Year of the Bible
Jeremiah 21
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Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, Chapter 21:
This chapter is set during the reign of the last King of Judah before the Babylonian invasion: King Zedekiah. The King seeks to know if there will be war, or if God will act as He often has in the past and protect His people. God’s response fulfills His earlier statements about consequences for rejecting the covenant. Instead of turning back the Babylonian and Chaldean army, He will turn back the weapons of Judah! God offers a way to escape disaster, but it seems illogical: those who want to save their lives can surrender to the enemy. God also gives Jeremiah a message for the King’s household that illustrates their sinfulness and false assumptions. Because they are producing such poor spiritual fruit, there will be a devouring fire in their midst.
The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, Chapter 21:
The Fall of Jerusalem
1 This is the word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Ma-aseiah, saying, 2 “Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadrezzar 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.”
3 Then Jeremiah said to them: 4 “Thus you shall say to Zedekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war which 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. 5 I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath. 6 And I will strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they shall die of a great pestilence. 7 Afterward, says 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 Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them with the edge of the sword; he shall not pity them, or spare them, or have compassion.’
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. 9 He 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. 10 For I have set my face against this city for evil and not for good, says the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.’
Message to the King of Judah
11 “And to the house of the king of Judah say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, 12 O 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 doings.’ ”
13 “Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley,
O rock of the plain,
says the Lord; you who say, ‘Who shall come
down against us,
or who shall enter our habitations?’
14 I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings,
says the Lord;
I will kindle a fire in her forest,
and it shall devour all that is round about her.”
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
King Zedekiah wanted to fight against Babylon, but this was not God's will. Have you ever asserted your own will against what you knew to be the will of God? Lord, help me to trust you and your will for my life even when I don't understand your ways!
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Jeremías 21
21 1 Palabra que fue dirigida a Jeremías
de parte del Señor, cuando
el rey Sedecías le envió a Pasjur, hijo de
Malaquías, y al sacerdote Sofonías, hijo
de Maasías, para decirle:
2 –Por favor, consulta por nosotros al
Señor, porque Nabucodonosor, rey de
Babilonia, nos hace la guerra. Quizás el
Señor intervenga a nuestro favor utilizando
todos sus prodigios, y le haga alejarse
de nosotros.
3 Jeremías les respondió:
–Así diréis a Sedecías: 4 «Esto dice el
Señor, Dios de Israel: “Mirad, haré que
se vuelvan atrás las armas que empuñáis,
con las que combatís al rey de Babilonia
y a los caldeos que os asedian
desde fuera de la muralla, y los conduciré
en medio de esta ciudad. 5 Yo mismo
combatiré contra vosotros con mano
extendida y brazo fuerte, con ira, furor
y cólera. 6 Golpearé a los habitantes
de esta ciudad, hombres y bestias, que
morirán de grave peste. 7 Seguidamente
–oráculo del Señor–, a Sedecías, rey de
Judá, a sus servidores, al pueblo y a los
que, en esta ciudad, hayan sobrevivido
a la peste, a la espada y al hambre, los
entregaré en manos de Nabucodono-
sor, rey de Babilonia, en manos de sus
enemigos y en manos de los que atentan
contra su vida. Él los pasará a filo
de espada, sin que se apiade de ellos, ni
se compadezca, ni tenga misericordia”».
8 »En cuanto a ese pueblo, le dirás:
«Así habla el Señor: “Yo pongo ante vosotros
el camino de la vida y el camino
de la muerte. 9 Quien se quede en esta
ciudad morirá a espada, o de hambre o
de peste. Pero el que salga y se rinda a
los caldeos que os asedian vivirá, y su
propia vida le servirá de botín. 10 Porque
voy a encararme con esta ciudad para
mal y no para bien –oráculo del Señor–:
será entregada en manos del rey de Babilonia,
que le prenderá fuego”».
11»Y en cuanto a la casa del rey de
Judá,
escuchad la palabra del Señor.
12Casa de David, esto dice el Señor:
«Administrad justicia cada mañana,
librad al despojado de la mano del
explotador,
no sea que mi cólera se encienda
como fuego,
se inflame, y no haya quien la apague,
ante la maldad de vuestras acciones.
13 Aquí estoy contra ti, moradora del
valle,
roca de la plana –oráculo del Señor–.
A los que decís: “¿Quién caerá sobre
nosotros?,
¿quién entrará en nuestras moradas?”,
14Yo os castigaré según el fruto de
vuestras obras
–oráculo del Señor–,
prenderé fuego a su bosque,
y devorará todos sus alrededores».
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
El rey Sedecías quería luchar contra Babilonia, pero esta no era la voluntad de Dios. ¿Alguna vez haz afirmado tu propia voluntad contra lo que sabías que era la voluntad de Dios? Señor, ayuda a confiar en tí y en tu voluntad para mi vida aún cuando no entiendo tus caminos.
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