1Entonces el rey Sedequías envió a Pasur, hijo de Malquías, y a Sofonías, hijo de Maseías, a Jeremías y le rogaron: ―Pídele al SEÑOR que nos ayude, porque Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, nos ha declarado la guerra.2Quizá el SEÑOR quiera ayudarnos y realice un gran milagro como en el pasado y obligue a Nabucodonosor a retirar sus ejércitos invasores.3-4Jeremías replicó: ―Vuelvan al rey Sedequías y díganle que el SEÑOR Dios de Israel dice: Yo haré que sus armas sean inútiles contra el rey de Babilonia y los soldados caldeos que los asedian. En efecto, traeré a sus enemigos hasta el corazón mismo de esta ciudad,5y yo mismo pelearé contra ustedes, porque estoy muy enojado.6Y sobre esta ciudad enviaré una espantosa plaga, y morirán personas y animales.7Y finalmente entregaré al propio rey Sedequías y a todo el resto que haya quedado en la ciudad en poder del rey Nabucodonosor de Babilonia, para que los mate sin piedad ni misericordia.8Dile a este pueblo lo que dice el SEÑOR: Les doy la posibilidad de que elijan entre la vida y la muerte.9O permanecer en Jerusalén y morir —degollados por sus enemigos, muertos de hambre y enfermedad— o salir y entregarse al ejército caldeo, y vivir.10Porque le he dado la espalda a esta ciudad. Enemigo y no amigo suyo seré, dice el SEÑOR. Será tomada por el rey de Babilonia, quien la mandará incendiar hasta dejarla convertida en cenizas.11Y al rey de Judá el SEÑOR le dice:12Estoy listo a juzgarte por el mal que estás cometiendo. ¡Pronto! ¡Haz justicia a los que juzgas! Comienza a hacer lo justo antes que mi terrible enojo caiga sobre ti como un fuego que nadie puede apagar.13Yo pelearé contra esta ciudad de Jerusalén, que se ufana diciendo: «Estamos a salvo, aquí nadie puede tocarnos».14Yo mismo te destruiré por haber cometido tantas maldades, dice el SEÑOR. Destruiré todo, incluso encenderé un fuego en los bosques que quemará cuanto halle a su paso, hasta lo que se encuentra en la periferia.
1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, saying, (2 R 25:18; 2 Cr 34:8; Jer 20:1; Jer 29:25; Jer 35:4; Jer 37:3)2“Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadnezzar[1] king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful deeds and will make him withdraw from us.” (2 R 25:1; Sal 105:2; Sal 105:5; Jer 37:7)3Then Jeremiah said to them: “Thus you shall say to Zedekiah,4‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls. And I will bring them together into the midst of this city. (Is 13:4; Jer 32:5; Jer 37:10)5I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, in anger and in fury and in great wrath. (Ex 6:6; Dt 4:34; Dt 29:28; Jer 27:5; Jer 32:17; Jer 32:21; Jer 32:37; Ez 20:33)6And I will strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast. They shall die of a great pestilence.7Afterward, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword. He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion.’ (Dt 28:50; 2 Cr 36:17; Jer 37:17; Jer 39:5; Jer 52:9; Ez 5:11)8“And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. (Dt 30:15; Dt 30:19; Jer 38:2)9He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you shall live and shall have his life as a prize of war. (Jer 15:2; Jer 37:13; Jer 39:18; Jer 45:5)10For I have set my face against this city for harm and not for good, declares the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.’ (Lv 20:3; Lv 20:5; 2 Cr 36:19; Sal 34:16; Jer 14:11; Jer 21:7; Jer 34:2; Jer 37:8; Jer 37:10; Jer 38:17; Jer 38:23; Jer 39:8; Jer 44:11; Jer 52:13; Ez 14:8; Am 9:4)
Message to the House of David
11“And to the house of the king of Judah say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord,12O house of David! Thus says the Lord: “Execute justice in the morning, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of your evil deeds.’” (Sal 101:8; Jer 4:4; Jer 22:3; Jer 22:16; Zac 7:9)13“Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, O rock of the plain, declares the Lord; you who say, ‘Who shall come down against us, or who shall enter our habitations?’ (Jer 21:10; Jer 49:4; Ez 13:8)14I will punish you according to the fruit of your deeds, declares the Lord; I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is around her.” (Pr 1:31; Is 3:10; Jer 9:25; Ez 20:47)