Jeremiah

11Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years.

12And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.

He did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD his God. He would not listen humbly to Jeremiah, a prophet who spoke the words God gave him.

13And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the LORD God of Israel.

Zedekiah also turned against King Nebuchadnezzar. He had promised in God's name to stay loyal to him. But Zedekiah was stubborn and hard inside. He would not turn back to the LORD, the God of Israel.

14Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

The leaders of the priests and the people were unfaithful again and again. They copied the disgusting things the other nations did. They spoiled the LORD's house in Jerusalem, which God had set apart for himself.

15And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

The LORD, the God of their fathers, kept sending messages to them. He sent his messengers again and again. He did this because he cared about his people and about his house.

16But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

But they laughed at God's messengers. They ignored his words and made fun of his prophets. At last the LORD became angry with his people. By then nothing could fix it.

17Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.

So God brought the king of the Chaldeans, that is Babylon, against them. That king killed their young men with swords, even inside the holy house. He showed no pity for young men or young women. He showed no pity for old people or those bent over with age. God handed them all over to him.

18And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.

He carried everything off to Babylon. He took all the things from God's house, big and small. He took the treasures of the LORD's house, and of the king and his officials.

19And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

They burned God's house down. They broke down the wall around Jerusalem. They burned all its palaces and destroyed everything of value.

20And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:

The people who lived through the fighting were taken away to Babylon. There they had to serve the king and his sons. That lasted until Persia became the ruling kingdom.

21To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

This happened just as the LORD had said through Jeremiah. The land finally got its sabbaths, its times of rest. It lay empty and rested for seventy years.

1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

Cyrus was the king of Persia. In his first year as king, God moved his heart. This made true what God had said long ago through Jeremiah, a man who told people God's words. Cyrus sent a message all through his kingdom. He also wrote it down. This is what it said:

2Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

"King Cyrus of Persia says this. The LORD, the God of heaven, gave me every kingdom on earth. He has told me to build him a house in Jerusalem, a city in Judah.

3Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

Are any of God's people here? May God be with each one. Let him go to Jerusalem in Judah. Let him build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel. He is the God whose house is in Jerusalem.

4And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

Some of God's people may stay where they live now. Their neighbors should help them. Give them silver, gold, goods, and farm animals. Give gifts for God's house in Jerusalem too."

1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:

These are the words of Jeremiah. His father was Hilkiah. Jeremiah was one of the priests, the men who served God, in the town of Anathoth. Anathoth was in the land of Benjamin.

2To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

The LORD spoke his word to Jeremiah. This happened when Josiah was king of Judah. Josiah's father was Amon. It was the thirteenth year that Josiah had been king.

3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

God kept speaking to Jeremiah when Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was king of Judah. God spoke to him until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah, another son of Josiah. In the fifth month of that year, the people of Jerusalem were taken away as prisoners.

4Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Then the LORD spoke his word to me. He said:

5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

"Before I made you inside your mother, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for myself. I chose you to be a prophet, someone who tells people what God says, for all the nations."

6Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

Then I said, "Oh, Lord GOD! I do not know how to speak. I am only a child."

7But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to. You must say everything I tell you to say."

8Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

"Do not be afraid of them. I am with you, and I will keep you safe," says the LORD.

9Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth. The LORD said to me, "Look. I have put my words in your mouth."

10See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

"See, today I have put you over nations and kingdoms. You will pull up and tear down. You will wreck and knock over. You will also build and plant."

11Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.

The LORD spoke his word to me again. He asked, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" I said, "I see a branch from an almond tree."

12Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

Then the LORD said to me, "You saw that right. I am watching over my word to make it happen."

13And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.

The LORD spoke his word to me a second time. He asked, "What do you see?" I said, "I see a pot of boiling water. It is tipping toward us from the north."

14Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

Then the LORD said to me, "Trouble will come from the north. It will pour out on everyone who lives in this land."

15For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

"Listen. I am going to call all the families and kingdoms of the north," says the LORD. "They will come. Each king will set up his seat at the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack the walls all around the city. They will attack all the other towns of Judah."

16And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

"I will tell the people how I judge them for all the wrong they did. They walked away from me. They burned incense, a sweet-smelling smoke, to other gods. They bowed down to things they made with their own hands."

17Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

"So get yourself ready. Stand up. Tell them everything I command you. Do not let them scare you. If you do, I will make you afraid in front of them."

18For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

"Look. Today I have made you strong, like a city with thick walls. You are like a post made of iron and walls made of bronze. You will stand against the whole land. That means the kings of Judah, its leaders, its priests, and its people."

19And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.

"They will fight against you. But they will not beat you. I am with you, and I will keep you safe," says the LORD.

1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

This is the message that came to Jeremiah from the LORD. God said:

2Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.

"Go stand at the gate of the LORD's house. Say this message out loud there. Say: Listen to the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah. You come in through these gates to worship the LORD.

3Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says. Change your ways and the things you do. Then I will let you keep living in this place.

4Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.

Do not trust words that are not true. Do not keep chanting, 'This is the LORD's temple, the LORD's temple, the LORD's temple.' The temple was the special house where people came to worship God.

5For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;

You must really change your ways and the things you do. You must be fair to each other.

6If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:

Stop being unkind to foreigners, to children with no father, and to women whose husbands have died. Stop killing people who have done nothing wrong here. Stop following other gods, which only brings you harm.

7Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.

If you do all that, I will let you keep living in this place. It is the land I gave to your fathers long ago, forever and ever.

8Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.

But look at you. You keep trusting words that are not true. Those words cannot help you at all.

9Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

Will you steal, and kill, and break your marriage promises? Will you lie when you promise to tell the truth? Will you burn incense to Baal, a false god? Will you follow other gods you do not even know?

10And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?

Then will you come and stand in front of me in this house? This house is called by my name. Will you say, 'We are safe,' so you can keep doing these terrible things?

11Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

Do you think this house, called by my name, is a hideout for robbers? I have seen what you do, says the LORD.

12But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.

Go now to Shiloh, the place where I first put my name. Look at what I did to it. I did it because my people Israel did wicked things.

13And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;

You have done all these things, says the LORD. I spoke to you again and again, but you would not listen. I called to you, but you did not answer.

14Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.

So I will do to this house what I did to Shiloh. This house is called by my name, and you trust in it. I gave this place to you and to your fathers.

15And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.

I will send you away from me. I did the same thing to your relatives, all the people of Ephraim.

18Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

Then some people said, "Come, let's make plans against Jeremiah. We will still have priests to teach God's law. We will still have wise people to give advice. We will still have prophets to speak. Let's hurt him with our words. Let's not listen to anything he says."

19Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

Jeremiah prayed: LORD, please listen to me. Hear what the people who fight me are saying.

20Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.

Should good be paid back with evil? They have dug a pit to trap me. Remember, I stood before you and spoke up for them. I asked you not to be angry with them.

21Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

So let their children go hungry. Let swords cut them down. Let their wives lose their children and their husbands. Let their men die. Let their young men be killed in battle.

22Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

Let crying be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring soldiers against them. They dug a pit to catch me. They hid traps for my feet.

23Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.

LORD, you know all their secret plans to kill me. Do not forgive the wrong they did. Do not wipe their sin away. Let them be brought down in front of you. Deal with them when you are angry.

1Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter’s earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;

This is what the LORD said. "Go and buy a clay jar from a potter, a person who makes pots. Take some of the older leaders of the people with you. Take some of the leading priests too. Priests are the men who serve God at his house."

2And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee,

"Then go out to the Valley of Ben-hinnom, near the gate where broken pots were thrown out. Say there the words I tell you to say."

3And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.

"Say this: Listen to the word of the LORD, kings of Judah and people of Jerusalem. This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says. He is the God of Israel. I am going to bring something terrible on this place. Everyone who hears about it will have ringing ears."

4Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;

"They have left me. They have made this place a place for strangers. Here they burned incense to other gods. Incense is a spice that makes sweet smoke when it burns. They did not know those gods. Their fathers did not know them, and neither did the kings of Judah. They have filled this place with the blood of people who did nothing wrong."

5They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:

"They also built altars on the hills for the god Baal. There they burned their own children in the fire as gifts to Baal. I never told them to do this. I never even spoke of it. It never came into my mind."

6Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.

"So the days are coming, says the LORD, when this place will get a new name. It will not be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben-hinnom anymore. It will be called the Valley of Killing."

7And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.

"In this place I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword in front of their enemies. Those enemies want them dead. I will give their dead bodies to the birds and the wild animals for food."

8And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.

"I will make this city empty and ruined. People will look down on it. Everyone who walks past will be shocked. They will hiss at how badly the city is hurt."

9And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.

"I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters. They will eat one another's flesh too. This will happen when enemy armies surround the city and shut them in. Those enemies want them dead, and they will squeeze the city hard."

10Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,

"Then break the jar while the men who came with you are watching."

11And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.

"Say to them: This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says. I will break this people and this city in the same way. A potter's jar breaks and can never be mended again. They will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no room left to bury anyone."

12Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:

"That is what I will do to this place and to the people who live here, says the LORD. I will make this city like Topheth."

13And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

"The houses of Jerusalem will become unclean, just like that place called Topheth. So will the houses of the kings of Judah. On the flat roofs of those houses people burned incense to the sun, the moon, and the stars. They also poured out wine as gifts to other gods."

14Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD’s house; and said to all the people,

Then Jeremiah came back from Topheth. The LORD had sent him there to tell the people God's message. Jeremiah stood in the courtyard of the LORD's house. He spoke to all the people.

15Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.

He said, "This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says. He is the God of Israel. I am going to bring on this city every bad thing I said would come. I will bring it on all the towns around it too. This is because they have been stubborn and would not listen to my words."

1Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.

Pashur was a priest, a man who served God at the temple. He was also the chief officer in the LORD's house. He heard Jeremiah telling people these things from God.

2Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.

So Pashur hit Jeremiah, who was a prophet, a person who told people what God said. Then Pashur shut him in the stocks at the high Benjamin Gate, next to the LORD's house.

3And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.

The next day Pashur let Jeremiah out of the stocks. Jeremiah said to him, "The LORD does not call you Pashur. He calls you Magor-missabib."

4For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

"The LORD says this: I will make you full of fear. Your friends will be afraid too. Enemies will kill them with swords, and you will watch it happen. I will hand all of Judah to the king of Babylon. He will take the people away to Babylon and kill them with the sword."

5Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.

"I will give away everything strong and rich in this city. All its goods, all its fine things, and all the treasure of Judah's kings will go to their enemies. The enemies will grab it all and carry it to Babylon."

6And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.

"And you, Pashur, and everyone in your house will be taken away. You will go to Babylon. You will die there, and you will be buried there. So will all your friends, the ones you told lies to while saying the words came from God."

7O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

Jeremiah said, "LORD, you tricked me, and I was tricked. You are stronger than I am, and you won. People laugh at me all day. Everyone makes fun of me."

8For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

"Every time I speak, I have to shout. I warn people that hurting and wrecking are coming. So your message brings me insults and laughter every single day."

9Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

"So I said, 'I will not talk about him. I will not speak his name again.' But his word was like a fire burning inside me. I grew tired of holding it in. I could not keep it in."

10For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

"I hear many people whispering about me. 'Scary things are all around!' they say. 'Tell on him! Let us tell on him!' Even my close friends watch for me to slip. They say, 'Maybe we can fool him. Then we will beat him and pay him back.'"

11But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

"But the LORD is with me, like a strong soldier no one wants to face. So the people chasing me will trip and will not win. They will fail, and they will feel great shame. Nobody will ever forget that shame."

12But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

"LORD of all the armies of heaven, you test people who do right. You see the heart and the deepest thoughts. Let me see you pay them back. I have handed my case over to you."

13Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

"Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD! He saves the life of poor people from those who do evil."

14Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

"Let the day I was born be cursed. Let the day my mother had me never be called good."

15Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

"Let the man be cursed who brought my father the news. He said, 'You have a baby boy!' and he made my father very happy."

16And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

"Let that man be like the towns the LORD knocked down and did not pity. Let him hear crying in the morning and battle shouts at noon."

17Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

"I say this because he did not kill me before I was born. Then my mother would have been my grave. She would have carried me always."

18Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

"Why was I ever born? All I see is hard work and sadness. My days end in shame."

1The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,

A message came to Jeremiah from the LORD. Jeremiah was a prophet, someone who told people what God said. King Zedekiah had sent two men to him. They were Pashur son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, a priest.

2Enquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.

The men said, "Please ask the LORD about us. Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, is making war on us. Maybe the LORD will do great wonders like He did long ago. Then the king of Babylon will go away and leave us alone."

3Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:

Then Jeremiah said to them, "Here is what you must tell Zedekiah."

4Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.

The LORD, the God of Israel, says this: Look, I will turn your own weapons back against you. You are using them to fight the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans, his army. They have camped all around outside your wall. I will bring that army right into the middle of this city.

5And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.

I myself will fight against you. My hand will be stretched out, and my arm will be strong. I will come with anger and with very great anger.

6And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.

I will strike down the people who live in this city, and the animals too. They will die from a terrible sickness that spreads fast.

7And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.

After that, says the LORD, I will hand over Zedekiah, king of Judah. I will hand over his helpers and the people too. That means the ones still alive after the sickness, the fighting, and the hunger. I will give them to Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon. I will give them to their enemies, who want them dead. He will kill them with the sword. He will not spare them or feel sorry for them at all.

8And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

And you must say this to the people. The LORD says: Look, I am setting two paths in front of you. One path leads to life. One path leads to death.

9He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.

Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, by hunger, or by sickness. But whoever goes out and gives himself up to the Chaldeans outside will live. He will get to keep his own life, and nothing more.

10For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

I have set my face against this city to bring harm, not good, says the LORD. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon. He will burn it down with fire.