Jeremiah 21:4

² “Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”

³ But Jeremiah answered, “You are to tell Zedekiah that

this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will turn against you the weapons of war in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall, and I will assemble their forces in the center of this city.

⁵ And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, with anger, fury, and great wrath.

⁶ I will strike down the residents of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a terrible plague.’

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will turn against you the weapons of war in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall, and I will assemble their forces in the center of this city.
KJV: Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.
WEB: ‘The LORD, the God of Israel says, “Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls; and I will gather them into the middle of this city.
ASV: Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans that besiege you, without the walls; and I will gather them into the midst of this city.
DARBY: Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you, outside the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.
BLB: Thus says YHWH God of Israel: ‘Behold, I am going to turn back the weapons of war that [are] in your⁺ hands, with which you⁺ will be fighting against the king of Babylon, and the Chaldeans setting up siege against you⁺ from outside the walls. And I will gather them in the midst of this city.

ÅB: Så sier Herren, Israels Gud: Se, jeg vender om de krigsvåpen som er i deres hånd, og som dere strider med utenfor muren mot Babels konge og mot kaldeerne, som har kringsatt dere, og jeg vil samle dem midt i denne by.
OTB: ‘Dette sier Herren, Israels Gud: Se, jeg er i ferd med å vende tilbake krigsvåpnene som er i deres hender, som dere bruker til å kjempe mot kongen av Babylon og kaldeerne som beleirer dere utenfor muren; og jeg vil samle dem midt i denne byen.
B1930: Så sier Herren, Israels Gud: Se, jeg vender om de krigsvåben som er i eders hånd, og som I strider med utenfor muren mot Babels konge og mot kaldeerne, som har kringsatt eder, og jeg vil samle dem midt i denne by.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 33:5
The Chaldeans are coming to fight and to fill those places with the corpses of the men I will strike down in My anger and in My wrath. I have hidden My face from this city because of all its wickedness.
Read in context
Jeremiah 37:8–10
Then the Chaldeans will return and fight against this city. They will capture it and burn it down.
Read in context
Isaiah 5:5
Now I will tell you what I am about to do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will tear down its wall, and it will be trampled.
Read in context
Jeremiah 32:5
He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will stay until I attend to him, declares the LORD. If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed.’”
Read in context
Isaiah 13:4
Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war.
Read in context
Jeremiah 38:17–18
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive.
Read in context
Zechariah 14:2
For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city.
Read in context
Lamentations 2:7
The Lord has rejected His altar; He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has delivered the walls of her palaces into the hand of the enemy. They have raised a shout in the house of the LORD as on the day of an appointed feast.
Read in context