2 "Please inquire of the Lord on our behalf, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is warring against us; perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all His wonderful acts, so that the enemy will withdraw from us."
3 Then Jeremiah said to them, "You shall say to Zedekiah as follows:
4 'Thus says the Lord God of Israel, "Behold, I am about to turn back the weapons of war which are in your hands, with which you are warring against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall; and I will gather them into the center of this city.
5 I Myself will war against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, even in anger and wrath and great indignation.
6 I will also strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die of a great pestilence.
7 Then afterwards," declares the Lord, "I will give over Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people, even those who survive in this city from the pestilence, the sword and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their foes and into the hand of those who seek their lives; and he will strike them down with the edge of the sword. He will not spare them nor have pity nor compassion."'
8 "You shall also say to this people, 'Thus says the Lord, "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.