1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchiah and the priest Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, with this message:
2 "Inquire of the LORD on our behalf, because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is fighting against us. Perhaps the LORD will act with us in keeping with all his wonders, so that he goes up from us."
3 Jeremiah answered them, "Say this to Zedekiah:
4 'Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: See, I am turning back the weapons of war in your hands, with which you fight the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall, and I will gather them into the heart of this city.
5 I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, in anger, in fury and in great indignation.
6 I will strike the inhabitants of this city, man and beast alike; they will die by a great pestilence.
7 After that, declares the LORD, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people, those left in this city from the pestilence, the sword and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, into the hand of their enemies and the hand of those seeking their life. He will strike them with the edge of the sword; he will not take pity on them, will not spare, will have no compassion.'
8 "And to this people say, 'Thus says the LORD: Look, I am placing before you the way of life and the way of death.
9 Whoever remains in this city will die by sword, famine and pestilence; but whoever goes out and falls away to the Chaldeans who besiege you will live, and he will have his life as a prize of war.
10 For I have set my face against this city for evil and not for good, declares the LORD; into the hand of the king of Babylon it will be given, and he will burn it with fire.'
11 "And to the house of the king of Judah: 'Hear the word of the LORD,
12 house of David! Thus says the LORD: Judge justly every morning, and rescue the robbed from the hand of the oppressor, so that my wrath does not go forth like fire and burn with no one to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.
13 I am against you, inhabitant of the valley, rock of the plain, declares the LORD, you who say, "Who can come down upon us? Who can get into our lairs?"
14 I will punish you as the fruit of your deeds deserves, declares the LORD; I will set fire to her forest, and it will consume all that is around her.'"