Jeremiah Complains about the Reaction to His Ministry

20:7 Lord, you coerced me into being a prophet,

and I allowed you to do it.

You overcame my resistance and prevailed over me.11

Now I have become a constant laughingstock.

Everyone ridicules me.

20:8 For whenever I prophesy,12 I must cry out,13

“Violence and destruction are coming!”14

This message from the Lord15 has made me

an object of continual insults and derision.

20:9 Sometimes I think, “I will make no mention of his message.

I will not speak as his messenger16 any more.”

But then17 his message becomes like a fire

locked up inside of me, burning in my heart and soul.18

I grow weary of trying to hold it in;

I cannot contain it.

20:10 I19 hear many whispering words of intrigue against me.

Those who would cause me terror are everywhere!20

They are saying, “Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!”21

All my so-called friends22 are just watching for

something that would lead to my downfall.23

They say, “Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up,

so we can prevail over24 him and get our revenge on him.

20:11 But the Lord is with me to help me like an awe-inspiring warrior.25

Therefore those who persecute me will fail and will not prevail over me.

They will be thoroughly disgraced because they did not succeed.

Their disgrace will never be forgotten.

20:12 O Lord who rules over all,26 you test and prove the righteous.

You see into people’s hearts and minds.27

Pay them back for what they have done

because I trust you to vindicate my cause.

20:13 Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord!

For he rescues the oppressed from the clutches of evildoers.28

20:14 Cursed be the day I was born!

May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.29

20:15 Cursed be the man

who made my father very glad

when he brought him the news

that a baby boy had been born to him!30

20:16 May that man be like the cities31

that the Lord destroyed without showing any mercy.

May he hear a cry of distress in the morning

and a battle cry at noon.

20:17 For he did not kill me before I came from the womb,

making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.32

20:18 Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb?

All I experience is trouble and grief,

and I spend my days in shame.33

The Lord Will Hand Jerusalem over to Enemies

21:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah1 when King Zedekiah2 sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah.3 Zedekiah sent them to Jeremiah to ask,4 21:2 “Please ask the Lord to come and help us,5 because King Nebuchadnezzar6 of Babylon is attacking us. Maybe the Lord will perform one of his miracles as in times past and make him stop attacking us and leave.”7 21:3 Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah 21:4 that the Lord, the God of Israel, says,8 ‘The forces at your disposal9 are now outside the walls fighting against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonians10 who have you under siege. I will gather those forces back inside the city.11 21:5 In anger, in fury, and in wrath I myself will fight against you with my mighty power and great strength!12 21:6 I will kill everything living in Jerusalem,13 people and animals alike! They will die from terrible diseases. 21:7 Then14 I, the Lord, promise that15 I will hand over King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and any of the people who survive the war, starvation, and disease. I will hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will slaughter them with the sword. He will not show them any mercy, compassion, or pity.’

21:8 “But16 tell the people of Jerusalem17 that the Lord says, ‘I will give you a choice between two courses of action. One will result in life; the other will result in death.18 21:9 Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians who are besieging it will live. They will escape with their lives.19 21:10 For I, the Lord, say that20 I am determined not to deliver this city but to bring disaster on it.21 It will be handed over to the king of Babylon and he will destroy it with fire.’ ”22

Warnings to the Royal Court

21:11 The Lord told me to say23 to the royal court24 of Judah,

“Listen to what the Lord says,

21:12 O royal family descended from David.25

The Lord says:

‘See to it that people each day26 are judged fairly.27

Deliver those who have been robbed from those28 who oppress them.

Otherwise, my wrath will blaze out against you.

It will burn like a fire that cannot be put out

because of the evil that you have done.29

21:13 Listen, you30 who sit enthroned above the valley on a rocky plateau.

I am opposed to you,’31 says the Lord.32

‘You boast, “No one can swoop down on us.

No one can penetrate into our places of refuge.”33

21:14 But I will punish you as your deeds deserve,’

says the Lord.34

‘I will set fire to your palace;

it will burn up everything around it.’ ”35

22:1 The Lord told me,1 “Go down2 to the palace of the king of Judah. Give him a message from me there.3 22:2 Say: ‘Listen, O king of Judah who follows in David’s succession.4 You, your officials, and your subjects who pass through the gates of this palace must listen to what the Lord says.5 22:3 The Lord says, “Do what is just and right. Deliver those who have been robbed from those6 who oppress them. Do not exploit or mistreat foreigners who live in your land, children who have no fathers, or widows.7 Do not kill innocent people8 in this land. 22:4 If you are careful to9 obey these commands, then the kings who follow in David’s succession and ride in chariots or on horses will continue to come through the gates of this palace, as will their officials and their subjects.10 22:5 But, if you do not obey these commands, I solemnly swear11 that this palace will become a pile of rubble. I, the Lord, affirm it!”12

22:6 “ ‘For the Lord says concerning the palace of the king of Judah,

“This place looks like a veritable forest of Gilead to me.

It is like the wooded heights of Lebanon in my eyes.

But I swear that I will make it like a wilderness

whose towns have all been deserted.13

22:7 I will send men against it to destroy it14

with their axes and hatchets.

They will hack up its fine cedar panels and columns

and throw them into the fire.

22:8 “ ‘People from other nations will pass by this city. They will ask one another, “Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?” 22:9 The answer will come back, “It is because they broke their covenant with the Lord their God and worshiped and served other gods.”