³ But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah, ⁴ ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn^(A) against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians^[a] who are outside the wall besieging^(B) you. And I will gather them inside this city. ⁵ I myself will fight^(C) against you with an outstretched hand^(D) and a mighty arm^(E) in furious anger and in great wrath. ⁶ I will strike^(F) down those who live in this city—both man and beast—and they will die of a terrible plague.^{(G) 7} After that, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah^(H) king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague,^(I) sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon^(J) and to their enemies^(K) who want to kill them.^(L) He will put them to the sword;^(M) he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’^(N)

⁸ “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life^(O) and the way of death. ⁹ Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague.^(P) But whoever goes out and surrenders^(Q) to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.^{(R) 10} I have determined to do this city harm^(S) and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands^(T) of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’^(U)

² This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke^(A) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. ³ Then send^(B) word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,^(C) Tyre and Sidon^(D) through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. ⁴ Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: ⁵ With my great power and outstretched arm^(E) I made^(F) the earth and its people and the animals^(G) that are on it, and I give^(H) it to anyone I please. ⁶ Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant^(I) Nebuchadnezzar^(J) king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.^(K)

A Message About Kedar and Hazor

²⁸ Concerning Kedar^(A) and the kingdoms of Hazor,^(B) which Nebuchadnezzar^(C) king of Babylon attacked:

This is what the Lord says:

¹⁹ “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword^(A) of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost^(B) where the road branches off to the city. ²⁰ Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites^(C) and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. ²¹ For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots^(D) with arrows, he will consult his idols,^(E) he will examine the liver.^{(F) 22} Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry,^(G) to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp^(H) and to erect siege works.^{(I) 23} It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind^(J) them of their guilt^(K) and take them captive.

²⁴ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.

²⁵ “‘You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come,^(L) whose time of punishment has reached its climax,^{(M) 26} this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown.^(N) It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.^{(O) 27} A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come;^(P) to him I will give it.’^(Q)

²⁸ “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites^(R) and their insults:

¹⁸ “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar^(A) king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare^(B) and every shoulder made raw.^(C) Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre. ¹⁹ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king^(D) of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder^(E) the land as pay for his army.^{(F) 20} I have given him Egypt^(G) as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(H)