God Rejects Zedekiah’s Request
1The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said: 2“Inquire now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar21:2 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, of which Nebuchadnezzar is a variant; here and often in Jeremiah and Ezekiel king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.”
3But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah, 4‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians21:4 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 9 who are outside the wall besieging you. And I will gather them inside this city. 5I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in furious anger and in great wrath. 6I will strike down those who live in this city—both man and beast—and they will die of a terrible plague. 7After that, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague, sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will put them to the sword; he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’
8“Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. 9Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives. 10I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’
11“Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord. 12This is what the Lord says to you, house of David:
“ ‘Administer justice every morning;
rescue from the hand of the oppressor
the one who has been robbed,
or my wrath will break out and burn like fire
because of the evil you have done—
burn with no one to quench it.
13I am against you, Jerusalem,
you who live above this valley
on the rocky plateau, declares the Lord—
you who say, “Who can come against us?
Who can enter our refuge?”
14I will punish you as your deeds deserve,
declares the Lord.
I will kindle a fire in your forests
that will consume everything around you.’ ”
預言耶路撒冷的淪陷
1西底迦王派瑪基雅的兒子巴施戶珥和瑪西雅的兒子西番雅祭司來見耶利米的時候，耶和華的話臨到耶利米。當時，他們對耶利米說： 2「請你為我們求問耶和華，因為巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒來攻打我們，或許耶和華會像以往一樣為我們行神蹟，使敵人撤軍。」
3耶利米對他們說：「你們要告訴西底迦， 4以色列的上帝耶和華說，『看啊，你們與圍城的巴比倫王及迦勒底人作戰，我要把你們的兵器掉轉過來，我要把它們收集在城中心。 5我要在怒氣、義憤和烈怒中伸出大能的臂膀下手擊打你們， 6我要擊打這城裡的居民和牲畜，使他們死於大瘟疫。 7然後，我要把猶大王西底迦及其臣僕以及城中逃過瘟疫、刀劍和饑荒的人都交給巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒，使他們落在尋索其命的仇敵手中。巴比倫王必殘酷無情地殺戮他們。這是耶和華說的。』
8「耶利米啊，你要告訴百姓，『耶和華說，看啊，我把生命之路和死亡之路擺在你們面前， 9留在這城裡的必死於刀劍、饑荒和瘟疫，出城向迦勒底人投降的必保全性命、逃過一死。 10我必嚴懲這城，向它降禍不降福。它必落在巴比倫王手中，被付之一炬。這是耶和華說的。』
11「你要對猶大的王室說，『你們要聽耶和華的話。 12大衛家啊，耶和華說，
「『你們要天天秉公行義，
從壓迫者手中解救受剝削的人，
免得你們的惡行激起我的怒火，
如烈焰燃起，無人能滅。
13耶路撒冷啊，
你座落在山谷之上，
如平原的磐石，
自以為無人能攻擊你，
無人能闖入你的住處，
但我要攻擊你，
這是耶和華說的。
14我要照你的所作所為懲罰你；
我要點燃你的樹林，
燒光你周圍的一切。
這是耶和華說的。』」
