# Jeremiah 21 š: Zedekiah's Request Rejected
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[[-Jeremiah Overview]] | [[Jeremiah 20]] | [[Jeremiah 22]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Lord Will Hand Jerusalem over to Enemies
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ spoke to JeremiahĀ when King ZedekiahĀ sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah.Ā Zedekiah sent them to Jeremiah to ask,Ā
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā āPlease ask theĀ LordĀ to come and help us,Ā because King NebuchadnezzarĀ of Babylon is attacking us. Maybe theĀ LordĀ will perform one of his miracles as in times past and make him stop attacking us and leave.āĀ
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā Jeremiah answered them, āTell ZedekiahĀ
[[#Verse 04.]]Ā that theĀ Lord, the God of Israel, says,Ā āThe forces at your disposalĀ are now outside the walls fighting against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the BabyloniansĀ who have you under siege. I will gather those forces back inside the city.Ā
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā In anger, in fury, and in wrath I myself will fight against you with my mighty power and great strength.Ā
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā I will kill everything living in Jerusalem, people and animals alike. They will die from terrible diseases.Ā
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā ThenĀ I, theĀ Lord, promise thatĀ 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.ā
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā āButĀ tell the people of JerusalemĀ that theĀ LordĀ says, āI will give you a choice between two courses of action. One will result in life; the other will result in death.Ā
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā 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.Ā
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā For I, theĀ Lord, say thatĀ I am determined not to deliver this city but to bring disaster on it.Ā It will be handed over to the king of Babylon and he will destroy it with fire.āā
### Warnings to the Royal Court
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ told me to sayĀ to the royal courtĀ of Judah: āListen to theĀ Lordās message,
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā O royal family descended from David.
TheĀ LordĀ says:
āSee to it that people each dayĀ are judged fairly.
Deliver those who have been robbed from thoseĀ 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.
[[#Verse 13.]]]Ā Listen, youĀ who sit enthroned above the valley on a rocky plateau.
I am opposed to you,āĀ says theĀ Lord.
āYou boast, āNo one can swoop down on us.
No one can penetrate into our places of refuge.ā
[[#Verse 14.]] But I will punish you as your deeds deserve,ā
says theĀ Lord.
āI will set fire to your palace;
it will burn up everything around it.āā
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah to Jeremiah (21:1). This Pashhur is different from the one in chapter 20.
2. This chapter comes from the time of Babylon's final siege of Jerusalem, around 588 BC.
3. The name Nebuchadnezzar is spelled "Nebuchadrezzar" in much of Jeremiah, which is closer to the Babylonian form *Nabu-kudurri-usur*.
4. Zedekiah hoped for a miracle like God's rescue of Jerusalem from Assyria in Hezekiah's day (2 Kings 19:35-36).
5. "With an outstretched hand and a strong arm" (21:5) is exodus language (Deuteronomy 4:34), now turned against Jerusalem.
6. "The way of life and the way of death" (21:8) echoes Moses' words in Deuteronomy 30:15-19.
7. Those who surrendered to the Babylonians would have their lives as plunder (21:9), meaning they would escape with their lives.
8. Courts in Israel often met in the morning at the city gate (21:12).
9. The "house of David" (21:12) refers to the royal family and court.
10. Jerusalem is called "you who live in the valley, the rock of the plain" (21:13). It felt secure on its hills, but God would come against it.
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the way of life set before us (21:8). Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), and the narrow way leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14).
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. Zedekiah hoped God would perform a miracle as in the past (21:2). Why do we sometimes want God's help without wanting to obey Him?
2. God set before the people the way of life and the way of death (21:8). What choices in your life are really choices between these two ways?
3. God told the royal house to execute justice every morning (21:12). What does daily faithfulness in justice look like for leaders today?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 5: The Lord Himself would fight against Jerusalem with an outstretched hand.
- š verse 8: I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
- š verse 12: Execute justice every morning and rescue the oppressed.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[John 14#Verse 06.|John 14:6]] - Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
- š [[Matthew 07#Verse 13.|Matthew 7:13-14]] - The narrow way leads to life.
- š [[Deuteronomy 30#Verse 19.|Deuteronomy 30:19]] - Choose life.
- š [[Micah 06#Verse 08.|Micah 6:8]] - Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly.
- š [[Psalm 72#Verse 01.|Psalm 72:1-4]] - The king who defends the poor.
## š Devotional Reflection
š SOAP: [[Jeremiah 21 - SOAP|Obeying God Brings Life]]
## š Internal Notes