Jeremiah 21:4–10

⁴‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to ^aturn back the weapons of war which are in your hands, with which you are warring against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall; and I will ^bgather them into the center of this city.

⁵“I ^aMyself will war against you with an ^boutstretched hand and a mighty arm, even in ^canger and wrath and great indignation.

⁶“I will also strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die of a great ^apestilence.

⁷“Then afterwards,” declares the Lord, “^aI will give over Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people, even those who survive in this city from the pestilence, the sword and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their foes and into the hand of those who seek their lives; and he will strike them down with the edge of the sword. He ^bwill not spare them nor have pity nor compassion.” ’

⁸“You shall also say to this people, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I ^aset before you the way of life and the way of death.

⁹“He who ^adwells in this city will die by the ^bsword and by famine and by pestilence; but he who goes out and falls away to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and he will have his own life as booty.

¹⁰“For I have ^aset My face against this city for ¹harm and not for good,” declares the Lord. “It will be ^bgiven into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will ^cburn it with fire.” ’