1The word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, his entire army, all the kingdoms of the earth under his rule, and all the people were fighting against Jerusalem and all its cities. Yahweh said:
2“Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘Go and speak to King Zedekiah of Judah. Tell him that Yahweh says: “Look, I am handing this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.”
3You will not escape from his grasp. Instead, you will surely be captured and delivered into his hand. You will look into the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he will speak with you face to face. You will go to Babylon.’”
4“Even so, listen to Yahweh’s word, King Zedekiah of Judah: Yahweh says about you, ‘You will not die by the sword.’
5You will die peacefully. Just as incense was burned in honor of your ancestors, the former kings before you, so they will burn incense for you. They will mourn for you, saying, “Oh, master!” For I have spoken the word,’ says Yahweh.”
6Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem,
7while the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the remaining cities of Judah—Lachish and Azekah. These were the only fortified cities left in Judah.
8The word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to declare freedom for them;
9that every man should set free his male servant and his female servant, if they were Hebrew men or women. No one should enslave a fellow Jew.
10All the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant obeyed. Everyone agreed to set free their male and female servants, so that no one would enslave them anymore. They obeyed and released them.
11But afterward, they changed their minds and forced the male and female servants whom they had set free to return, and they re-enslaved them.
12Therefore, Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,
13“Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I made a covenant with your ancestors on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. I told them:
14“At the end of seven years, each of you must release your fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you for six years. You must set him free from you.” But your ancestors did not listen to me or pay attention.
15Recently, you had turned and done what was right in my eyes by proclaiming freedom for everyone to their neighbor, and you had made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name.
16But then you turned around and dishonored my name. Each of you forced your male servant and female servant, whom you had set free as they desired, to return; and you re-enslaved them to be your servants.’”
17Therefore, Yahweh says: “You have not obeyed me by proclaiming freedom, each person for their relative and for their neighbor. So, I am proclaiming freedom for you,” says Yahweh, “to the sword, to disease, and to famine. I will make you a horrifying sight to all the kingdoms of the earth.
18I will hand over the people who violated my covenant, who did not keep the terms of the covenant they made before me when they cut a calf in two and walked between its parts:
19the officials of Judah, the officials of Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the people of the land who walked between the parts of the calf;
20I will hand them over to their enemies, to those who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds and wild animals.
21I will hand King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials over to their enemies, to those who want to kill them. I will hand them over to the army of the king of Babylon, even though they have left you for now.
22“Listen, I will give the order,” says Yahweh. “I will make them return to this city. They will fight against it, capture it, and burn it down. I will turn the cities of Judah into a wasteland, with no one living in them.”