1 This is the word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the religious leader, the son of Maaseiah, saying,2 "Will you speak to the Lord about us? For King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is making war against us. It may be that the Lord will do something for us like He did in times past, and make him leave us."3 Then Jeremiah said to them, "Say this to Zedekiah:4 'The Lord God of Israel says, "See, I will turn against you the objects of war you are using to fight with against the king of Babylon and the Babylonians who are gathered outside the wall to shut you in. And I will bring them into the center of this city.5 I Myself will fight against you with My hand out and with a strong arm, in much anger.6 I will kill both man and animal in this city. They will die of a bad disease.7 After this," says the Lord, "I will give over Zedekiah king of Judah, his servants, and the people who were not killed in this city by the disease, the sword, and hunger. I will give them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of those who hate them, and into the hand of those who want to kill them. And he will kill them with the sword. He will not let them live or have pity for them." '8 "Also tell the people, 'The Lord says, "See, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.9 He who lives in this city will die by the sword and by hunger and by disease. But he who goes out and gives himself up to the Babylonians whose armies shut you in will live, he will at least have his life.10 For I have set My face against this city for trouble and not for good," says the Lord. "It will be given to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire." '11 "Then say to those of the house of the king of Judah, 'Hear the Word of the Lord,12 O house of David, the Lord says, "Do what is right every morning. Take the person who has been robbed away from the one who has made it hard for him. So My anger will not go out like fire and burn with no one to put it out, because of the sinful things you have done.13 "See, I am against you, O you who live in the valley, O rock of the plain," says the Lord, "you who say, 'Who will come down against us? Or who will come into our houses?'14 I will punish you for what has come of what you have done," says the Lord. "I will start a fire among your trees, and it will destroy all that is around it." ' ''