes into our habitations?
14 And I have laid a charge against you, || According to the fruit of your doings,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “And I have kindled a fire in its forest, || And it has consumed all its outskirts!”