Jeremiah 21:4-14

‘Here is what YAHWEH, the God of Israel says to King Zedekiah: Behold! I am going to take the weapons your troops are using to fight the Babylonians who are outside the city, and I will gather them together there. And I myself will fight against you with a strong arm and with all my might. Yes, I will fight against you, fueled by my furious anger and by my great wrath! And I will strike down the inhabitants of this city—both people and animals, and they will die from a great plague. “ ‘And after this, declares YAHWEH, I will hand over Judah’s king, Zedekiah, his officials, and everyone else in the city who survives the disease, war, and food shortages, to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and their enemies. He will slaughter them with the sword and show no mercy, pity, or compassion.’ ” “Furthermore, speak to the people the words of YAHWEH: ‘Behold! I will set before you the way that leads to life and the way that leads to death. Whoever remains in this city will die by the sword and by food shortages and by pestilence, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and they will escape with their lives. “ ‘For I am determined to bring calamity to this city, not good, declares YAHWEH. I will turn the city over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it to the ground.’ ” YAHWEH YAHWEH spoke through Jeremiah to the household of the king: “Hear the word of YAHWEH, royal family of David. Here is what YAHWEH says to you: Each new day, make sure that justice is done and rescue those who have been robbed from the power of their oppressor, or my wrath will go forth like an unquenchable fire on account of their evil deeds. YAHWEH declares: I will fight against you, Jerusalem, you who are enthroned above the valley, a rock over the plain. Those who say, ‘Who would dare come here and attack us and penetrate the defenses of our city?’ I will punish you as your evil deeds deserve, declares YAHWEH. And I will kindle a fire in your forest, and it will consume everything around you.”