Jeremiah 21

King Zedekiah in the siege sendeth to enquire of Jeremiah whether there be any hope or comfort to be expected from God verse 1&c he is answered no but the quiet contrary 3. Yet God advirseth the people what is best for them 8. And giveth a lesson to the king’s house with a sharp threatening 11.

1. The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord when king Zedekiah sent him Pashur the son of Malchia [of the prosperity of Malchia upon whose family the fifth Lot in the division of the priest in David time fell 1 Chronicles 24.9as upon the family of Maasejah of whom is spoken in the words following four and twentieth lot fell 1 Chronicles 24:18] and Zephania the son of Maseja the priest saying;

2. Enquire I pray thee of the Lord for us for Nebuchadnezzar [so below verse 7 and often by this prophet otherwise called Nebuchadnezzar] the king of Babel fighteth against us it may be the Lord will do with us according to all his wonders [as he hath hereto fore done so often for the protection and deliverance of his people] that he may march up from us [that Nebuchadnezzar may break up and leave the siege]

3. Then said Jeremiah unto them thus shall ye say unto Zedekiah:

4. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel ; behold I will turn back the weapons of war [Heb. Instruments or furniture of war]that are in your hand [that they shall be unprofitable yea hurtful for ye though ye think to defend yourselves by them and to beat back the Chaldeans as followeth] wherewith ye fight against the King of Babel and against the Chaldeans that besiege ye without the wall and I will assemble them into the midst of the city [I will let the Babylonians or the Chaldeans come in or I will let them in or cause the city see of the Hebrew word rendered here assembling Judges 19 on verse 15.]

5. And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm yea with anger and with wrath and with great indignation.

6. And smite the inhabitants of this city both men and beasts [Heb. And the man and the beast] they shall die by great pestilence.

7. And afterwards saith the Lord I will deliver Zedekiah the king of Judah and his servant and the people and those that are left from the city in pestilence from the sword and from the famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel and into the hand of the enemies and into the hand of that seek of their soul [that is that hunt after their life see exodus 4 on verse 19 and 2 Samuel 4:8] and he [the king of Babel] shall smite them with the edge of the sword ] he shall not spare them neither have pity nor have mercy.

8. And unto this people thou shalt say thus saith the Lord behold I set before your face the way of life and the way of death.

9. He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword or by famine nor by the pestilence but he that goeth out of it and falleth into the Chaldean [that is he that willingly surrendeth himself to them]that besiege ye he shall live and his soul [that is life or person] shall be unto him for a prey [that is he shall have his preservation for a prey which is fetched with hazards and danger of the enemies or falleth unaware into a mans hand for which he rejoiceth so below chapter 38.2 and 45.5]

10. For I have set my face against this city [see Leviticus 17 on verse 10] for evil [for the punishment and destruction] and not for good [to do well unto them or to bless them] saith the Lord it shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babel and he shall burn it with fire.

11. And concerning the house and king of Judah hear the word of the Lord

12. O house of David thus saith the Lord judge judgment in the morning and deliver the spoilt out of the hand of the oppressor [that opposeth him by craft and violence]left my wrath go forth like fire and burn that none can quench it because of the wickedness of your dealings.

13. Behold I will be upon thee [or I am against thee that is be thine adversary I will oppose myself against thee so below chapter 23.30,31,32 Ezech .13.8,23 & 29.3 elsewhere this phrase is also taken in good sense or for good see Ezech 36.9] thou inhabitants of the valley [meaning the city of Jerusalem whereof the lowermost part lay in the low ground and the uppermost on the mount Zion where David city and tower was] thou rock of the plain [where the temple stood on the plain of mount Morija or which the rock lay outwardly before a plain field as some understand this]saith the Lord ye that say ye should come against us ? Or who should enter into your inhabitations.

14. And I will visit ye [that is I will punish ye see Genesis 21 on verse 1] according to the fruit of [above chapter 17.10] saith the Lord and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof [to wit of Jerusalem whereof in the former verse by the forest may be understood the fair buildings of the city that were built with wood that was hewn out of the forest of Libanon compare below chapter 22.7,23or the whole city of the country being full of people as a forest is full of trees compare Ezech 20.46 with the annotate there] which shall consume all that is round about it [see 2 Chronicles 36:19 below chapter 52.13.]