Jeremiah 21:3-7

2. The answer of the prophet (Jeremiah 21:3-7)

TRANSLATION

(3) But Jeremiah said unto them, Thus shall you say to Zedekiah: Thus says the LORD God of Israel: I am about to turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls; and I will gather them into the midst of this city. (5) And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger and in fury and in great wrath. (6) And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they shall die of great pestilence. (7) And after this (oracle of the LORD) I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people, even those who remain in this city from the plague, the sword, and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, even into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not have pity upon them nor mercy nor compassion.

COMMENTS

Jeremiah was not impressed or flattered by the coming of this royal delegation. He does not hesitate a moment to fire back an oracle to the king. Those soldiers who are attempting to defend the walls of Jerusalem will not be successful. God Himself will turn back i.e., render ineffective or inoperative, the defensive weapons of the armies of Judah. God will actually gather the Chaldean soldiers into the walls of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 21:4). Far from intervening on behalf of Judah the Lord will actually be fighting against them, His outstretched hand and strong arm which had on so many occasions in the past been directed against the enemies of the nation (e.g., Deuteronomy 26:8) are now turned against Judah. He who was the Captain of the host of Israel is now leading the charge of the Chaldean enemy. He is still the God of might and miracle but He is now using that power in His wrath against His apostate people (Jeremiah 21:5).

Not only is God directing the Chaldean attack against Jerusalem, He is about to unleash from his arsenal the weapons of plague and pestilence against His people (Jeremiah 21:6). A city under siege in antiquity was especially vulnerable to the outbreak of death-dealing pestilence since the food, water and sanitary facilities of the city were cut off by the enemy. Furthermore many rural folks would flock to the city during the time of attack thus swelling the population and placing an extra strain upon the community resources. Those who survive the terrible siege with its bloody assaults, its plague and famine the Lord will give into the ruthless hands of Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah the king and the royal household are specifically included in this threat. The Chaldean will have no mercy or compassion upon those who fall into his hands (Jeremiah 21:7).